New Delhi: Paying tributes to Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) founder, late Ram Vilas Paswan on his birth anniversary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said he missed his friend's presence "greatly", adding that his contribution to public service and empowering the downtrodden will always be remembered. "Today is the birth anniversary of my friend, late Ram Vilas Paswan Ji. I miss his presence greatly. He was one of India's most experienced Parliamentarians and administrators. His contributions to public service and empowering the downtrodden will always be remembered," Prime Minister Modi tweeted. Today is the birth anniversary of my friend, late Ram Vilas Paswan Ji. I miss his presence greatly. He was one of India’s most experienced Parliamentarians and administrators. His contributions to public service and empowering the downtrodden will always be remembered. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 5, 2021 Meanwhile, Chirag Paswan wrote an emotional post for his late father on his social media account. Happy Birthday Papa Ji आप की बहुत याद आती है।मैं आप को दिए वादे को पूरा करने की पूरी कोशिश कर रहा हूँ।आप जहां कहीं भी हैं मुझे इस कठिन परिस्तिथि में लड़ते देख आप भी दुखी होंगे।आप ही का बेटा हूँ , हार नहीं मानूँगा। मैं जानता हूँ आपका आशीर्वाद हमेशा मेरे साथ है। Love You Papa Ji pic.twitter.com/llNN3veY2D — युवा बिहारी चिराग पासवान (@iChiragPaswan) July 4, 2021 #WATCH | LJP leader Chirag Paswan breaks down during the book launch of his late father Ram Vilas Paswan, on his birth anniversary. He says, "I am the son of a lion, will never be scared, no matter how much people try to break us..." pic.twitter.com/rh6qC5v53y — ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2021 आज पापाजी के जन्म दिवस के अवसर पर नई दिल्ली में उनकी तस्वीर पर परिवार व साथीयों संग पुष्प अर्पित किया और आने वाले संघर्ष के लिए आशीर्वाद माँगा। pic.twitter.com/DtKKFWUtFi — युवा बिहारी चिराग पासवान (@iChiragPaswan) July 5, 2021 पिता जी स्वर्गीय राम विलास पासवान जी के जन्म दिवस के अवसर पर वरिष्ठ पत्रकार श्री प्रदीप श्रीवास्तव जी द्वारा लिखी गई पुस्तक **संकल्प साहस और संघर्ष** का लोकार्पण मम्मी आदरणीय रीना पासवान जी द्वारा किया गया। pic.twitter.com/3t9o4MSvps — युवा बिहारी चिराग पासवान (@iChiragPaswan) July 5, 2021 Born on July 5, 1946, Ram Vilas Paswan, a heavy-weight leader in Bihar politics, breathed his last at age of 74 on October 8, 2020. He served as Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in the Narendra Modi government. He was also a minister in the previous NDA government. Meanwhile, the battle for Paswan's legacy is being played out with a tussle between his son Chirag and uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras, who was elected as LJP's leader in Lok Sabha by five of the party's six lawmakers. On June 13, Paras was recognised as the leader of LJP in Lok Sabha in place of Chirag after the five of six-party MPs gave a letter in his support. The Speaker accepted Paras as the floor leader of the LJP in the lower house. In a revised list of floor leaders of parties on Monday, Paras was listed as the Lok Sabha LJP leader. While the wing led by Chirag has expelled the five MPs from the party, the rival group has removed him as its president. On the occasion of Ram Vilas Paswan's birth anniversary, Chirag will take out a 'Ashirwad Yatra' to seek the blessings of the people of Bihar in wake of the recently-surfaced rift between him and his uncle. Recently, Chirag had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to confer the country's highest civilian award Bharat Ratna on his father.
