Ashoka Mehta
Ashoka Mehta (24 October 1911 Bhavnagar–1984) was an Indian freedom fighter and socialist politician. He helped organize the socialist wing of the Indian National Congress, along with Jaya Prakash Narayan, and was heavily involved in the politics and government of the city of Bombay.
Ashok Mehta was born in Bhavnagar on 24 October 1911.
Mehta was active participant during the Quit India movement and was arrested by the British. He was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment five times.[1]
After India's independence, helped organize trade unions in Bombay and was one of the founders of INTUC.[2]
He also served as Mayor of Bombay city from 1946 to 1947. Mehta retired from active politics in the early 1950s, and wrote several books on his experiences, on India's freedom struggle and the importance of socialist reforms.
Ashoka Mehta was founder member of Socialist Party and when in September,1952 the Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party and the Socialist Party merged to form the Praja Socialist Party (PSP) in which the major cementing role were played by Ram Manohar Lohia and Mehta.[3] Asoka Mehta became new party's general secretary.[4] He was Praja Socialist Party's president during 1959-1963.
He was a founding member of the first Governing Body of National Council of Applied Economic Research,[5] the [6] in New Delhi, India’s first independent economic policy institute established in 1956. In 1963, he served as deputy chairman of the Planning Commission.
He joined Indian National Congress in 1964, after his expulsion from Praja Socialist Party. He was later part of Congress (O), after Congress split in 1969, the faction Congress (I) led by Indira Gandhi.
He was member of 1st and 2nd Lok sabha during 1954-1957 and 1957-1962. He was elected third time for 4th Lok Sabha from Bhandara (Lok Sabha constituency).[7] He was member of Rajya sabha during 3-4-1966 till 26-2-1967.[8]
He was arrested during the emergency on 26 June 1975 and detained in Rohtak Jail, Haryana.[1]
In 1977 he was the Chairman of Ashok Mehta Committee under Janta Government.
Major works
He is author of following noted books :-
- Economic Planning in India
- Who Owns India? (1950)
- Democratic Socialism <Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan>
- Studies in Socialism <Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan>
- Reflections on Socialist Era <C.Chand and Co.>
References
- 1 2 Case Studies on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms: A World Survey, Volume 3, 1987
- ↑ India Business Yearbook 2009 Career Launcher India Ltd - 2009by - Page 284 The Congress INTUC was born on 3 May 1947 as a historic necessity, just before India attained independence. ... Its founders included Ashok Mehta, RS Ruikar, Maniben KLater,..
- ↑ Economic Ideas Of Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia -S.N. Pandey A.K. Thakur - 2009 by Page 64
- ↑ Indian Political Thinkers: Modern Indian Political Though by N. Jayapalan - 2000
- ↑ NCAER
- ↑ National Council of Applied Economic Research
- ↑ "Member's Profile". Lok Sabha Secretariat, New Delhi. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
- ↑ "Member's Profile" (PDF). Rajya Sabha Secretariat, New Delhi. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
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