Four-and-a-half years after his death, the late Kanshi Ram, founder of the Bahujan Samaj Party, has been elevated to the status of a modern-day deity.
Hundreds of BSP followers thronged his statues in the state capital to offer floral tributes to the leader on his 77th birth anniversary. Incense sticks were lit on his feet and people were seen bowing their heads in reverence.
UP chief minister and BSP president Mayawati visited the Manyavar Kanshi Ram memorial and the Prerna Sthal that houses an urn containing the late leader’s ashes on Tuesday morning where she paid floral tributes to her mentor while Buddhist monks offered prayers.
She was accompanied by senior officials and minister who also paid tributes to the late leader.
Later, senior BSP minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui distributed 77 tractors to farmers to mark the 77th birth anniversary of Kanshi Ram.
The BSP president had directed party workers to celebrate the occasion at all district headquarters and reaffirm their commitment to the ideology of the BSP founder.
Ms Mayawati, apparently, is using the occasion to consolidate her base among dalits and remind her voters that she is committed to carrying forward the legacy of Kanshi Ram.
Three days ago, the chief minister had announced a `2,000-crore project to beautify dalit slums located in urban areas and earlier this month, she had inaugurated the sprawling Manyavar Kanshi Ram Eco Park in Lucknow.
Lucknow, meanwhile, was painted blue to mark the occasion and all major memorials and parks constructed by the Mayawati government were illuminated with blue fairy lights.
Huge hoardings and banners felicitating the late leader on his birth anniversary were put up and cutouts of Kanshi Ram and Mayawati dotted the skyline of the state capital.
Various government departments issued full page advertisements in leading dailies on the occasion.
However, the chief minister avoided any formal function to mark the occasion and did not even hold the customary press conference on the occasion.
Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party said that the celebrations were a vulgar display of wealth for a leader who was known to be austere in his lifestyle. The BSP reacted sharply to the SP statement saying that it was reflective of the party’s ant-dalit mentality.