Ram Vilas Paswan left a lasting mark on politics, Rahul Gandhi told Chirag Paswan.
New Delhi:
The leader of Congress, Rahul Gandhi, paid tribute to the Minister of the Union, Ram Vilas Paswan, who passed away yesterday, recalling his “illustrious public life” in a letter to his son Chirag Paswan.
In the letter, Gandhi said that the veteran Dalit leader had made a lasting impact on the country’s politics.
Paswan, 74, died in New Delhi after heart surgery. He was the founding chairman of the Lok Janshakti Party before his son took office in November 2019.
“Dear Chirag, I am deeply saddened by the sudden disappearance of your father Shri Ram Vilas Paswan. We have lost a veteran leader who left a lasting mark on politics and public service both in Bihar and in our nation,” Gandhi said in the letter. . .
The former minister, he said, “gave a voice” to the most marginalized sectors of society, defending the rights of the poor and vulnerable.
“His unwavering commitment to social justice and equality is particularly relevant in these times. His enduring legacy will continue to inspire those dedicated to public service,” he wrote.
Gandhi added that the parliamentarian on nine occasions had passionately expressed the interests and concerns of the poor during his long political career.
Paswan was minister of chemicals and fertilizers from May 2004 to May 2009 under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s United Progressive Alliance government, of which Gandhi’s congressional party was the main constituent.
He represented the Hajipur constituency in Bihar in the 2014 general elections, but took the Rajya Sabha route to parliament in July 2019.
The former minister had been hospitalized since September 11, undergoing heart surgery on October 4.
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