Congress leader writes to PM Modi ahead of UP polls, calls Dalit icon a symbol of social justice
March 15, 2026: Rahul Gandhi has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the government to confer the Bharat Ratna on late Dalit leader Kanshi Ram. In his message, Gandhi described Kanshi Ram as a champion of social justice and said honouring him would recognise the movement that empowered millions of Bahujans and strengthened their political participation and self-respect.
Kanshi Ram, who founded the Bahujan Samaj Party, played a key role in mobilising Dalit communities through grassroots organisations such as BAMCEF and Dalit Shoshit Samaj Sangharsh Samiti. Gandhi said recognising the late leader with the Bharat Ratna would be a tribute not only to Kanshi Ram’s legacy but also to the millions who found political voice through his movement.
The demand comes at a politically significant moment ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections, with analysts viewing it as an attempt by the Congress to reach out to Dalit voters. Kanshi Ram’s protégé Mayawati and her party have long sought the honour for the BSP founder. While there has been no official response from the BSP to Gandhi’s letter yet, the demand remains a sensitive and important issue for the broader Bahujan movement.