Ambedkarites often asked Kanshi Ram when he would embrace Buddhism like Babasaheb. In his reply to them, Kanshi Ram said that he would adopt Buddhism only when his party — the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) — formed the Union government and ruled this country. “Hame Samrat Ashok ka Bharat banana hai (We have to establish the nation of Buddhist King Ashoka),” he used to say. He believed only political power can bring change for the Bahujan community and that conversion to Buddhism without it would not be effective. “But when you have power, you can really create a stir,” he said. 

Kanshi Ram’s last wish, however, was to adopt Buddhism. In March 2002, Kanshiram announced the decision to accept the faith, along with two crore friends, during the 50th anniversary of acceptance of Buddhism by Babasaheb. On October 14, 1956, in Nagpur, Babasaheb had embraced Buddhism along with six lakh of his people. On the 50th anniversary of Dhhammachakra Pariwartan Diwas in 2006, Kanshi Ram had plans to embrace Buddhism in Nagpur along with many others. But unfortunately, due to a long illness, Kanshi Ram died on October 9, 2006, just five days before the date of his conversion to Buddhism. 

October 9 marks the 18th death anniversary (Parinirvarana Diwas) of Kanshi Ram, who was born into an ordinary Raidasi Sikh (Dalit) family on March 15, 1934, in Khawaspur village of Ropar district in Punjab. Though he had not adopted Buddhism officially, he lived his entire life like a Buddhist monk, rooted on Buddhist principles. 

Kanshi Ram used to draw inspiration from Tathagat Buddha, who first advocated for ‘Bahujan Hitaya Bahujan Sukhaya’ (for the happiness of the masses, for the welfare of the masses). It was by carrying forward this ideology that Kanshi Ram initiated the Bahujan movement. 

He entered politics with the slogan “15 versus 85”, representing the 85% of society whom he referred to as the ‘Bahujan’. In this socio-political category, Kanshi Ram included the Dalits, the tribals, the backward castes, and the religiously converted minorities such as Pasmanda Muslims. He essentially united the Bahujan on the socio-political front, which was why his supporters fondly called him ‘Bahujan Nayak’ (Bahujan Leader).

The punishment of Buddha and the disillusionment of Kanshi Ram

Gautam Buddha was expelled from the kingdom as a punishment for stopping the war between Shakya and Koli, over the water of the Rohini river (Buddha and His Dhamma, Dr BR Ambedkar). He later attained enlightenment after leaving his kingdom. 

When Kanshi Ram was working in Pune in the Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as a first class officer, a Dalit 4th grade employee named Dinabhaana Balmiki in the same department had protested against the cancellation of holidays on Buddha Jayanti and Ambedkar Jayanti. This movement progressed, and Kanshi Ram also took part in it. 

Though they later got holidays on Buddha Jayanti and Ambedkar Jayanti, this incident made Kanshi Ram aware of how entrenched the caste system is in Indian society. The realisation changed Kanshi Ram’s life forever. He started reading Ambedkar’s Annihilation of Caste, which was gifted to him by his Maharashtrian colleague DK Kharpade. The book had a deep impact on him.

Following this, Kanshi Ram made the momentous decision to resign from his prestigious position as a first-class officer. He also wrote a 24-page letter to his family, stating that he was breaking all his personal ties with them for the welfare of the Bahujan community. He made solemn pledges, declaring that he would never return home, never own a house of his own, and that the homes of the poor and the Dalits would become his own; that he would be liberated from all familial bonds and would have no association with his relatives, that he would never marry as it would hinder his unwavering dedication to his cause; that he would never partake in social events such as birthdays, weddings, and funerals; that he would never assume any family responsibilities, as the responsibility for the entire society rested on his shoulders; that he would never pursue another job; and, ultimately, that he would not rest until he fulfilled the dream of Babasaheb Ambedkar. 

Similar to Buddha, Kanshi Ram had also resolved to forsake a life of luxury for the betterment of society. 

Kanshi Ram remained true to his word. He did not attend his sisters’ weddings, nor did he return home when one of his sisters unexpectedly passed away. He even refrained from attending his father’s funeral, despite being informed of his father’s critical condition. Instead, a younger brother took on the duty of lighting his father’s funeral pyre, a responsibility that rightfully belonged to Kanshi Ram as the eldest son. 

Later, when he had the opportunity to become the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Kanshi Ram offered the seat to Mayawati, a Dalit woman. He was once again sacrificing personal gain for the betterment of society.

A sociopolitical journey guided by Buddha’s Bahujan formula

The term ‘Bahujan’ originates from the teachings of Gautam Buddha in the sixth century BC. It is derived from the sermons (Tripitaka) of Tathagata Buddha, who instructed his disciples to work for the benefit and happiness of the Bahujans. In Buddhist philosophy, Bahujan refers to the ‘majority of people’, and Tathagat Buddha emphasised the importance of creating a society where the welfare of the masses is prioritised. He told his disciples, “Charita Bhikkhave Bahujan Hitaya Bahujan Sukhaay”. That is, move for the benefit and happiness of the Bahujans.

This meant that the society should be built in such a way that is beneficial for the majority of the people, that public welfare lies in the happiness of the masses. Therefore, not only the king, but all individuals as well as institutions should keep the happiness and welfare of the society in perspective while making any decision. This also highlights the prominence of public good over private good.
Kanshi Ram too stuck to this principle. He also preferred the term ‘Bahujan’ to ‘Dalit’, since he believed that Dalits had to be strong and independent and actively free themselves from the vicious cycle of ‘Dalitness’. He wanted them to give this liberation to others instead of seeking it for themselves. 

Social transformation through political power

In India, where democracy, elections, inequality, and exploitation coexist, Kanshi Ram empowered the marginalised to achieve power and welfare through democracy. He used to say that political power is the guru killi (master key) that would unlock rights and equality for the oppressed Bahujan society. His strategy centred on uniting the fragmented Bahujan society with the slogan “Jati todo, samaj jodo” (Break the caste, unite society). 

Highlighting the long-standing dominance of the savarnas, who were only 15% and hence a minority, over the 85% Bahujan society, Kanshi Ram always emphasised how it was imperative for the Bahujan community to actively engage in political processes to achieve social upliftment and economic liberation. Drawing inspiration from Buddha’s teachings on the responsible use of power for societal welfare, Kanshi Ram urged the officers of the Bahujan Samaj to contribute 2% of their salaries to the movement, encouraging a threefold approach of contributing time, talent, and treasury to the cause.

The elephant connection

The elephant holds great significance in Buddhism. It is said in Buddhist literature that Lord Buddha’s mother Mahamaya had once dreamed of a white elephant directly entering her womb. When Mahamaya shared this dream with her husband Maharaj Shuddhodan, the Mahant had predicted the birth of a boy who would first follow a householder’s path, before turning to a rigorous life and becoming a Parivrajaka (wanderer) who works for the liberation of the people.

The elephant became a prominent figure in Kanshi Ram’s life as well, as he chose it as the symbol of the BSP. Kanshi Ram strategically chose the elephant as his election symbol for the BSP to carry forward Ambedkar’s political legacy, as it was the poll symbol of the Republican Party of India (RPI) formed by Dr Ambedkar. The animal as the party’s symbol also emphasised that the majority of the Bahujan community, likened to the size and strength of an elephant, should not be ruled by the minority. Kanshi Ram said that the Bahujan community is 85%, big like the elephant, but is ruled by a minority of 15% like the mahouts rule elephants. 

Spreading the word

Like Tathagat Buddha travelled and gave sermons to create awareness among people about equality in society, Kanshi Ram had also travelled the length and breadth of the country to spread awareness about his cause, setting up cadre camps and informing the Bahujan community of the need to attain political power. He had launched his own newspaper to spread ideas among the people. On April 14, 1991, Kanshi Ram launched a magazine in both Hindi and English. It was called Bahujan Sangthak in Hindi and Oppressed India in English. 

Most of Buddha’s time was spent in Uttar Pradesh’s Shravasti region. Similarly, Kanshi Ram too had made UP his political centre. Like Buddha had advised the kings and emperors to work for the welfare of the society, Kanshi Ram also appealed to the officers and others under his ‘Mission Payback to Society’, urging them to do good to the society by joining the Bahujan Mission and not to live for personal gain. 

To consolidate the oppressed society, Kanshi Ram also held a bicycle march that started on March 15, 1983, covering seven states over 40 days at a distance of 4,200 kilometres. He is the only leader in the world to have travelled such a long distance on a bicycle to build up a mass movement from the ground.

Advocacy against alcohol

Kanshi Ram was known for advocating against the serving of alcohol to the people of his community by the leaders of the opposition group. He emphasised the importance of education and promoted the slogan “Savarno ke basti me school aur davkhane, Dalito ke basti me sharabkhane, nahi chalenge, nahi chalenge,” which translates to “Schools and pharmacies in the upper caste colonies and alcohol shops in Dalit colonies – this will not work, will not work.” 

Kanshi Ram sought to make Bahujans aware that they should not vote for dominant caste parties or on the basis of liquor offered to them. In 1986, he started an anti-liquor movement in Bareilly. 

At the time, the Congress party was in power both in Uttar Pradesh and the Union. He criticised the government for spending money on prohibition while simultaneously opening liquor vends in Scheduled Caste and backward class localities, aiming to use liquor money in elections. Kanshi Ram denounced this dual policy as harmful to the Bahujan society.

Sangha to advocate Dhamma

Kanshi Ram was a visionary leader who aimed to empower marginalised communities through non-violent means.His overarching goal was to build a strong and organised movement for the welfare and upliftment of marginalised communities. He had thought of creating an organisation through cadre strength, which would gain power in democracy through votes. But he did say that while preparing for the ballot, the Bahujans should also be prepared for the bullet. 

In his sermons, Buddha has spoken about taking up arms for self-defence. Buddha used to talk about Sangha to advance Dhamma. Similarly, Kanshi Ram created organisations for the welfare of Dalits and deprived society. He formed the Backward and Minorities Communities Employees Federation (BAMCEF) in Delhi on December 6, 1978, for government employees of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and religious converted minorities. The federation’s job was to prepare cadre and develop leadership. 

In 1981, Kanshi Ram also formed the DS-4 (Dalit Shoshit Sangharsh Samiti), whose work was to go from village to village and create awareness among the people through cultural mediums. Its theme slogan was ‘Brahmin, Bania, Thakur Chhor, Baaki Sab Hum DS-4’ (Brahmin, Bania, and Thakur are thieves, the rest of us are DS-4). He excluded the dominant castes from his Bahujan concept because they were the ruling class with political power in hands. 

Three years after the formation of DS-4, Kanshi Ram transformed it into a full-fledged political party named the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) with the slogan “Vote hamara, raj tumhara, nahi chalega, nahi chalega” (Vote of the Bahujan and rules of the Upper Caste will not work, will not work). 

To work on Buddhism, he then established the Buddhist Research Centre (BRC). 

Kanshi Ram had also simultaneously established a Bahujan media to make the public more aware and organised. He started magazines such as The Untouchable India, The Oppressed Indian, Bahujan Sangathak, and Bahujan Nayak, which were published in many different languages including Hindi, English, Punjabi, and Marathi. 

Kanshi Ram’s acceptance of Buddhism

Kanshi Ram, during his speech on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti celebrations in Bhopal in June 2001, had said that it was only the religion of the rulers that progressed. Giving an example, he said that Emperor Ashoka and Emperor Harshvardhan were able to propagate Buddhism only because they were kings, and that hence Dalits would have to become rulers first — a political force to reckon with. 

Though Kanshi Ram wasn’t able to go through with his conversion to Buddhism, his cremation was held according to Buddhist tradition by Buddhist monks at the Nigam Bodh Ghat in Delhi. He lived his life on Buddhist principles, and due to the example he set of selflessness, sacrifice, simplicity, and dedication to public life, people fondly called him Bahujan Nayak. 

Krishna Mohan Lal is a PhD research scholar at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. His area of research is Political Party System, Voting Behaviour, Ethnic Mobilisation, Election, Parliament and Social Movement etc. Views are personal. He can be contacted at kmlalmurari@gmail.com