New Delhi: Today is the 75th birth anniversary of Ram Vilas Paswan, one of India's towering politicians who became the face of empowerment of downtrodden sections of society. Born in a Dalit family in Bihar's Khagaria district, Paswan was selected as a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in his home state. It was a huge achievement for a Dalit farmer's son, who was brought up in a flood-prone area. He, however, chose to enter politics -- a decision he took after one of his friends asked him a question: "Do you want to be the government or servant?"
Paswan was first elected to the Bihar Legislative Assembly in 1969 from Alauli seat as a member of the Samyukta Socialist Party. From here, there was no turning back for the 23-year-old legislator, Paswan. He set out on his journey from Bihar heartland to Delhi's 12 Janpath, donning many hats -- a Dalit politician, a liberal, a socialist and also the greatest Mausam Vaigyanik (weather vane) of Indian politics.
In 1975, when the Emergency was proclaimed, Paswan was placed under arrest. He was lodged in jail during the entire period of the Emergency. After being released, he joined the Janata Party and won the election to the Parliament on its ticket from Bihar's Hajipur. Paswan grabbed eyeballs in the 1980 General Elections that threw up a verdict strongly in favour of Congress' Indira Gandhi. The spectacular return of Gandhi -- after a humiliating defeat by the Janta Party three years ago -- was marked with Congressmen's passions to breach parliamentary decorum. A young MP from Hazipur constituency, Paswan's anger over this behaviour came out in full force as he thundered: "This is Parliament, not Chandni Chowk." This aggression of his made him a prominent face among Opposition members.
Paswan's rising prominence marked the beginning of Dalit assertiveness in North India. In 1983, he formed 'Dalit Sena' for the welfare of the Dalit community. The organisation was later renamed Scheduled Caste Sena. Paswan did not like being called a Dalit (oppressed). During conversations, he used to use the term 'Harijan' (God's children) -- a Mahatma Gandhi's coinage for bestowing honour on the victims of the Indian caste system.
In 2000, Paswan left the Janata Dal and formed the Lok Janshakti Party on the strong ground of the 'Dalit Sena'. Post the Godhra riots, he left the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in 2002. Later, then Congress president and his Janpath residence neighbour, Sonia Gandhi marched across to his house for persuading him to become part of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA).
Hopping around political organisations and coalitions, Paswan was a participant as well as a spectator in the matrix of Lutyens power. He had an uncanny skill of discerning political winds and it gave him the power to form or break governments. His judgements were so unerring that his adversaries used to call him the weather vane of Indian politics. Between 1989 and 2020, he was part of almost all governments at the Centre, with only short phases of being out of power.
Paswan breathed his last on October 8, 2020, at a hospital in the national capital, weeks after undergoing a heart surgery. The presence of this true socialist in successive governments had helped retain priority to social justice-oriented initiatives.
