K. N. Govindacharya

Kodipakam Neelameghacharya Govindacharya (born 2 May 1943) is a founder Bharat Vikas Sangam, Eternal Hindu Foundation and Rastriya Swabhiman Andolan, Formally Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh pracharak, environmental activist, social activist, political activist and thinker. He was associated with Bharatiya Janata Party but is now a staunch critic of that party as much as he is a critic of the Indian National Congress.[1]

K. N. Govindacharya
K. N. Govindacharya
Personal details
Born (1943-05-02) 2 May 1943
Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh
India
Political partyIndependent
Other political
affiliations		Bhartiya Janata Party
SpouseNone
Alma materBanaras Hindu University
OccupationSocial and political activist

Political career

K. N. Govindacharya became a member of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in 1988 and for a period until 2000 he served as its General Secretary.[2] He was forced to leave the BJP on the insistence of Prime Minister Vajpayee as he said Advani was calling the shots while the Prime Minister was just a mask.[3] He insisted that the statement had been wrongly attributed to him,[4] but Vajpayee, not impressed by the clarification, thought the damage to the party's image had been done, whether or not the quote was authentic.[5]

In 2019, he filed a petition in Supreme Court seeking registration of FIR and NIA investigation against Facebook, WhatsApp and NSO Group for violating the privacy of Indian citizens.[6][7] But he withdrew his petition, after CJI Sharad Arvind Bobde cited mistakes in the petition.[8] In 2021, he again approached Supreme Court to revive his 2019 petition seeking court monitored investigation against Pegasus (spyware).[9][10]

Sabbatical leave and after

Disturbed by growing instances of corruption in the Indian polity and corporate sector, and the police crackdown on followers of Ramdev on 5 June 2011,[11] a group of former journalists, student activists, child rights activists and social workers encouraged Govindacharya to form a grand alliance of 50 small and large political organisations from across the country on 25 June, the day remembered for the declaration and imposition of Emergency, that year. He was elected chairman of the new alliance, known as the Save Democracy Front (SDF).[12][13]

Under the patronage of Govindacharya, the third National Convention of Bharat Vikas Sangam was held in Kalburgi (Gulbarga), Karnataka, from 23 December 2010 to 1 January 2011.[14]

K.N. Govindacharya is the chief patron of Eternal Hindu Foundation, who constantly works for the betterment of society. He was associated with social movements like JP Andolan, Ram Janma Bhumi Andolan, Bhartiya Sanskriti Utsav, Swadeshi Jagran Manch, etc. Govindacharya is also known for his environmental activism focused on eco-centric development. He is actively engaged in various social awareness initiatives like Shashwat Devalay, Sanatan Bhav Jagruti, ITIHASA & Shashwat Bharatam.[15]

Himachal Swabhiman Party

The Himachal Swabhiman Party is a political party in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The party was founded by former BJP ideologue Govindacharya on 10 August 2011.[16][17] Subhash Sharma, a former leader of employees' movements in the state, was appointed as the president of the party.[17][18]

Ahead of the 2012 Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly election, the party was assigned 'television' as its election symbol by the Election Commission of India.[19] The party took part in discussions on the formation of a Third Front to contest the elections.[20] The Himachal Swabhiman Party fielded 16 candidates in the 2012 assembly election. None was elected, together they mustered to get 6,571 votes (0.19% of the votes in the state).[21]

References
  1. "Govindacharya Criticises Cong, BJP Over Corruption". news.outlookindia.com. Archived from the original on 22 September 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2012.
  2. "BJP General Secretary Govindacharya likely to be given additional responsibilities". India Today. 15 July 1992. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  3. Mohua Chatterjee, TNN 9 June 2012, 04.30AM IST (9 June 2012). "Narendra Modi's bete noire, Sanjay Joshi stripped of party role - Times Of India". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 25 December 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. "I never called Vajpayee mask of govt: Govindacharya". rediff.com. 23 January 2002. Retrieved 25 December 2012.
  5. "India Today Magazine Issue - Dated April 15, 2019". www.IndiaToday.in. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  6. "Govindacharya moves top court against WhatsApp". The Indian Express. 5 November 2019. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  7. "WhatsApp snooping: Activist Govindacharya withdraws plea from Supreme Court". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  8. Sircar, Sushovan (2 December 2019). "Pegasus Spying Row: Ex-RSS Leader Withdraws Petition Seeking Probe". TheQuint. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  9. Correspondent, Legal (15 August 2021). "Pegasus case: Govindacharya asks Supreme Court to revive his 2019 petition". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  10. "Pegasus snooping a form of cyber-terrorism, says ex-RSS ideologue Govindacharya, moves SC". ThePrint. 17 August 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  11. "Midnight police swoop on Baba Ramdev ends protest". The Times of India. Times News Network. 5 June 2011. Archived from the original on 31 December 2012. Retrieved 25 December 2012.
  12. "Govindacharya floats new platform ahead of Lok Sabha polls". Zee News. 21 July 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  13. "Politics has become a form of business, says Govindacharya". Hindustan Times. 19 August 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  14. Special Correspondent (28 December 2010). "NATIONAL / KARNATAKA : Rural economy needs to be stronger: Karandlaje". The Hindu. Retrieved 25 December 2012.
  15. "Eternal Hindu Foundation". eternalhindu.org. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  16. "Govindacharya launches a new party in Himachal". The Times of India. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  17. Himvani. Govindacharya launches Himachal Swabhiman Party
  18. The Indian Express. EC gives common symbol to candidates of 2 unrecognised parties
  19. Hill Post. Telephone to be Himachal Lokhit Party poll symbol
  20. The Tribune. Third front begins to take shape
  21. Election Commission of India.
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