Buta Singh

Buta Singh was born on 21 March 1934 in Mazhabi Sikh family at Mustafapur, Jalandhar district, Punjab, British India.{{Cite news|date=2021-01-02|title=Congress veteran and ex-home minister Buta Singh passes away at 86; Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi pay tribute|url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/congress-veteran-and-ex-home-minister-buta-singh-passes-away-at-86-narendra-modi-rahul-gandhi-pay-tribute-9166741.html|access-date=2021-01-02|website=Firstpost|agency=Press Trust of India}} He was educated at Lyallpur Khalsa College in Jalandhar, from where he was awarded a B.A. (Hons), and at Guru Nanak Khalsa College in Bombay, where he earned a M.A. Singh then gained a Ph.D. from Bundelkhand University. He married Manjit Kaur in 1964; the couple had three children.{{cite web |title=Hon'ble Governor of Bihar – Sardar Buta Singh |url=http://governor.bih.nic.in/Governors/ButaSingh.htm |publisher=National Informatics Centre, India |access-date=17 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080203154101/http://governor.bih.nic.in/Governors/ButaSingh.htm |archive-date=3 February 2008 |url-status=dead }}

He worked as journalist before entering politics. He fought his first elections as an Akali Dal member and joined the Indian National Congress in the late 1960s at the time when that party was split.

Singh was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1962, for the Moga constituency.{{Cite news|date=2021-01-02|title=Congress veteran Buta Singh passes away|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/former-home-minister-buta-singh-passes-away/article33478228.ece|access-date=2021-01-02|issn=0971-751X}} He was subsequently elected to the 4th (from Ropar in 1967), 5th, 7th, 8th (from Jalore), 10th (1991), 12th and 13th Lok Sabhas. He was involved with the Congress Party since Jawaharlal Nehru was Prime Minister and he was close to former Indian prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. But he was first elected to the Indian Parliament from the Moga constituency as Akali Dal candidate, defeating his Congress opponent.{{Cite web|url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/Members/memberbioprofile.aspx?mpsno=435&lastls=13|title=Members : Lok Sabha|website=loksabhaph.nic.in}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.elections.in/parliamentary-constituencies/1962-election-results.html|title=1962 India General (3rd Lok Sabha) Elections Results|website=www.elections.in}}

He switched to Ropar constituency in 1967, this time as a Congress candidate, and was elected from there to Lok Sabha a couple of times. He became General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary (1978–1980), Home Minister of India and later Governor of Bihar (2004–2006). Other portfolios that he has held include those for railways, commerce, parliamentary affairs, sports, shipping, agriculture, communications and housing. He was chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (ranked as Cabinet Minister) from 2007 to 2010.{{cite web | url=http://www.uniindia.com/former-union-minister-and-congress-leader-buta-singh-dies-at-86/india/news/2281045.html | title=Former union minister and Congress leader Buta Singh dies | publisher=UNI | date=2 January 2021 | access-date=2 January 2021}}

He wrote a book Punjabi Speaking State – A Critical Analysis and a collection of articles on Punjabi literature and Sikh history.{{cite web | url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/true-public-servant-loyal-leader-rahul-gandhi-condoles-buta-singh-s-death/story-a9f3ginLLWy1RkNStVS0pN.html | title='True public servant, loyal leader': Rahul Gandhi condoles Buta Singh's death | publisher=Hindustan Times | date=2 January 2021 | access-date=2 January 2021}} Indira Gandhi chose him to select a new party symbol when Congress was split. He was very closely involved with her in Operation Blue Star and as a minister he oversaw reconstruction of the Golden Temple following that exercise.{{cite web | url=https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/former-home-minister-buta-singh-passes-away/2162687/ | title=Former home minister Buta Singh passes away | publisher=Financial Express | date=2 January 2021 | access-date=2 January 2021}} His name was also in the finalists for the post of President of India along with Giani Zail Singh in the Indira era. He was also the chairperson of Asian Games organizing committee when the competition was held in India in 1982.{{cite web | url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/19821215-we-are-also-trying-to-bring-the-world-cup-football-to-new-delhi-buta-singh-772497-2013-07-31 | title=We are also trying to bring the World Cup Football to New Delhi: Buta Singh | publisher=India Today | date=15 December 1982 | access-date=2 January 2021}}

He contested 2014 Lok Sabha election from Jalore (Lok Sabha constituency) as an independent, backed by Samajwadi Party, but he came third.{{Cite web|url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/mulayam-fields-buta-from-jalore-sirohi|title=Mulayam fields Buta from Jalore-Sirohi|website=Free Press Journal}}

In 1998, as Communications Minister he was indicted in the JMM bribery case, and forced to resign.{{Cite news |author=Viswanathan, Prema |date=21 April 1998 |title=Hegde rules out resignation, defends Vajpayee |newspaper=The Indian Express |url=http://expressindia.indianexpress.com/fe/daily/19980421/11155624.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925092744/http://expressindia.indianexpress.com/fe/daily/19980421/11155624.html |archive-date=25 September 2015 |url-status=dead |access-date=24 September 2015 }}

As the Governor of Bihar, Singh's decision to recommend the dissolution of the Bihar Assembly in 2005 was sharply criticised by the Supreme Court of India. The court ruled that Singh had acted in haste and misled the federal cabinet because he did not want a particular party claiming to form the government, to come to power.{{Cite web|author=Sharma, Avinash |date=28 February 2009 |title=Bihar Assembly Dissolution Case |publisher=Legal Service India |url=http://www.legalserviceindia.com/article/l315-Bihar-Assembly-Dissolution-Case.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160516200853/http://www.legalserviceindia.com/article/l315-Bihar-Assembly-Dissolution-Case.html |archive-date=16 May 2016 |url-status=live }}{{Cite book|author=Verma, Avnindra Kumar |year=2009 |title=Political Science, Class XI |location=New Delhi |publisher=Rahul Jain (V.K. (India) Enterprises) |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=KFk1K9_yf90C&pg=PA146 146] |isbn=978-81-89597-13-9}}

Singh, however, claimed that the party was resorting to unfair means to secure support to form the government. On 26 January 2006 Singh sent a fax to Abdul Kalam offering to resign his post.{{cite news|title=Bihar governor offers resignation |work=BBC News | date=26 January 2006 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4650474.stm |access-date=4 January 2010}} The next day he left office and was replaced temporarily by West Bengal governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi.{{Cite news|title=Veteran politician R S Gavai new Bihar Governor |date=22 June 2006 |newspaper=One India |publisher=Greynium Information Technologies Pvt. Ltd. |url=http://www.oneindia.com/2006/06/22/r-s-gavai-sworn-in-as-bihar-governor-1150981920.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925094737/http://www.oneindia.com/2006/06/22/r-s-gavai-sworn-in-as-bihar-governor-1150981920.html |archive-date=25 September 2015 |url-status=live }}

Singh died in New Delhi from complications of a cerebral haemorrhage on 2 January 2021, at age 86.{{cite news|url = https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/congress-leader-and-former-union-minister-buta-singh-passes-away/story-iZbV3OaHwPJz7acv6WnQwM.html|title = Congress leader and former Union minister Buta Singh passes away|work = The Hindustan Times|date = 2 January 2021|access-date = 2 January 2021}}{{cite news|url = https://indianexpress.com/article/india/buta-singh-dies-7129737/|title = Former Union minister Buta Singh passes away|work = The Indian Express|date = 2 January 2021|access-date = 2 January 2021}}

1. 1962 : Elected to 3rd Lok Sabha, from Moga seat, as Akali Dal candidate{{cite web | url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/Members/memberbioprofile.aspx?mpsno=435&lastls=13 | title=Buta Singh Profile | publisher=Lok Sabha | access-date=2 January 2021}}
2. 1966–68 : Member, Public Accounts Committee.
3. 1967 : Re-elected to 4th Lok Sabha (2nd term) as Congress candidate, Ropar (Lok Sabha constituency)
4. 1971 : Re-elected to 5th Lok Sabha (3rd term), from Ropar (Lok Sabha constituency)
5. 1971 : Chairman, Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
6. 1973–74 : Convenor, All India Congress Committee (Indira) [AICC(I)], Harijan Cell.
7. 1974–76 : Union Deputy Minister, Railways.
8. 1976–77 : Union Deputy Minister, Commerce.
9. 1978–80 : General-Secretary, AICC(I).
10. 1980 : Re-elected to 7th Lok Sabha (4th term), from Ropar (Lok Sabha constituency)
11. 1980–82 : Union Minister of State, Shipping and Transport.
12. 1982 : Union Minister of State, Supply and Rehabilitation (Independent Charge).
13. 1982–83 : Union Minister of State, Supply and Sports (Independent Charge).
14. 1983–84 : Union Cabinet Minister, Parliamentary Affairs, Sports and Works and Housing.
15. 1984 : Re-elected to 8th Lok Sabha (5th term), from Jalore (Lok Sabha constituency)
16. 1984–85 : Union Cabinet Minister, Agriculture and Rural Development.
17. 1985–86 : Union Cabinet Minister, Agriculture.
18. 1986–89 : Union Cabinet Minister, Home Affairs.
19. 1991 : Re-elected to 10th Lok Sabha (6th term), Jalore (Lok Sabha constituency)
20. 1994–95 : Chairman, Parliamentary Committee on Defence.
21. 1995–96 : Union Cabinet Minister, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution.
22. 1998 : Re-elected to 12th Lok Sabha (7th term), Jalore (Lok Sabha constituency)
23. Mar–Apr. 1998: Union Cabinet Minister, Communications.
24. 1998–99 : Member, Committee on Subordinate Legislation and Member, Committee on Finance.
25. 1999 : Re-elected to 13th Lok Sabha (8th term), Jalore (Lok Sabha constituency)
26. 1999–2000 : Member, Committee of Privileges and Member, Committee on Communications.
27. 1999–2001 : Member, Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
28. 2002–2003 : Chairman, Public Accounts Committee, Room No.-51, Parliament House, New Delhi.
29. 2004–2006 : Governor Of Bihar
30. 2006–2007 : Permanent Invitee Congress Working Committee
31. 2007–2010 : Chairman National Commission For Scheduled Castes (rank of Cabinet Minister)

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{{s-aft|after=Kailash Chandra Meghwal}}

|-

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{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament
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{{s-aft|after=Parsaram Meghwal}}

|-

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{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament
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{{s-aft|after=Susheela Laxman Bangaru}}

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{{s-bef|before=Bhishma Narain Singh}}

{{s-ttl|title=Minister of Parliamentary Affairs|years=29 January 1983 – 31 December 1984}}

{{s-aft|after=H. K. L. Bhagat}}

|-

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{{s-ttl|title=Minister of Agriculture|years=1984 – 12 May 1986}}

{{s-aft|after=Gurdial Singh Dhillon}}

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{{s-ttl|title=Minister of Home Affairs|years=12 May 1986 – 2 December 1989}}

{{s-aft|after=Mufti Mohammad Sayeed}}

|-

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Acting}}

{{s-ttl|title=Governor of Bihar|years=5 November 2004 – 29 January 2006}}

{{s-aft|after=Gopalkrishna Gandhi}}

|-

{{s-end}}

{{Commons category}}

• [http://loksabhaph.nic.in/Members/memberbioprofile.aspx?mpsno=435&lastls=13 Official biographical sketch on the Parliament of India website]

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Category:Governors of Bihar

Category:1934 births

Category:2021 deaths

Category:India MPs 1962–1967

Category:India MPs 1967–1970

Category:India MPs 1971–1977

Category:India MPs 1980–1984

Category:India MPs 1984–1989

Category:India MPs 1991–1996

Category:India MPs 1998–1999

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Category:Lok Sabha members from Rajasthan

Category:Chairmans of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes

Category:Ministers of internal affairs of India

Category:Agriculture ministers of India

Category:Members of the Cabinet of India

Category:United Progressive Alliance candidates in the 2014 Indian general election

Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Punjab, India

Category:Shiromani Akali Dal politicians

Category:Lok Sabha members from Punjab, India

Category:People from Rupnagar district

Category:People from Jalore district

Category:Punjabi Sikhs