Rahul Gandhi pays tributes to socialist leader Babu Jagjivan Ram on his 118th birth anniversary

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday paid tributes to prominent socialist leader Babu Jagjivan Ram on his birth anniversary, which is commemorated as 'Samata Diwas' across the country.

Rahul paid floral tributes to the socialist leader at Bau Jagjivan Ram Memorial here, while commemorating his 118th birth anniversary.

"Respectful tributes to Babu Jagjivan Ram ji on his birth anniversary. Babuji dedicated his entire life for the rights of the deprived, exploited and Dalits. He strengthened the democratic and constitutional values ​​of the country by strengthening their rights and participation. His thoughts and struggle will always inspire us," Rahul Gandhi said on social media.

Born in a Dalit family, Jagjivan Ram from Bihar's Bhojpur faced discrimination early in life and this fueled his determination to fight against social injustice.

Popularly known as 'Babuji', Jagjivan Ram was a national leader and freedom fighter who championed the rights of downtrodden in the society.

It was 'Netaji' Subhas Chandra Bose who recognised Jagjivan Ram's organisational skills and in 1935, he played a key role in establishing the All-India Depressed Classes League. He joined the Congress Party and was lauded as a powerful spokesperson for the depressed classes. In 1935, he proposed at a session of the Hindu Mahasabha that drinking water from wells and temples should be accessible to untouchables.

Jagjivan Ram played a very active and crucial role in the freedom struggle. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, he courted arrest on December 10, 1940. After his release, he entrenched himself deeply into the Civil Disobedience Movement and Satyagraha. He was arrested again on August 19, 1942, for his active participation in the Quit India Movement launched by the Indian National Congress.

When Jawaharlal Nehru formed the provisional government, Jagjivan Ram became its youngest minister. After Independence, he was appointed as the country’s first labour minister. He also held various other portfolios, including railways, food and agriculture, transport and communications, irrigation and defence. He was the defence minister during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971.

Jagjivan Ram served as a Member of the Parliament for nearly 50 years from 1936 to 1986.