Patna: The mortal remains of Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, a man for all seasons and one of the tallest leaders spawned by the Dalit community, were consigned to flames in Patna on Saturday with full state honours.
A sea of people could be seen, besides dignitaries led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, at the cremation site on the banks of the Ganges in the city that has been a witness to the Lok Janshakti Party founders long journey – from a young MLA of the socialist party in the late 1960s to having served under six prime ministers.
A large number of supporters had come to the Digha ghat from his pocket borough Hajipur, situated right across the river, which Paswan had nurtured since his Lok Sabha debut in 1977 when he won with a record margin.
He gave up the seat for his younger brother Pashupati Kumar Paras last year and chose the Rajya Sabha route for reentering Parliament.
The sight of commoners standing chock a block, tearyeyed and eager to catch the last glimpse of their leader, unmindful of the threat posed by the COVID pandemic and reprimands of security personnel anxious to enforce social distancing, bore testimony to the popularity of the man, known as an “ajaat shatru” (one with no enemies) in the vicious politics of Bihar.
Many climbed atop a steamer anchored nearby while an even larger number could be seen standing, precariously, on the decrepit embankment built along the river after they were thwarted by the administration from crowding the ghat.
