VP, PM pay homage to Jagjivan Ram on 22nd death anniversary

New Delhi, Jul 6 (UNI) Vice-President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today led the nation in paying homage to the nation's first Deputy Prime Minister Babu Jagjivan Ram on his 22nd death anniversary.

Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, National Commission for Scheduled Castes chairman Buta Singh, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Meira Kumar were among hundreds others who paid tributes to 'Babuji', who represented the underprivileged class of the nation, at his 'samadhi' - 'Samta Sthal', near Raj Ghat here.

A man of varied talents Babuji rose from a humble beginning to become a cabinet minister and later the Deputy Prime Minister of the country under Indira Gandhi's premiership.

He also had an uninterrupted parliamentary career of half a century, which is a world record.

As a freedom fighter, Jagjivan Ram pioneered the trade union movemnet in India and galvanised farmers and workers to join the freedom movement.

Later, as independent India's first Labour Minister, Jagjivan Ram sought to extend the Minimum Wages Act and Social Insurance Scheme to poor agricultural workers.

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