Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan passes away, leaders pay tribute to champion of oppressed

Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan passes away, leaders pay tribute to champion of oppressed
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The Lok Janshakti Party founder and minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution was admitted to a private hospital in Delhi for several weeks and was critically ill.

Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan, who rose through the socialist movement to later emerge one of the most prominent Dalit leaders of the country, passed away on Thursday at a Delhi hospital, weeks after undergoing a heart surgery. He was 74.

“Papa .... Now you are not in this world but I know you are always with me wherever you are. Miss you Papa…,” tweeted son Chirag Paswan, with a throwback photo of his father hugging a younger him.


The Lok Janshakti Party founder and minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution was admitted to a private hospital in Delhi for several weeks and was critically ill.

Paswan began his career with the Samyuktha Socialist Party and was elected to the Bihar aseembly in 1969. He rose through the ranks of various socialist parties before floating the LJP in 2000, He was elected to Lok Sabha eight times and was a Rajya Sabha member since 2014.

After heading the Lok Janshakti Party for 19 years, Paswan, who was in active politics for more than five decades, stepped down last November to make way for the appointment of his son and MP Chirag Paswan as the new party president.

PM Narendra Modi expressed grief at Paswan's death tweeting, "I am saddened beyond words. There is a void in our nation that will perhaps never be filled. Shri Ram Vilas Paswan Ji’s demise is a personal loss. I have lost a friend, valued colleague and someone who was extremely passionate to ensure every poor person leads a life of dignity."

"In the demise of Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, the nation has lost a visionary leader. He was among the most active and longest-serving members of parliament. He was the voice of the oppressed, and championed the cause of the marginalized," tweeted President Ram Nath Kovind.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the “poor-downtrodden lost a strong political voice today”, while Priyanka Gandhi reminisced the family association and how he was a neighbour of her mother Sonia Gandhi for years.

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3 Comments on this Story

PPPP 26 minutes ago
It is sad that good people like Paswan die while corrupt congis older but still sitting around. May be God has some plans?
Sreenivasa Rao1 hour ago
Is it curtains for his party LJP now?
Iyerravishankar Iyer1 hour ago
Regret to note about the DEMISE Hon'ble Minister Ram Vilas Paswan. May his soul REST IN PEACE. PMO MUST ENSUR THAT THIS IMPORTANT PORTFOLIO IS ALLOCATED PRUDENTLY TO ENSURE OPTIMUM COMPLIANCE. CONSUMERS NEED JUSTICE FROM ALL SORTS OF MANIPULATIONS BY WHOLESALE TRADERS, RETILERS, AND MANUFACTURERS. FROM ALL SIDES CONSUMERS ARE HIGHLY AFFECTED. ONCE AGAIN CONVEY MY CONDELENCES TO THE MINISTER['S FAMILY.