Ram Chatterjee

Born on 27 May 1922 in Chinsurah, Chatterjee grew up amidst poverty.[2] His father died during his school years, and he had to leave school before finishing Class VII.[2] During a long period Chatterjee was unemployed.[2] He lived in Chinsurah and Chandannagar.[2] As of 1949 he was leading a gang of goondas in Chandannagar, running extortion and protection rackets.[3] Chatterjee was unofficially protected by the Council of Administration of Chandannagar, a fact that allowed him to continue his operations.[3]

Chatterjee was hired at the Eastern Railways.[2] He was involved in the 1950 communal riots, and during the riots he started a grouping called 'Bhabani Dal' in Chandannagar.[2] These were the largest incidents of communal violence in Chandannagar.[3] Chatterjee was arrested on March 31, 1950, under the Preventive Detention Act. He was released after three weeks of custody.[2] On September 1, 1951, he was again arrested under the Preventive Detention Act.[2] He remained in detention until July 28, 1952.[2]

Upon his release Chatterjee joined the Forward Bloc (Marxist Group).[2] He was arrested in January 1953, and was released on June 22, 1953.[2] Chatterjee belonged to the group of FB(MG) leaders that were expelled from the party after having supported the Communist Party of India candidate in the 1953 Calcutta South East by-election.[4] Along with the other expellees, he formed the Marxist Forward Bloc in April the following year.[4]

Chatterjee took part in the 1958 food movement.[2] He was arrested on September 15, 1958, and was detained for a week.[2]

In 1969 Chatterjee was named Minister for Sports in the second United Front government formed in West Bengal.[1] On June 22, 1969, Chatterjee charged into the exclusive Calcutta Swimming Club, an institution predominately serving Europeans, along with about a hundred Santhal tribals.[5][6][7][8]

Chatterjee lost his assembly seat in the 1972 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election.[9]

Chatterjee regained his Tarakeswar seat in the 1977 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election.[1] Chatterjee was named Minister of State Home (Civil Defense) Department in the Left Front government formed in West Bengal in 1977.[10][11]

Chatterjee died in 1986.[10][12] His widow contested the Tarakeswar seat after his death.[12] After Chatterjee's death his party suffered an internal feud and was severely weakened in its Hooghly District bastion.[13] It would take another 10 years before the MFB had a minister in the West Bengal government.[10]