P. J. Kurien
{{for|the IAS officer|V. J. Kurien}}
{{short description|Indian politician}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2015}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = P. J. Kurien
| term_start4 = 1980
| spouse = Susan
| party = Indian National Congress
| birth_place = Vennikulam, Travancore
(now in Kerala, India)
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1941|3|31}}
| constituency3 = Idukki
| term_end3 = 1989
| term_start3 = 1984
| constituency2 = Mavelikara
| constituency4 = Mavelikara
| term_end2 = 1999
| term_start2 = 1989
| term_end4 = 1984
| office2 = Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
| successor1 = Binoy Viswam, CPI
| successor2 = Ramesh Chennithala
| successor3 = K. M. Matthew
| successor4 = Thampan Thomas
| predecessor1 =
| predecessor2 = Thampan Thomas
| predecessor3 = M. M. Lawrence
| predecessor4 = B. K. Nair
| term_end1 = 1 July 2018
| term_start1 = 2 July 2006
| office1 = Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
| constituency1 = Kerala
| successor = Harivansh Narayan Singh, JD(U)
| predecessor = K. Rahman Khan, INC
| term_end = 1 July 2018
| term_start = 21 August 2012
| office = 11th Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha
| image = P. J. Kurien portrait.jpg
| alma_mater = St. Thomas College, Kozhencherry
Government Science College, Rewa
}}
{{Indian name|Kurien|Pallath Joseph}}Pallath Joseph Kurien (born 28 March 1941) is an Indian politician, a social worker and educationist. He was the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Parliament of India, till his retirement on 30 June 2018.{{cite web|title=Congress leader PJ Kurien elected as Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-08-21/news/33303005_1_congress-leader-cag-report-pj-kurien|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023062402/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-08-21/news/33303005_1_congress-leader-cag-report-pj-kurien|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 October 2013|publisher=Economic Times}}{{cite news|title=P.J. Kurien is Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3804659.ece|work=The Hindu|date=22 August 2012|last1=Parsai|first1=Gargi}} A leader of the Indian National Congress party, Kurien previously served as a Union Minister in the P. V. Narasimha Rao government and was a member of the Lok Sabha for four consecutive terms from 1980 to 1999.
He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2005.
Early life
P. J. Kurien was born on 28 March 1941 to P. G. Joseph and Rachel Joseph at Vennikulam in Tiruvalla, Pathanamthitta District, Kerala. He had his early education at St. Behanas High School, Vennikulam. For higher education, he attended St. Thomas College, Kozhencherry, Kerala and at Government Science College, Rewa, Madhya Pradesh. He was a professor of physics at St. Thomas College, Kozhencherry, when he entered politics.{{cite web|url=http://164.100.47.5:8080/members/website/Mainweb.asp?mpcode=1979|accessdate=2013-05-29|title=Biodata on the Rajya Sabha website}}
Positions held
- 1980-84 Member, Seventh Lok Sabha.{{cite web|title=P J Kurien|url=http://india.gov.in/my-government/indian-parliament/pj-kurien|publisher=India.gov.in}}
- 1984-89 Member, Eighth Lok Sabha.
- 1987-89 Member, Executive, Congress Parliamentary Party [C.P.P.(I)], Member, House Committee, Member, Committee on Public Undertakings.
- 1989-91 Member, Ninth Lok Sabha, Chief Whip, Congress Parliamentary Party, Member of the Business Advisory Committee.
- 1991-96 Member, Tenth Lok Sabha.
- 1991-93 Union Minister of State, Industry with additional charge of Commerce.
- 1992-93 Union Minister of State, Industry,(Department of Small Scale, Agro and Rural Industries) with additional charge of Commerce.
- 1994-98 Chairman, Board of Governors, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.
- 1995-96 Union Minister of State, Non-Conventional Energy Sources.
- 1996-98 Member, Eleventh Lok Sabha, Member of the Business Advisory Committee.
- 1998-99 Member, Twelfth Lok Sabha, Chief Whip, Congress Parliamentary Party, Member, Business Advisory Committee, Jan.
- July 2005 Elected to Rajya Sabha
- August 2012 Elected Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha
=Controversy=
Kurien was alleged to be an accused in the Suryanelli rape case, though his name was never included in the list of accused.Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/muCSR38VZOc Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20160323003849/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muCSR38VZOc Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muCSR38VZOc| title = Kurien on why he shouldn't be re-investigated in rape case | website=YouTube| date = 4 February 2013 }}{{cbignore}}Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/w8dBhIqL17c Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20160313094853/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8dBhIqL17c Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8dBhIqL17c| title = Suryanelli victim demands P J Kurien be included in the list of accused | website=YouTube| date = 31 January 2013 }}{{cbignore}} There are four inquiries which exonerated Kurien, three inquiries were held under the Chief Ministership of E. K. Nayanar, who himself used the allegation against Kurien during 1996 elections, and was also a respondent in the defamation case filed by Kurien. During these three inquiries, Kurien was only an opposition MP; Congress Party being out of power both at the Centre and in Kerala.{{Cite web|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/kerala/suryanelli-sex-scandal-breather-for-pj-kurien-as-convict-retracts-claim_851672.html|title=Suryanelli sex scandal: Breather for PJ Kurien as convict retracts claim|date=29 May 2013}} Kurien has maintained his innocence and police investigations into the case have also deemed him innocent.{{cite web | url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/south/suryanelli-rape-case-kerala-high-court-rejects-petition-against-pj-kurien-436139 | title = Suryanelli rape case: Kerala High Court rejects petition against PJ Kurien}} There are speculations such as the alleged controversy against Kurien is politically motivated and his political power even led to the exoneration.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/interview/suryanelli-rape-the-most-key-issue-kerala-is-facing-now/20130219.htm|title='Is Suryanelli rape the most key issue for Kerala now?'}}{{cite web | url= http://www.ndtv.com/article/cheat-sheet/will-pj-kurien-be-made-an-accused-in-the-suryanelli-rape-case-court-order-likely-today-385692| title = Will PJ Kurien be made an accused in the Suryanelli rape case? Court order likely today}} Sessions Judge Abraham Mathew in his order held that the victim's plea for inclusion of Kurien in the sex scandal case was not maintainable.{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/suryanelli-victims-plea-against-kurien-dismissed/article4863280.ece|title=Suryanelli: Victim's plea against Kurien dismissed|newspaper=The Hindu|date=29 June 2013}}{{Cite web|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/kerala/suryanelli-sex-scandal-breather-for-pj-kurien-as-convict-retracts-claim_851672.html|title=Suryanelli sex scandal: Breather for PJ Kurien as convict retracts claim|date=29 May 2013}}{{Cite web|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/video/suryanelli-gangrape-case-p.j.-kurien-political-conspiracy-protests/1/249453.html|title = Suryanelli gangrape case: P.J. Kurien alleges political conspiracy against him| date=8 February 2013 }}{{Cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Suryanelli-rape-case-Court-rejects-girls-plea-against-P-J-Kurien/articleshow/18765742.cms|title = Suryanelli gangrape case: Suryanelli rape case: Court rejects girl's plea against P J Kurien | India News - Times of India| newspaper=The Times of India | date=2 March 2013 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/pressure-mounts-on-pj-kurien-to-quit-in-suryanelli-rape-case/article20575214.ece|title = Pressure mounts on P.J. Kurien to quit in Suryanelli rape case| date=7 February 2013 }}
References
{{Reflist}}
- http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/suryanelli-victims-plea-against-kurien-dismissed/article4863280.ece
- http://zeenews.india.com/news/kerala/suryanelli-sex-scandal-breather-for-pj-kurien-as-convict-retracts-claim_851672.html
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070810163203/http://164.100.24.167:8080/members/website/Mainweb.asp?mpcode=1979 Profile on Rajya Sabha website]
- [http://india.gov.in/govt/rajyasabhampbiodata.php?mpcode=1979]
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|in-lwr}}
{{s-bef|before=B. K. Nair}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament
for Mavelikara |years=1980 – 1984}}
{{s-aft|after=Thampan Thomas}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=M. M. Lawrence}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament
for Idukki |years=1984 – 1989}}
{{s-aft|after=Pala K. M. Matthew}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=Thampan Thomas}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament
for Mavelikara |years=1989 – 1999}}
{{s-aft|after=Ramesh Chennithala}}
|-
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=K Rahman Khan}}
{{s-ttl|title=Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha|years=2012–2018}}
{{s-aft|after=Harivansh Narayan Singh}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kurien, P. J.}}
{{Energy Ministries and Departments of India}}
{{12th LS members from Kerala}}
{{11th LS members from Kerala}}
{{10th LS members from Kerala}}
Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Kerala
Category:Lok Sabha members from Kerala
Category:People from Pathanamthitta district
Category:Rajya Sabha members from Kerala