Bhakti Bhushan Mandal

{{Short description|Indian politician}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}

{{Use Indian English|date=August 2021}}

Bhakti Bhushan Mandal (1920 – 30 August 2004){{cite encyclopedia |title=Mandal, Bhakti Bhushan |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts | volume =1 |year=2014 |publisher=The Indian Ministry of External Affairs}} was an Indian politician belonging to the All India Forward Bloc.The Hindu. [http://www.thehindu.com/2000/07/20/stories/0220000l.htm Minister assaulted in Midnapore]{{dead link|date=April 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} He represented the Dubrajpur seat in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly 1962–1967, 1969–1971 and 1977–2001.{{cite web | url = http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/statisticalreports/electionstatistics.asp | title = Statistical Reports of Assembly Elections | accessdate = 2010-10-01 | work = General Election Results and Statistics | publisher = Election Commission of India | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20101005110118/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/ElectionStatistics.asp | archivedate = 2010-10-05 }}{{cite book|author=Communist Party of India (Marxist). West Bengal State Committee|title=Election results of West Bengal: statistics & analysis, 1952–1991|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CNeNAAAAMAAJ|publisher=The Committee|pages=379, 412}}

Mandal held the post of Minister for Judicial and Legislative in the second United Front cabinet formed in West Bengal in 1969.

In the 1970s he took part in founding the Defense Committee, which sought to help Naxalites arrested in staged encounters.{{cite book|author=K. G. Kannabiran|title=The Wages of Impunity: Power, Justice, and Human Rights|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V1eD4bGpqvMC&pg=PA328|year=2004|publisher=Orient Blackswan|isbn=978-81-250-2638-9|page=328}}

Mandal served as Minister for Fisheries and Co-operatives in the first Left Front cabinet.India Today. [http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/left-front-leaders-in-west-bengal-express-disappointment-over-gap-between-pledges-and-achievement/1/409602.html Pressure all round] He was a member of the All India Forward Bloc West Bengal State Committee.India Today. [http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/avowed-sinophile-and-west-bengal-cabinet-member-bhakti-bhusan-mandal-reprimanded/1/409782.html West Bengal: Sinophilia] At the time he was known as a civil rights campaigner and well connected with the Ananda Marg movement. In 1978, he went on a 24-day tour of China and became the president of the India-China Friendship Association.

In the early 1980s he led a Mandal Action Commission, which called for recognition as Other Backward Castes for 177 communities in West Bengal (encompassing around 50 percent of the population of the state).{{cite book|author=Mridula Nath Chakraborty|title=Being Bengali: At Home and in the World|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nkcsAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT67|date=26 March 2014|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-1-317-81889-2|page=67}} Mandal met with exiled Naga leader Phizo in London and declared himself as intermediary between Phizo and the Delhi government.

Mandal was publicly reprimanded by the Left Front chairman Promode Dasgupta for failure to maintain fish production levels. After the 1982 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election Kiranmoy Nanda of the West Bengal Socialist Party was named as new Minister for Fisheries.{{cite book|title=Asian Recorder|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KdRtAAAAMAAJ|volume=28|year=1982|publisher=K. K. Thomas at Recorder Press|page=lxiii}}

Mandal would again be named as Minister for Co-operatives.{{cite book|author=D. Venkatachalam|title=Bureaucracy: An Evaluation and a Scheme of Account Ability|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Jy8wxgRqBbkC&pg=PA71|date=1 January 1998|publisher=APH Publishing|isbn=978-81-7024-927-6|page=71}}Business Standard. [http://www.business-standard.com/article/specials/co-op-movement-197082701095_1.html Co-Op Movement] Due to ill health, he was absent for months from his office.The Telegraph. [https://web.archive.org/web/20161122073802/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090619/jsp/nation/story_11132155.jsp Wanted: a makeover for Bengal ministry] At the time of the swearing in of the Buddhadev Bhattacharya government in November 2000, Mandal was hospitalized at SSKM Hospital in Calcutta for malariaThe Telegraph. [https://web.archive.org/web/20161122072140/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1001106/the_east.htm OATH OF OFFICE & GRAND FAREWELL] Mandal was not nominated for re-election in the 2001 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, for health reasons.The Tribune. [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010226/nation.htm 93 new faces on LF list]The Telegraph. [http://www.telegraphindia.com/1010226/index.htm CPM PICKS NEW FACES & SUBHAS] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122072209/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1010226/index.htm |date=2016-11-22 }}The Hindu. [http://www.thehindu.com/2001/03/04/stories/1404226b.htm Another Minister dropped from candidates list]{{dead link|date=April 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}