Ram Vilas Paswan CourtesyPaswan, India's Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, was admitted to a city hospital on September 11 and underwent heart surgery on October 4Veteran Indian politician Ram Vilas Paswan, a federal minister and an ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling coalition, died on Thursday after weeks in hospital, his son Chirag Paswan said in a Tweet. Paswan, India's Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, was admitted to a city hospital on September 11 and underwent heart surgery on October 4. In his role as food minister, Paswan oversaw the world's biggest food welfare programme. Under its multi-billion dollar food aid, the government gives ultra-cheap rice and wheat to India's millions of poor people. As the chief of the Lok Jan Shakti (People's Power) Party (LJP), Paswan joined Modi's right-wing National Democratic Alliance (NDA) that swept India's general election in 2014.

Source: Dhaka Tribune October 08, 2020 16:41 UTC