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| Indian Dalit leader passes away | Indian Dalit leader passes away |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| A prominent political leader of the lower-caste Dalits in India, Kanshi Ram, has died at his home in the capital, Delhi. | A prominent political leader of the lower-caste Dalits in India, Kanshi Ram, has died at his home in the capital, Delhi. |
| Mr Ram,72, founded the Bahujan Samaj Party, a regional party which he led along with Mayawati, a former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh state. | Mr Ram,72, founded the Bahujan Samaj Party, a regional party which he led along with Mayawati, a former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh state. |
| He was ailing and bedridden for the past two years, reports say. | He was ailing and bedridden for the past two years, reports say. |
| Mr Ram emerged as the symbol of a growing political role for the Dalits in Indian politics in the 1980s. | Mr Ram emerged as the symbol of a growing political role for the Dalits in Indian politics in the 1980s. |
| In his condolence message, Indian PM Manmohan Singh described Mr Ram as "one of the greatest social reformers of our time...his political ideas and movements had a significant impact on our political evolution". | In his condolence message, Indian PM Manmohan Singh described Mr Ram as "one of the greatest social reformers of our time...his political ideas and movements had a significant impact on our political evolution". |
| "He had a larger understanding of social change and was able to unite various underprivileged sections of our society and provide a political platform where their voices would be heard," Mr Singh said. | "He had a larger understanding of social change and was able to unite various underprivileged sections of our society and provide a political platform where their voices would be heard," Mr Singh said. |
| Under Mr Ram's leadership, the BSP won 14 parliamentary seats in the 1999 federal elections. | Under Mr Ram's leadership, the BSP won 14 parliamentary seats in the 1999 federal elections. |
| Astute | Astute |
| The BSP, founded in 1984, has led the government in the restive and politically crucial northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh several times. | The BSP, founded in 1984, has led the government in the restive and politically crucial northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh several times. |
| In 1995, Mayawati, who was groomed by Mr Ram, took over and became the first leader of a Dalit party to head a state government in India. | |
| Apart from Uttar Pradesh, the BSP has a considerable presence in Punjab as well as the central state of Madhya Pradesh. | Apart from Uttar Pradesh, the BSP has a considerable presence in Punjab as well as the central state of Madhya Pradesh. |
| Analysts say Mr Ram was an astute politician and was hugely influential among India's Dalits or untouchables. | Analysts say Mr Ram was an astute politician and was hugely influential among India's Dalits or untouchables. |
| Under Mayawati's leadership, the BSP has now toned down its anti-upper-caste rhetoric to broaden its support base, reaching out now to the upper-castes and to Muslims. | Under Mayawati's leadership, the BSP has now toned down its anti-upper-caste rhetoric to broaden its support base, reaching out now to the upper-castes and to Muslims. |