A crusader of social justice

(Published on the occasion of Babu Jagjivan Ram's death anniversary on July 6)

Er. Prabhat Kishore

(The writer is a technocrat and academician)

The world has seen several personalities born in downtrodden families, struggled for even the basic amenities in their early life, faced social discrimination at every step, but who finally rose in the Realm of power politics. One of such prominent personalities was the renowned Dalit leader, parliamentarian for record eight times, and former Deputy Prime Minister Babu Jagjivan Ram.

Born in a family of Chamar by caste on April 5, 1908 in Chandwa Village of Rohtas

District in Bihar, young Jagjivan had to struggle against the prevailing social system of untouchability. In 1922, he joined Town School, Ara (Bihar), where he faced the cruel caste discrimination of Indian society. The school had a tradition of two water pots — one for Hindus and the other for Muslim students. Once, Jagjivan drank water from the pot kept for Hindus, upon which objections were raised from a section of casteist people and a third pot for untouchables was placed. Jagjivan broke the third pot, whenever placed; and ultimately the school management had to withdraw the third pot.

In 1925, Madan Mohan Malaviya visited the school; and, impressed by Jagjivan Ram's welcome address, he invited him to study in Kashi Hindu Vishwavidyalaya. In 1927, after clearing matriculation, he got admission in Kashi Hindu Vishwavidyalaya, where too caste hierarchy was at its peak. The dalits were denied even the basic amenities like food in hostels, hairdressing by barbers to mention but a few of such casteist instances.

Jagjivan Ram left Kashi Hindu Vishwavidyalaya after clearing I.SC; and took admission at Calcutta University for the graduate course.

Jagjivan Ram was a long time crusader for social justice and a visionary leader. In 1935, he was instrumental in the establishment of the 'All India Depressed Classes League' to fight for equality and prosperity of untouchable sections of society. Later on, as a member of the Constituent Assembly, he advocated reservation for the Dalits in the elected bodies and government services.

The political career of Jagjivan Ram was very chequered. He was nominated to the Bihar Vidhan Parishad in 1935. On persuasion of Sardar Patel, he joined Congress and was elected to the Bihar Vidhan Sabha in 1937 and appointed as Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education & Development.

In 1946, he was induced as Labour Minister in the first Interim Government. Subsequently, he held several ministerial posts in the Central Government, in Communication (1952-56), Transport & Railway (1956-62), Transport & Communication (1962-63), Labour, Employment & Rehabilitation (1966-67), Food & Agriculture (1967-70), Defence (1970-74 and 1977-79), Agriculture & Irrigation (1974-77).

In 1969, when spilt took place in the Congress, he joined the Indira Gandhi-led faction and became its national president. In 1979, he along with Chaudhary Charan Singh was given the position of Deputy Prime Minister.

Initially, Jagjivan Ram supported Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during the Emergency (1974-77), but on February 2, 1977, along with H. N. Bahuguna, Nandini Satpathy and others he too parted ways from the INC (Indian National Congress). He formed CFD (Congress for Democracy) and contested the Lok Sabha election on the Janata Party's symbol of 'Haldhar'. Indira Gandhi always termed CFD as "Congress for Defectors".

In the 1977 general election Janata Party bagged 298 seats and together with its allies garnered a total of 345 seats.

Jagjivan's CFD faction got 28 seats; and it is said that after internal assurance of support from 102 MPs (Members of Parliament) of the Jansangh faction and 35 MPs of the Socialist faction, he emphasized an open election for leadership. However, JP and his Sarvodaya associates were not in favour of the election. They wanted a conscious choice and ultimately Morarji Desai's name was preferred for the PM's post. After the resignation of Morarji Desai in 1979, he was elected as the leader of the Janata Parliamentary Party, but he failed to become the Prime Minister. In 1980, the Janata Party contested the Parliament general election with Jagjivan Ram as its Prime Ministerial candidate; but it got just 31 seats. Later on, he formed Congress (J).

The India-Pakistan war took place in 1971, after which the bifurcation of Pakistan took place and a new nation 'Bangladesh' appeared on the world map. His contribution to the 'Green Revolution in India and the modernization of agriculture in India is also appreciated.

Though Jagjivan Ram faced racial discrimination, as B.R. Ambedkar and others faced; yet he always followed the tenets of Hinduism as Ambedkar did. He chose to fight the evils of the religion by remaining within the Hindu fold.

Demanding that temples and drinking water wells must be opened for Dalits, he proposed a resolution in the 1935 session of the Hindu Mahasabha. He organized the Dalits, raised his voice against inequality, become instrumental in enacting proper laws and slowly and steadily succeeded in diminishing this stigma in the society.

Jagjivan Ram passed away on July 6, 1986, and it brought an end to the longest tenure of a parliamentarian.