H. K. L. Bhagat
Encyclopedia
Hari Krishan Lal Bhagat was a controversial India
n politician
of the Congress
party. Earlier he served as Deputy Mayor, Mayor of Delhi
and as the chief whip of Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC).
loyalist, he was known as the uncrowned King of Delhi in the 1980s. He was a mass based leader, and was responsible for a Congress comeback in 1980 and 1983 elections in Delhi. He was known to have a strong group in the Congress Party, he won his first Lok Sabha
election in 1980 from the East Delhi constituency in Delhi. He grew in political stature after Congress(I)'s victory in the local elections (1983). He held important ministerial positions, including Information and Broadcasting, and made the state-run TV "Doordarshan" the Congress party's mouthpiece during the mid to late 1980s.
advised him to take a secular view in 1984 and to publicly support Sikh families, but his armed supporters had different ideas, which led to the end of his political supremacy in Delhi. Bhagat was deserted during the last leg of political life by the same Congress politicians whom he had built and helped.
Later, he was publicly condemned by the Sikhs and social activists like Khushwant Singh
, Guru Radha Kishan
, Habib Tanveer and Amrita Pritam for his alleged role in Sikh riots in Delhi and lead to his expulsion from the party after few years.
His career declined after losing from East Delhi in 1989. Towards the end of his political career, he was indicted by the Nanavati Commission
for his involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots
. Riot victims testified that Bhagat led groups of armed attackers and incited them to violence. The Commission concluded that there was "credible evidence" that Bhagat "probably... had a hand in organizing attacks on Sikhs"; it recommended the Government "take further action as may be found necessary." The government ultimately declined to prosecute Bhagat because of his poor health by that time.
Bhagat died in a hospital after prolonged illness and he was suffering from Alzheimer's disease
. He is survived by DPCC gen secretary, his son Deepak Bhagat.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
of the Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
party. Earlier he served as Deputy Mayor, Mayor of Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
and as the chief whip of Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC).
Mass leader of Delhi
A strong Indira GandhiIndira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
loyalist, he was known as the uncrowned King of Delhi in the 1980s. He was a mass based leader, and was responsible for a Congress comeback in 1980 and 1983 elections in Delhi. He was known to have a strong group in the Congress Party, he won his first Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
election in 1980 from the East Delhi constituency in Delhi. He grew in political stature after Congress(I)'s victory in the local elections (1983). He held important ministerial positions, including Information and Broadcasting, and made the state-run TV "Doordarshan" the Congress party's mouthpiece during the mid to late 1980s.
Non-secular
His personal friend, Eminent communist Guru Radha KishanGuru Radha Kishan
Guru Radha Kishan was born in the year 1925 on Krishna Janmashtami in Bid village of district Harda of Madhya Pradesh in a Brahmin family of farmers. He has to experience the hardships of the life very early as his father was expired while he was a kid...
advised him to take a secular view in 1984 and to publicly support Sikh families, but his armed supporters had different ideas, which led to the end of his political supremacy in Delhi. Bhagat was deserted during the last leg of political life by the same Congress politicians whom he had built and helped.
Later, he was publicly condemned by the Sikhs and social activists like Khushwant Singh
Khushwant Singh
Khushwant Singh is a prominent Indian novelist and journalist. Singh's weekly column, "With Malice towards One and All", carried by several Indian newspapers, is among the most widely-read columns in the country....
, Guru Radha Kishan
Guru Radha Kishan
Guru Radha Kishan was born in the year 1925 on Krishna Janmashtami in Bid village of district Harda of Madhya Pradesh in a Brahmin family of farmers. He has to experience the hardships of the life very early as his father was expired while he was a kid...
, Habib Tanveer and Amrita Pritam for his alleged role in Sikh riots in Delhi and lead to his expulsion from the party after few years.
His career declined after losing from East Delhi in 1989. Towards the end of his political career, he was indicted by the Nanavati Commission
Nanavati commission
The Justice G.T. Nanavati commission was established by the Indian Government in 2000 to investigate the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots.-Creation:The commission was appointed by the National Democratic Alliance government on 8 May 2000 to look into certain matters emanating from the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots....
for his involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots
1984 anti-Sikh riots
The 1984 Anti-Sikh pogroms / riots or the 1984 Sikh Massacre was a sikh genocide there was four days of violence in northern India, particularly Delhi, during which armed mobs killed Sikhs, looted and set fire to Sikh homes, businesses and schools, and attacked gurdwaras, in response to the...
. Riot victims testified that Bhagat led groups of armed attackers and incited them to violence. The Commission concluded that there was "credible evidence" that Bhagat "probably... had a hand in organizing attacks on Sikhs"; it recommended the Government "take further action as may be found necessary." The government ultimately declined to prosecute Bhagat because of his poor health by that time.
Bhagat died in a hospital after prolonged illness and he was suffering from Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
. He is survived by DPCC gen secretary, his son Deepak Bhagat.