Ram Vilas Paswan died in a Delhi hospital on Thursday; he was 74 years old
Patna:
Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan received a state funeral and was cremated at the Janardhan Ghat in Patna this afternoon, with his son and LJP chief Chirag Paswan performing the last rites. Paswan, 74, died Thursday night at a Delhi hospital where he had previously undergone heart surgery.
In images shared by the ANI news agency, massive crowds had gathered at the ghat and cremation site as thousands paid their last respects to a veteran political figure, with senior BJP leaders including Union Minister Ravi. Shankar Prasad, who is also a native of Patna.
Also present were Prime Minister Nitish Kumar and Senior Deputy Minister Sushil Kumar Modi.
Earlier today, the three each placed wreaths on the coffin with Mr. Paswan’s body after he was transferred to Patna, and hundreds of people crowded the streets as he made his last trip home.
“Ram VilasHee He was not just a leader of Bihar … he was a national leader, a leader of the people. He belonged to an ordinary family, but he became a deputy of Lok Sabha nine times and Rajya Sabha twice. We are deeply saddened by his death, “Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said today.
“I met his family. He left too soon,” he added, describing him as “the voice of the abandoned.”
#WATCH Bihar: Ceremony of the last rites of Ram Vilas Paswan by his son Chirag Paswan, at Digha ghat in Patna.
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, Union Ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and Nityanand Rai, MP CM Shushil Modi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav are also present. pic.twitter.com/jk0Mu12sC3
– ANI (@ANI) October 10, 2020
President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Congressional MP Rahul Gandhi were among the many who paid rich tributes to Mr. Paswan, who was widely praised as someone who managed to maintain friendly relations with opposition leaders.
“It saddens me beyond words. There is a void in our nation that may never be filled. Shri Ram Vilas PaswanHeeThe disappearance is a personal loss. I lost a friend, a valued colleague and someone who was extremely passionate about ensuring that every poor person led a dignified life, “said Prime Minister Modi.
I am saddened beyond words. There is a void in our nation that may never be filled. The disappearance of Shri Ram Vilas Paswan Ji is a personal loss. I lost a friend, a valued colleague, and someone who was extremely passionate about ensuring that every poor person lives a dignified life. pic.twitter.com/2UUuPBjBrj
– Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 8, 2020
President Ram Nath Kovind also tweeted and Congressional Leader Rahul Gandhi praised Paswan as a “strong voice for the poor and downtrodden.”
Ram Vilas Paswan’s death was announced by his son, Chirag Paswan, who must now overcome the loss of his father at the head of the LJP in the Bihar Assembly elections that begin in less than 20 days.
Chirag Paswan posted a photograph of him as a child in his father’s arms with this message: “Dad … Now you are not in this world, but I know that you are always with me wherever you are. I miss you Dad.”
पापा …. अब आप इस दुनिया में नहीं हैं लेकिन मुझे पता है आप जहां भी हैं हमेशा मेरे साथ हैं।
I miss you dad … pic.twitter.com/Qc9wF6Jl6Z– युवा बिहारी चिराग पासवान (@iChiragPaswan) October 8, 2020
Paswan, a powerful Dalit leader from Bihar, was among those leaders, along with Lalu Yadav and Nitish Kumar, who were inspired and nurtured by the JP movement in the 1970s.
Known as one of the great survivors of Indian politics, Paswan was a minister in almost every central government formed since 1989 and served six prime ministers, starting with VP Singh. In PM Modi’s cabinet, he was in charge of the Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution portfolios.
With contributions from ANI
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