New Delhi, Feb. 7 -- Kameshwar Chaupal, a pivotal figure in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement of 1989 and the man who laid the first foundation stone for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, passed away at the age of 69 in a Delhi hospital on Friday. His death was condoled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, among others. Kameshwar Chaupal's death marks the loss of a dedicated leader whose legacy shaped both religious and social spheres in India.

A Dalit leader hailing from Supaul in Bihar, Kameshwar Chaupal's life was defined by his commitment to the Ram Janmabhoomi cause. He served as a member of the Bihar Legislative Council from 2002 to 2014, and though his attempt to represent Supaul in the 2014 Lok Sa...