Raj Narain
Encyclopedia
Raj Narain was an India
n politician who, as a candidate of Janata Party
for the Lok Sabha
in 1977, ran for office in Rae Bareli constituency
and defeated Indira Gandhi
, the then Prime Minister of India
. He was the Minister of Health during Morarji Desai
's ministry and a commemorative stamp was released in his honor by the former Vice President of India, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat
.
Raj Narain was the only politician who defeated Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, in the 1977 Lok Sabha elections in Rai Bareli. (Although he was defeated by her in 1971 elections.) Raj Narain accused Indira Gandhi of election fraud and filed an election petition against her. The Allahabad High Court
, on 12 June 1975, upheld the accusations and set aside the election of Indira Gandhi and also disqualified her from running in the Lok Sabha elections for next 6 years.
Raj Narain was born in 1917 in a Bhumihar Brahmin
family in Uttar Pradesh
and studied M.A and LLB. He was born in a village named Motikoat, Gangapur in Varanasi. He was from the Royal family of Varanasi and was directly associated with the family of Maharaja Chet Singh and Maharaja Balwant Singh, who were kings of Varanasi over a century back.
Narain joined Socialist Party
and held many party positions. He was very close to Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia
, who described him as "a person who has [the] heart of a lion and [the] practices of Gandhi". Dr. Lohia admired him a lot, and even said that "if in India there could be just three or four persons like him, dictatorship can never shadow the democracy". He was elected to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 1952 and was the first opposition leader in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly after India's independence. He was in Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly for two terms, serving from 1952 to 1962. He was a member of the Rajya Sabha
from 1966 to 1972 and from 1974 to 1976. He was Minister of Health in Morarji Desai
's Government from 1977 to 1980.
He is one of the pillars of Socialist movement in India along with Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia
.
Narain was the President of Student Congress during the 1942 revolution, and he led the revolution in and around Varanasi district. The revolution under his leadership on August 9, 1942 is renowned in India. He was so active in the independence movement that the British government wanted to arrest him and in 1942, a prize of Rs. 5000 was offered to anybody who could apprehend him.
Narain was jailed 80 times, spending a total of nearly 17 years in jail in his life of 69 years.
He died on December 31, 1986 at 23:55 hrs at Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi; the name which again shared its association with him after his death.
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 who, as a candidate of Janata Party
Janata Party
The Janata Party was an amalgam of Indian political parties opposed to the state of emergency imposed by the government of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her Indian National Congress...
for the 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...
in 1977, ran for office in Rae Bareli constituency
Rae Bareli (Lok Sabha constituency)
Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 80 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh state in northern India-Assembly segments:...
and defeated Indira Gandhi
Indira 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...
, the then Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
. He was the Minister of Health during Morarji Desai
Morarji Desai
Morarji Ranchhodji Desai was an Indian independence activist and the fourth Prime Minister of India from 1977–79. He was the first Indian Prime Minister who did not belong to the Indian National Congress...
's ministry and a commemorative stamp was released in his honor by the former Vice President of India, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat was the 11th Vice-President of India. He served in that position from August 2002, when he was elected to a five-year term by the electoral college following the death of Krishan Kant, until he resigned on July 21, 2007, after losing the presidential election to Pratibha...
.
Raj Narain was the only politician who defeated Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, in the 1977 Lok Sabha elections in Rai Bareli. (Although he was defeated by her in 1971 elections.) Raj Narain accused Indira Gandhi of election fraud and filed an election petition against her. The Allahabad High Court
Allahabad High Court
The Allahabad High Court or the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad is a high court having jurisdiction over the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh since 1950...
, on 12 June 1975, upheld the accusations and set aside the election of Indira Gandhi and also disqualified her from running in the Lok Sabha elections for next 6 years.
Raj Narain was born in 1917 in a Bhumihar Brahmin
Bhumihar
Bhumihar or Babhan or Bhuin-har is a Brahmin Hindu community mainly found in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh.- Varna status :...
family in Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
and studied M.A and LLB. He was born in a village named Motikoat, Gangapur in Varanasi. He was from the Royal family of Varanasi and was directly associated with the family of Maharaja Chet Singh and Maharaja Balwant Singh, who were kings of Varanasi over a century back.
Narain joined Socialist Party
Socialist Party (India)
Socialist Party has been the name of several political parties in India, all of which have their roots in the Congress Socialist Party formed during the freedom struggle...
and held many party positions. He was very close to Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia
Ram Manohar Lohia
Rammanohar Lohia was an Indian freedom fighter and a socialist political leader.-Early life:Lohia was born in a village Akbarpur in Ambedkar Nagar district, Uttar Pradesh, in India to Hira Lal, a nationalist and Chanda,a teacher. He was born to Marwari Maheshwari family. His mother died when he...
, who described him as "a person who has [the] heart of a lion and [the] practices of Gandhi". Dr. Lohia admired him a lot, and even said that "if in India there could be just three or four persons like him, dictatorship can never shadow the democracy". He was elected to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 1952 and was the first opposition leader in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly after India's independence. He was in Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly for two terms, serving from 1952 to 1962. He was a member of the Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
from 1966 to 1972 and from 1974 to 1976. He was Minister of Health in Morarji Desai
Morarji Desai
Morarji Ranchhodji Desai was an Indian independence activist and the fourth Prime Minister of India from 1977–79. He was the first Indian Prime Minister who did not belong to the Indian National Congress...
's Government from 1977 to 1980.
He is one of the pillars of Socialist movement in India along with Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia
Ram Manohar Lohia
Rammanohar Lohia was an Indian freedom fighter and a socialist political leader.-Early life:Lohia was born in a village Akbarpur in Ambedkar Nagar district, Uttar Pradesh, in India to Hira Lal, a nationalist and Chanda,a teacher. He was born to Marwari Maheshwari family. His mother died when he...
.
Narain was the President of Student Congress during the 1942 revolution, and he led the revolution in and around Varanasi district. The revolution under his leadership on August 9, 1942 is renowned in India. He was so active in the independence movement that the British government wanted to arrest him and in 1942, a prize of Rs. 5000 was offered to anybody who could apprehend him.
Narain was jailed 80 times, spending a total of nearly 17 years in jail in his life of 69 years.
He died on December 31, 1986 at 23:55 hrs at Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi; the name which again shared its association with him after his death.
External links
See also
- State of Uttar Pradesh v. Raj NarainState of Uttar Pradesh v. Raj NarainThe State of Uttar Pradesh v. Raj Narain was a 1975 case heard by the Allahabad High Court that found the then-Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi guilty of electoral malpractices. Ruling on the case that had been filed by the defeated opposition candidate Raj Narain, Justice Jagmohanlal Sinha...