Hari Kewal Prasad

Prasad was born on 15 March 1940 to Ram Lochan Prasad in Mahathapar in Deoria district of Uttar Pradesh. His highest attained education is under matriculation; he attended Junior High School in Sauhanag, Deoria. He married Ganesha Devi on 13 May 1955, with whom he had three sons and a daughter.[2][3] Prasad died on 15 August 2012 at the age of 72.[4]

Hari Kewal Prasad has been in active politics since the 1950s–1960s. During his political career, he has been attached with several political parties; Socialist Party, Janata Dal, Samata Party[5] & Samajwadi Party. During the 1970s, he was also a member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly.[2][3][6]

He had also held several key positions in the political parties he has been associated with.[2] Prasad was known to be an opponent of Bharatiya Janata Party, because of his socialist leaning. Although his son, Ravindra Kushwaha argues that Prasad was close to Lal Krishna Advani and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the BJP political workers from Deoria district of Uttar Pradesh considered him as a rival of the party. This was witnessed in 2015, when, Amit Shah was to visit Salempur to take part in the death anniversary of Prasad, organised by his son, Ravindra Kushwaha. It was reported that Prasad had considerable influence among the members of Kushwaha-Maurya and Kamboj caste in Deoria and adjoining region, whose support was required by BJP to fare well in election. This made BJP schedule this visit of Shah. It was also an important visit as apart from Deoria district, the district like Siwan and Gopalganj of state of Bihar also had considerable population of Prasad's castemen, whom Shah wanted to send a message.[7]

Prasad had even forced his son Ravindra Kushwaha to return the BJP ticket back, when latter was about to contest the Assembly elections as a candidate of BJP, in the 1993 Assembly elections. In 1991, Lok Sabha elections, BJP made Rambelash as their candidate from Salempur Lok Sabha constituency, who lost to Prasad. Prasad had contested as a candidate of Janata Dal then. In 1998, Lok Sabha elections, BJP candidate once again lost to Prasad, who by the time, became a member of Samata Party to contest the polls of 1998. In 1999, Prasad lost to Bahujan Samaj Party candidate; he was a member of Janata Dal (United) then. However, he won again in 2004 Lok Sabha elections, as a candidate of Samajwadi Party.[8]

Prasad was also involved in activism for the rights of downtrodden section of society. He served as the President of Porters` Mazdoor Union of North Eastern Railways between 1965-70. He was also associated with Hind Mazdoor Kisan Panchyat in Deoria,Uttar Pradesh between 1966-67. It was basically an organisation working for the welfare of labourers and peasantry. Later, he also became a part of Roadways Mazdoor Sabha, an organisation working for welfare of manual labourers. He remained associated with it in 1980s. He also participated in movements launched by Samyukta Socialist Party, Socialist Party and Janata Party. The highest point of his activism was his participation in Scheduled Castes Kashi Temple Entry Movement of 1954. He led this movement for ensuring right to worship for the Dalit people. Prasad was also a part of Angreji Hatao Andolan (Remove English Name Plates Movement) in Varanasi, Lucknow, Farukhabad, Faizabad, Gorakhpur, Fatehpur and Deoria in 1954 and 1956. He was against ill effects of Globalisation on small businesses and championed the cause of small traders against multinational companies from 1960 onwards. During National Emergency, he was imprisoned for 21 months under Maintenance of Internal Security Act and prosecuted in 18 cases under Defence of India Rules.[2]

• 9th, 10th, 12th & 14th Lok Sabha
• Lok Sabha
• Politics of India
• Parliament of India
• Government of India
• Samajwadi Party
• Salempur (Lok Sabha constituency)
• Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly