H. K. L. Bhagat

Hari Krishan Lal Bhagat (4 April 1921 – 29 October 2005) was an Indian politician of the Congress party. He served as the Deputy Mayor and Mayor of Delhi, the Chief Whip of Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC), and as a six-time MP and Union minister for 22 years. Bhagat was commonly known for being a loyalist to Indira Gandhi and maintained firm success in Delhi and the Congress Party until the early 1990s. His possible role in the 1984 anti-Sikh Riots is controversial, though he was cleared by the government due to witness testimony in three trials.

H. K. L. Bhagat
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
In office
December 1975 – March 1977
Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting
In office
February 1983 – December 1984
Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs
In office
31 December 1984 – 2 December 1989
Personal details
Born4 April 1921
Sahiwal, Punjab, British India
Died29 October 2005
(aged 84)
New Delhi, India

Career

Bhagat moved to Delhi in 1947 and quickly became active in the politics of the area. A strong Indira Gandhi loyalist, and strong leader in Delhi in the 1970s and 1980s,[1] Bhagat won six consecutive elections by large margins, and was responsible for a Congress comeback in the 1980 and 1983 elections in Delhi.[1] He was known to have a strong group in the Congress Party, and won his first Lok Sabha election in 1971 from the East Delhi constituency in Delhi. He grew in political stature after Congress' victory in the local elections of 1983 which led him to be known as the ‘Uncrowned King of Delhi’ for many a years. He held ministerial positions, including of Information and Broadcasting, Parliamentary Affairs and Law, and made the state-run TV "Doordarshan" the Congress party's mouthpiece during the mid to late 1980s. [2]

Bhagat's career declined after losing from East Delhi in 1991. Towards the end of his political career, he was named by the Nanavati Commission for an alleged involvement in the 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots.[1] The commission did not recommend any action against Bhagat when it was published in 2005, due to his acquittal in other court cases and his poor health at the time. Based on the recommendation of the Nanavati Commission, the government ultimately declined to prosecute Bhagat because of his poor health by that time and in which he died 8 months later. According to the Nanavati Commission, Bhagat and Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, P.G. Gavai, visited areas affected by violence for about 2 and a half hours on 2 November 1984. During the riots, a local councillor in Delhi and 5 other persons visited the residence of Bhagat, raising their concerns of the violence. Bhagat allegedly told them he was making efforts to provide compensation to victims of the riots in Trilokpuri and asked for affidavits by them to declare him innocent along with other Congress leaders.[1] He was acquitted by the courts in both cases citing lack of evidence as many witnesses including his security personnel testifying that Bhagat was next to late PM Indira Gandhi's body for 3 days and did not leave her premises. The then Lieutenant Governor of Delhi also testified to Nanavati commission that HKL Bhagat called him multiple times asking for the Army to be brought in. Bhagat's alleged role in the riots made him a target for Sikh Militants, though any record of assassination attempts do not exist.[3]

Bhagat died in a hospital after prolonged illness and he was suffering from Alzheimer's disease. He is survived by his son, DPCC gen secretary Deepak Bhagat.

References
  1. "Congress 'Old Fox' in Delhi HKL Bhagat dead".
  2. "Shri H.K.L. Bhagat MP biodata East Delhi | ENTRANCE INDIA". 24 December 2018. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  3. NANAVATI, G.T (9 February 2005). NANAVATI COMMISSION OF INQUIRY (1984 ANTI-SIKH RIOTS) REPORT. Government of India. pp. 88–186.
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