Balraj Madhok
Encyclopedia
Balraj Madhok (b. 25 February 1920) was a president of Bharatiya Jan Sangh (BJS) and a senior politician of India
in 1960s. He was born at Skardu
in the former princely state of Kashmir and Jammu
(now in the Pakistan
i Northern Areas
). He started his academic and political career in Jammu and Kashmir
. He unified Hindus who were not in large numbers, to stand against the Pakistani forces and local separatists in 1948. He along with Pt. Prem Nath Dogra
, formed the Praja Parishad Party in Kashmir in 1949. The party demanded complete unification of Jammu & Kashmir with India. Later he merged the Praja Parishad Party with BJS. He assisted Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee in formation of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh in 1951, which in 1980 got transformed into Bharatiya Janta Party. He was the first secretary of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh. He scripted the first manifesto of the Party.
He was a Professor of History at the University of Delhi
. He served as the President of the party for a year. He served as a member in the Consultative committee of Foreign Affairs, Lok Sabha
. He was the President of Indo-Israeli Friendship Society (1967–1974) and Indo-Tibetan Society.
He held various positions in the BJS as Secretary, General Secretary, Ideologue and Parliamentary Party Leader. He was elected to the Second and Fourth Lok Sabha
from North Delhi and South Delhi. Prof. Madhok, was elected as the President of BJS in 1966 and he led the party in the general elections of 1967. Bharatiya Jana Sangh
got its highest ever tally of 35 seats in the Lok Sabha. By that time, even the most hardcore supporters of him started to believe that Balraj Madhok had become too big for his boots. It started the end of his political career.
In 1969 he developed ideological differences with other senior leaders of the party like Atal Bihari Vajpayee
, Nanaji Deshmukh
and Lal Krishna Advani
with regard to the policies of the party. He accused Vajpayee of being hand in glove with their biggest opponent, Indira Gandhi
, and was expelled from the party in March, 1973. Since then Balraj Madhok has remained in political oblivion.
He was arrested during Emergency and was imprisoned for 18 months, (1975–1977). He initially joined the Janata Party
but later resigned in 1979 and revived the Bharatiya Jana Sangh under the name Akhil Bharatiya Jana Sangh, but was not successful. He has keen interest and knowledge in the affairs of Kashmir. In an interview with the Hindustan Times
in 2010 on the occasion of his 90th birthday, he claimed that his then opponent Indira Gandhi
had offered him the post of a central Minister in 1980on her return to power.
He has authored many books, some of them are:
He got huge popularity from his book "Jeet Ya Haar".
Right from his expulsion in 1973, he remains a pungent critic of BJP leaders Atal Bihari Vajpayee
, Lal Krishna Advani
and their policies. Currently he resides in New Rajinder Nagar area of New Delhi
. The road where his house is located stands named as Balraj Madhok Lane.
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...
in 1960s. He was born at Skardu
Skardu
Skardu , is the main town of the region Baltistan and the capital of Skardu District, one of the districts making up Pakistan's Gilgit Baltistan....
in the former princely state of Kashmir and Jammu
Kashmir and Jammu
Jammu and Kashmir was, from 1846 until 1947, a princely state in the British Empire in India, and was ruled by a Maharaja. The state was created in 1846 when, after its victory in the First Anglo-Sikh War, the East India Company annexed the Kashmir valley and immediately sold it to the Dogra ruler...
(now in the Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i Northern Areas
Northern Areas
Gilgit-Baltistan , is the northernmost political entity within Pakistan. It borders Pakistan's Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province to the west, Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor to the north, China to the east and northeast, Azad Kashmir to the southwest, and Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir to the...
). He started his academic and political career in Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...
. He unified Hindus who were not in large numbers, to stand against the Pakistani forces and local separatists in 1948. He along with Pt. Prem Nath Dogra
Prem Nath Dogra
Prem Nath Dogra was a leader from Jammu and Kashmir who worked for total integration of the state with India . He formed Praja Parishad party in 1947 along with Balraj Madhok and opposed policies of Shaikh Abdullah . He died in 1971. He was elected to the legislative Assembly of Jammu & Kashmir...
, formed the Praja Parishad Party in Kashmir in 1949. The party demanded complete unification of Jammu & Kashmir with India. Later he merged the Praja Parishad Party with BJS. He assisted Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee in formation of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh in 1951, which in 1980 got transformed into Bharatiya Janta Party. He was the first secretary of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh. He scripted the first manifesto of the Party.
He was a Professor of History at the University of Delhi
University of Delhi
The University of Delhi is a central university situated in Delhi, India and is funded by Government of India. Established in 1922, it offers courses at the undergraduate and post-graduate level. Vice-President of India Mohammad Hamid Ansari is the Chancellor of the university...
. He served as the President of the party for a year. He served as a member in the Consultative committee of Foreign Affairs, 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...
. He was the President of Indo-Israeli Friendship Society (1967–1974) and Indo-Tibetan Society.
He held various positions in the BJS as Secretary, General Secretary, Ideologue and Parliamentary Party Leader. He was elected to the Second and Fourth 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...
from North Delhi and South Delhi. Prof. Madhok, was elected as the President of BJS in 1966 and he led the party in the general elections of 1967. Bharatiya Jana Sangh
Bharatiya Jana Sangh
The Bharatiya Jana Sangh existed from 1951 to 1980, whereupon it was succeeded by the Bharatiya Janata Party, one of India's largest political parties...
got its highest ever tally of 35 seats in the Lok Sabha. By that time, even the most hardcore supporters of him started to believe that Balraj Madhok had become too big for his boots. It started the end of his political career.
In 1969 he developed ideological differences with other senior leaders of the party like Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Atal Bihari Vajpayee is an Indian statesman who served as the tenth Prime Minister of India three times – first for a brief term of 13 days in 1996, and then for two terms from 1998 to 2004. After his first brief period as Prime Minister in 1996, Vajpayee headed a coalition government from...
, Nanaji Deshmukh
Nanaji Deshmukh
Chandikadas Amritrao Deshmukh aka Nanaji Deshmukha was a social activist in Bharat/India. He did exemplary work in the field of education, health and rural self-reliance and has been honored with Padma Vibhushan title by the Government of India...
and Lal Krishna Advani
Lal Krishna Advani
Lal Kishanchand Advani known as Lal Krishna Advani is a Veteran Indian politician. A former president of the Bharatiya Janata Party , which is currently the major opposition party in the Indian Parliament. He also served as a Deputy Prime Minister of India from 2002 to 2004...
with regard to the policies of the party. He accused Vajpayee of being hand in glove with their biggest opponent, 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...
, and was expelled from the party in March, 1973. Since then Balraj Madhok has remained in political oblivion.
He was arrested during Emergency and was imprisoned for 18 months, (1975–1977). He initially joined the 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...
but later resigned in 1979 and revived the Bharatiya Jana Sangh under the name Akhil Bharatiya Jana Sangh, but was not successful. He has keen interest and knowledge in the affairs of Kashmir. In an interview with the Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded in 1924 with roots in the Indian independence movement of the period ....
in 2010 on the occasion of his 90th birthday, he claimed that his then opponent 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...
had offered him the post of a central Minister in 1980on her return to power.
He has authored many books, some of them are:
- Hindustan on the Cross Roads
- Portrait of a Martyr (Biography of Shyama Prasad Mukerjee),
- Kashmir: The Storm Center of The World,
- Bungling in Kashmir,
- Kargil and Indo-Pak Relations,
- Rationale of Hindu State,
- Jeet Ya Haar(in Hindi)
- Kashmir Jeet mein Haar(in Hindi)etc.
He got huge popularity from his book "Jeet Ya Haar".
Right from his expulsion in 1973, he remains a pungent critic of BJP leaders Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Atal Bihari Vajpayee is an Indian statesman who served as the tenth Prime Minister of India three times – first for a brief term of 13 days in 1996, and then for two terms from 1998 to 2004. After his first brief period as Prime Minister in 1996, Vajpayee headed a coalition government from...
, Lal Krishna Advani
Lal Krishna Advani
Lal Kishanchand Advani known as Lal Krishna Advani is a Veteran Indian politician. A former president of the Bharatiya Janata Party , which is currently the major opposition party in the Indian Parliament. He also served as a Deputy Prime Minister of India from 2002 to 2004...
and their policies. Currently he resides in New Rajinder Nagar area of New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
. The road where his house is located stands named as Balraj Madhok Lane.