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It
is a matter of great pride that one of our noblest sons of India was a student
of Banaras Hindu University under the patronage and benign care of our
illustrious Founder Mahamana Pandit Madan Malaviya. Therefore, the Faculty of
Social Sciences, BHU, has established the Babu Jagjivan Ram Chair to perpetuate
the memory of a great freedom fighter and visionary leader. Banaras Hindu
University will be giving a befitting tribute to its own alumnus who was
admitted to the University with the prestigious Birla Scholarship several
decades ago. Babuji�s economic disabilities could not deter him and his
determination to achieve educational accomplishments. On the other hand, his
participation in the freedom struggle and his long association with Gandhiji
provided him moral and spiritual strength to lead the country in various fields.
After independence, he played a very vital role in tackling various problems. As
a cabinet minister, he held various portfolios such as labour, defence, food and
agriculture, communication and transport and railways and provided them a new
direction. Thus he was a real path finder and peace setter in our nation
building and national reconstruction. His reconciling nature was an ornament in
his personality that always boosted social solidarity in the party as well as in
the Government. He was a man with strong convictions and commitments and always
upheld the cause of the backward classes, down trodden, the poor, the agrarian
peasants, rural masses, women, children and the marginalized sections of the
society.
The
Banaras Hindu University has also proposed to establish a Centre in his name as
Babu Jagjivan Ram Centre for Rural and Tribal Development on the Rajeev Gandhi
South Campus at Barkachha, Mirzapur, to enhance justice to his ideas and
ideologies.
Jagjivan Ram was born in a village Chandiva in district Ara, Bihar. After
passing his matriculation in first division, he joined the BHU. He was elected
in Bihar assembly in 1937. He contributed to the establishment of all India
depressed classes league in 1935. During Mahatma Gandhi's satyagrah movement
in 1940 and Quit India movement in 1942, he was sent to jail several times. In
1946, he became the youngest minister in Pt. Nehru�s cabinet and was one of
the prominent figure in the high profile Indian delegation that attended
international convention on labour in 1946 in Geneva. This delegation was headed
by Dr. A.N. Sinha of Bihar who was a Gandhian thinker and statesman. Dr. Sinha
was, indeed, a chief political mentor of Babu Jagjivan Ram. Babu Jagjivan Ram
was a statesman who never compromised with the principles. No doubt, he was
always loyal to the late Prime Minister (Mrs.) Indira Gandhi as a man of her
congress faction but during emergency (1976-77) when excesses went against the
public interest, he resigned from the Congress and formed his own Congress For
Democracy and joined as Deputy Prime Minister in Janta coalition Government led
by late Prime Minister Morarji Desai (1977-79). Later on being disillusioned
with the Janta Party, he resigned from the coalition and formed his own Congress
(J) and remained the Member of Parliament till his death in 1986. His
uninterrupted representation in parliament for over 40 years from 1946 to 1986,
gave a credit of world record of parliamentation.
SALIENT
FEATURES & OBJECTIVES
1.
It is an inter-disciplinary centre with special focus on contributions of
Babu Jagjivan Ram, an old student of BHU during Malaviyaji's times.
2.
His contributions to marginalized sections of the society: the scheduled
castes and scheduled tribes and his efforts for their upliftment and
rehabilitation.
3.
Empowerment of SCs and STs women through socio-economic schemes and their
evaluation.
4.
His futuristic vision of democratic polity and society.
5.
A comprehensive study of the historical development of Dalit movement in
India with special reference to pre-and-post independent India.
6.
Dalit women empowerment.
7.
His contributions in national movement and nation building and as
Minister holding different portfolios.
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