National flag to fly at half mast today as mark of respect to Ram Vilas Paswan

Ram Vilas Paswan‘s son Chirag Paswan Tweeted about the Indian politician’s death on Thursday. The Cabinet Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in the Modi Ministry was weeks in hospital after his recent heart surgery in Delhi.

Paswan was also the president of the Lok Janshakti Party and was elected nine-time Lok Sabha member and Rajya Sabha MP. He was in the age of 74. He recently underwent heart surgery in Delhi.

As a mark of respect to Cabinet Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, it was announced by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) that the National Flag will be flown at half-mast on Friday in Delhi and Capitals of all States and UTs where it is regularly flown. On the day of the funeral the flag remains the same at the place where the funeral will take place. The government gives ultra-cheap rice and wheat to India’s millions under Paswan, a multi-billion dollar food aid for poor people.

In 2000, Paswan formed the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) as its president. Subsequently, in 2004, he joined the ruling United Progressive Alliance government and remained a Union Minister in Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers and Ministry of Steel for the first time.

Paswan was born in a Dalit family on 5 July 1946 in Shaharbanni, Khagaria district of Bihar to Jamun Paswan and Siya Devi. Paswan held a Bachelor of Laws and a Master of Arts degrees from Kosi College, Khagaria and Patna University. He had been selected as a DSP in Bihar police in 1969.

Ram Vilas Paswan represented the paradox of being the most visible Dalit leader, for the longest period of time. He is often called a dynast. He brought his brothers Pashupati Nath Paras and late Ramchandra Paswan into politics. Of the six seats that the LJP won in 2019, three are from his family — Chirag, brother Pashupati Kumar Paras and nephew Prince Raj.

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