Ballia, August 7: Senior Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader and three-time MLA from Rasra, Uma Shankar Singh, was laid to rest with state honors on Friday. His final journey transcended political boundaries, symbolizing public reverence. Thousands gathered, creating a massive crowd along the route, as his last rites were performed on the banks of the Ganges.
Singh’s mortal remains arrived late Thursday night at his ancestral village, Khanwar (Nagra, Ballia), where a steady stream of mourners began to pay their respects. The final procession commenced from his residence on Friday morning, filled with chants of “As long as the sun and moon exist, your name will live on” and “Uma Shankar Singh will live forever.” Despite light rain, a large turnout included leaders from various political parties, social organizations, and ordinary citizens.
The procession took nearly seven hours to reach the Shri Ramapur Ghat, where people showered flowers and offered tributes to their beloved representative. His cremation was conducted with full state honors, with his son, Prince Ukesh Singh, lighting the pyre. Overcome with emotion, he broke down after performing the last rites.
District officials, including District Magistrate Mangala Prasad Singh and Superintendent of Police Omveer Singh, paid their respects by laying floral wreaths. The procession was attended by BSP state president Vishwanath Pal, Subhaspa MLA Hansuram, former minister Narad Rai, BJP district president Sanjay Mishra, and other leaders. Uttar Pradesh’s Minister of State with independent charge, Dinesh Pratap Singh, also attended, being a relative of Singh.
On social media platform X, Dinesh Pratap Singh remarked that those who tried to search for Uma Shankar Singh’s wealth in lockers and bank accounts should witness the tears of Ballia’s people and the outpouring of support. He emphasized that the affection and trust earned from the public were Singh’s true wealth, which no locker could contain. The crowd at his final journey was a testament to his selfless service throughout his public life.
Uma Shankar Singh passed away on Wednesday night at Fortis Hospital in New Delhi at the age of 55, after a prolonged illness. Born on January 2, 1971, in Khanwar village, Ballia, he hailed from a farming family. His father, Ghurhu Singh, served in the Indian Army. After completing his early education in his village, he attended Janata Inter College, Nagra, for intermediate studies and graduated from Satish Chandra College, Ballia. Singh began his public life in student politics, serving as the student union secretary in 1990-91. He was elected to the district panchayat in 2000 and first became an MLA from Rasra in 2012, winning again in 2017 and 2022.
Leaders such as Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, BSP chief Mayawati, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and BJP state president Pankaj Chaudhary expressed their condolences on his passing. Minister Dinesh Pratap Singh emotionally stated, “I do not know what the world has seen, but today the people of Ballia honored Uma Shankar Singh’s services in a way that was his greatest asset. Along the route of the procession, millions stood with tearful eyes and bowed heads to pay their respects. Such recognition for selfless service is rare.”
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