Mayawati’s Speech on the 19th Death Anniversary of Kanshi Ram Ji
Leaders, representatives, office-bearers, and workers of the Bahujan Samaj Party from every corner of Uttar Pradesh—
As you all know, today marks the 19th death anniversary of the founder and great visionary of the Bahujan Samaj Party, Manyavar Shri Kanshi Ram Ji. It was on this very day that he passed away after a prolonged illness. Though he is no longer among us, his lifelong dedication to the upliftment of the Bahujan community will forever remain unforgettable and immortal.
Today, along with me, lakhs of our party workers have gathered here at the magnificent Manyavar Shri Kanshi Ram Ji Memorial Site in Lucknow, built during the BSP government, to pay their heartfelt tributes to this great leader.
For some time, due to the delay in repair work, floral tributes at the memorial were not possible. However, now that most of the restoration has been completed, lakhs of supporters have come again in even greater numbers to offer flowers and homage. The party sincerely thanks all of you for this overwhelming turnout.
I also wish to express my gratitude to the current state government. The revenue collected from visitor tickets at the memorial has been properly used for maintenance—unlike during the previous Samajwadi Party (SP) government, which withheld those funds and spent nothing on upkeep.
When our BSP government had built this site, we had ensured that all ticket revenue would be used solely for its maintenance. But the SP government misused it. When I wrote formally to the Chief Minister requesting that the accumulated amount be utilized for repairs, the BJP government accepted that request and acted accordingly. For this, the BSP acknowledges their cooperation.
However, it is ironic that the same SP leaders, who did nothing while in power, are now talking through the media about organizing seminars in Kanshi Ram Ji’s honour. When in power, they remembered neither the PDA movement nor Kanshi Ram Ji’s birth or death anniversaries. Only after losing power do they suddenly recall him.
I want to ask Akhilesh Yadav directly—if you truly respected Kanshi Ram Ji, why did you, upon coming to power, immediately change the name of Kanshi Ram Nagar district in Aligarh Division, which my government had established in his honour? We opened colleges and universities in his name; your government shut them down. What greater example of double standards can there be?
Such people forget the saints, reformers, and icons of the oppressed when they are in power, and remember them only when out of it. The public must beware of such hypocrisy.
Now, about Manyavar Shri Kanshi Ram Ji—he was born into a middle-class Dalit family in Punjab. He renounced his family ties, his government job, and all personal comforts to fulfil the unfinished mission of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar.
Dr. Ambedkar had said that Dalits, Adivasis, backward classes, Muslims, and other marginalized groups can only secure their constitutional rights when they hold the “master key of political power” in their own hands. Kanshi Ram Ji devoted his entire life to realizing this vision.
He believed that the Bahujan community must unite and, through its collective strength, capture political power in both the states and the Centre. He spent his entire life fighting for this cause and achieved great success. His lifelong dream was to see the BSP form a majority government in Uttar Pradesh—the state with the largest Bahujan population. That dream came true in 2007, when the BSP formed a full-majority government on its own—a historic step toward fulfilling the dreams of Babasaheb and Kanshi Ram Ji.
Our government worked for “Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhay”—for the welfare and happiness of all. We improved law and order, ensured fair implementation of reservations, and carried out development work without discrimination.
We never enslaved people with free handouts or indulged in vote-bank politics. Instead, we promoted self-reliance. During our tenure, peace, justice, and dignity prevailed across the state.
We respected great social reformers and saints—Mahatma Phule, Shahu Ji Maharaj, Narayana Guru, Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Sant Ravidas, Gautam Buddha, and Kanshi Ram Ji—at every level. But casteist parties could not tolerate this.
The SP shut down our welfare schemes, changed institutional names, and even attacked reservation in promotions. Under both SP and BJP governments, hooliganism and mafia rule flourished.
The Congress, too, exploited the Bahujan community for decades—denying Babasaheb entry into Parliament and delaying his Bharat Ratna. No national mourning was declared even when Kanshi Ram Ji passed away.
Even today, parties like BJP, SP, and Congress remain casteist, narrow-minded, and capitalist. They make big announcements but deliver little on the ground. That’s why it’s essential for the Bahujan community across the country to strengthen the BSP.
Opposition parties will hatch conspiracies to stop us, using selfish leaders and organizations to divide Dalit votes. We must not fall for these traps. Every single vote must go to the BSP—to bring our party back to power in Uttar Pradesh and fulfil the unfinished dreams of Babasaheb and Kanshi Ram Ji.
Around the world, nations are facing unrest and violence. India, too, has seen attempts by mischievous elements to create communal discord in the name of religion and deities. This is not in the nation’s interest. Everyone must abide by the Constitution, respect all faiths, and avoid interfering in age-old religious customs or exploiting them for political gain.
The recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir—where many women lost their husbands—is deeply tragic. Such incidents could have been prevented with proper security arrangements. Our foreign policy, too, must always serve national interest. The government must be cautious about rising U.S. tariffs, and the call for “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (self-reliance) must translate into ground reality, not remain mere slogans.
It is, therefore, crucial to strengthen the BSP at every level and ensure that we return to power in Uttar Pradesh with a full majority. Since BSP’s exit, SP and BJP governments—like earlier Congress regimes—have failed to deliver real development for the poor, Dalits, and backward classes. Poverty, unemployment, atrocities, and caste-based discrimination have increased sharply, and women are unsafe.
Even the benefits of reservation are not reaching the intended communities because casteist governments have failed to defend reservation laws effectively in courts. It was the BSP’s relentless efforts that led to the constitutional amendment bill for reservation in promotions for SC/ST employees in Parliament—but Congress, BJP, and SP collectively prevented its passage. SP MPs even tore up the bill inside Parliament.
These caste-driven parties—Congress, BJP, SP—can never ensure true progress for Dalits, minorities, or the poor. Even the Muslim and other minority communities remain marginalized and insecure. The Sachar Committee report was ignored.
Law and order across India, especially in UP, remains poor. Crime is on the rise. Opposition parties make tall promises during elections, but once in power, they fail to fulfil even half of them. Their flawed economic policies are worsening poverty, unemployment, and inflation.
Now, these very parties—both ruling and opposition—are secretly conspiring to alter Babasaheb Ambedkar’s egalitarian Constitution and restore the old caste-based order. Even their saints and religious leaders publicly advocate for it.
The BSP will never allow this to happen—no matter how tough the struggle. Only by safeguarding the Constitution can we protect the legal rights of Dalits, Adivasis, backward classes, and other oppressed groups.
Therefore, people of all communities must unite under the BSP’s banner, strengthen the party at every level, and bring it back to power. The BSP is the only party capable of preserving the Constitution and empowering the marginalized to stand on their own feet.
You have seen this yourself during the BSP’s four governments in UP. Now, once again, we must ensure a full-majority BSP government—by connecting with people of all communities, especially Bahujans, at every polling booth, organizing small meetings, explaining BSP’s principles and achievements, and exposing the tricks of rival parties.
If our workers act sincerely, I am confident BSP will return to power.
Experience shows that alliances have never benefited us. Our votes get transferred to others, but theirs never come to us. In 1993, our alliance with SP got us only 67 seats; the same happened with Congress in 1996. But when we fought alone in 2002, we won about 100 seats. In 2007, fighting alone again, we won over 200 seats and formed a full-majority government.
Hence, BSP will contest the 2027 elections alone.
The massive crowd here today is proof that our supporters have come of their own will, not as paid attendees. Their enthusiasm shows that BSP will once again form a full-majority government in UP. I assure you, I will leave no stone unturned in achieving this goal.
When BSP returns to power, we will review all casteist and anti-people laws passed by SP and BJP governments, repeal those that violate the principle of Sarvajan Hitay–Sarvajan Sukhay, and restore policies that protect Dalits and backward classes. We will also focus on improving law and order, employment, and women’s safety.
From this stage, I want to acknowledge and appreciate Aakash Anand, who is working tirelessly under my guidance to expand BSP’s base across the country. I appeal to all our supporters to stand firmly with him in every situation.
Let us pledge today to strengthen the BSP in every corner of the country, restore our rightful place in power, and carry forward the movement started by Babasaheb Ambedkar and Kanshi Ram Ji—for equality, dignity, and true social justice.
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