Ram Dhan
{{Short description|Indian politician (1921–2001)}}{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Ram Dhan
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1921|07|01}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2001|05|23|1921|07|01}}
| birth_place = Azampur, Azamgarh, United Provinces, British India
(now in Uttar Pradesh, India)
| spouse = Chandrawati Devi
| office1 = Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
| term_start1 = 1984
| term_end1 = 1991
| constituency1 = Lalganj
| term_start2 = 1967
| term_end2 = 1979
| constituency2 = Lalganj
| successor1 = Ram Badan
| predecessor2 = Vishram Prasad
| successor2 = Chhangur Ram
| predecessor1 = Chhangur Ram
| nationality = Indian
| death_place = New Delhi, India
| party = Janata Dal
| otherparty = Janata Party
Indian National Congress
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2015}}
Ram Dhan (1 July 1921 – 23 May 2001) was an Indian politician and freedom fighter.{{Cite web|date=23 July 2001|title=OBITUARY REFERENCE|url=https://eparlib.nic.in/handle/123456789/716997?view_type=search|website=Lok Sabha Digital Library}} He represented Lalganj in Lok Sabha a number of times.{{Cite web|title=Members Bioprofile|url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/1909.htm|access-date=2022-01-14|website=loksabhaph.nic.in}} Ram Dhan was arrested on the night when Emergency was declared by Indira Gandhi.{{Cite news|title=Vice-President Krishan Kant dies of massive heart attack|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/vice-president-krishan-kant-dies-of-massive-heart-attack/articleshow/17240939.cms?from=mdr|access-date=2022-01-14}}
Early life
Ram Dhan was born on 1 July 1921 in a Raidas family of Chamar at Azampur in Azamgarh district of Uttar Pradesh.{{Cite web|last=rti_admin|date=2010-10-16|title=The Dalits lose their mirror & Ramdhan|url=https://www.roundtableindia.co.in/the-dalits-lose-their-mirror-a-ramdhan/|access-date=2022-01-14|website=Round Table India|language=en-US}} He attended Central Hindu College (now Banaras Hindu University) and was awarded Bachelor of Law degree at Law College, BHU. He joined the Socialist movement and grew close to leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan and Acharya Narendra Dev. But later he joined Congress.
In 1963, he married Chandrawati Devi.{{Cite web|title=Members Bioprofile|url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/1909.htm|access-date=2022-01-14|website=loksabhaph.nic.in}} The couple had two son and two daughters.{{Cite web|title=Members Bioprofile|url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/1909.htm|access-date=2022-01-14|website=loksabhaph.nic.in}} He also served as a correspondent of Aaj and Sansar of Varanasi, Swatantra Bharat of Lucknow and Amrit Bazar Patrika of Allahabad.{{Cite web|date=23 July 2001|title=OBITUARY REFERENCE|url=https://eparlib.nic.in/handle/123456789/716997?view_type=search|website=Lok Sabha Digital Library}}{{Cite web|title=Members Bioprofile|url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/1909.htm|access-date=2022-01-14|website=loksabhaph.nic.in}}
Political career
Before 1947, he took part in many freedom struggles. He was detained under Defence of India Rules for 2 years for taking part in the Quit India Movement in 1942.{{Cite web|date=23 July 2001|title=OBITUARY REFERENCE|url=https://eparlib.nic.in/handle/123456789/716997?view_type=search|website=Lok Sabha Digital Library}}{{Cite web|title=Members Bioprofile|url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/1909.htm|access-date=2022-01-14|website=loksabhaph.nic.in}} He joined the Socialist movement but in 1960 he joined Congress party.{{Cite web|last=rti_admin|date=2010-10-16|title=The Dalits lose their mirror & Ramdhan|url=https://www.roundtableindia.co.in/the-dalits-lose-their-mirror-a-ramdhan/|access-date=2022-01-14|website=Round Table India|language=en-US}} He was member of 4th, 5th Lok Sabha, representing Lalganj on Congress ticket.{{Cite web|title=Members : Lok Sabha|url=https://loksabha.nic.in/Members/lokaralpha.aspx?lsno=4&tab=12|access-date=2022-01-14|website=loksabha.nic.in}}{{Cite web|title=Members : Lok Sabha|url=https://loksabha.nic.in/Members/lokaralpha.aspx?lsno=5&tab=11|access-date=2022-01-14|website=loksabha.nic.in}} He was arrested under Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) during Emergency.{{Cite web|title=Members Bioprofile|url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/1909.htm|access-date=2022-01-14|website=loksabhaph.nic.in}} He was among the few in Congress who were arrested along with Chandra Shekhar, Mohan Dharia and Krishan Kant.
In 1977, he was elected as Lok Sabha MP on Janata Party ticket from Lalganj Lok Sabha constituency.{{Cite web|title=Members : Lok Sabha|url=https://loksabha.nic.in/Members/lokaralpha.aspx?lsno=6&tab=10|access-date=2022-01-14|website=loksabha.nic.in}} He was also made General Secretary of Janata Party, but when Morarji Desai was declared as Prime Minister instead of Jagjivan Ram, he resigned in protest.{{Cite web|last=rti_admin|date=2010-10-16|title=The Dalits lose their mirror & Ramdhan|url=https://www.roundtableindia.co.in/the-dalits-lose-their-mirror-a-ramdhan/|access-date=2022-01-14|website=Round Table India|language=en-US}} Later he joined Congress but along with VP Singh he resigned from Congress and formed Janata Dal.{{Cite web|last=rti_admin|date=2010-10-16|title=The Dalits lose their mirror & Ramdhan|url=https://www.roundtableindia.co.in/the-dalits-lose-their-mirror-a-ramdhan/|access-date=2022-01-14|website=Round Table India|language=en-US}}
Positions held
- 1945–1948 President of District Depressed Class League, Azamgarh.{{Cite web|title=Members Bioprofile|url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/1909.htm|access-date=2022-01-14|website=loksabhaph.nic.in}}
- 1967–1970 Member, 4th Lok Sabha.{{Cite web|title=Members Bioprofile|url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/1909.htm|access-date=2022-01-14|website=loksabhaph.nic.in}}
- 1967–1970 Member of Informal Consultative Committee of Shipping and Transport of Parliament.{{Cite web|title=Members Bioprofile|url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/1909.htm|access-date=2022-01-14|website=loksabhaph.nic.in}}
- 1971–1977 Member, 5th Lok Sabha (2nd term).{{Cite web|title=Members Bioprofile|url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/1909.htm|access-date=2022-01-14|website=loksabhaph.nic.in}}
- 1977–1979 Member, 6th Lok Sabha (3rd term).{{Cite web|title=Members Bioprofile|url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/1909.htm|access-date=2022-01-14|website=loksabhaph.nic.in}}
- 1977–1978 President of Bharatiya Depressed Classes League.{{Cite web|title=Members Bioprofile|url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/1909.htm|access-date=2022-01-14|website=loksabhaph.nic.in}}
- 1977 Selected as General Secretary of Janata Party.{{Cite web|title=Members Bioprofile|url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/1909.htm|access-date=2022-01-14|website=loksabhaph.nic.in}}{{Cite web|last=rti_admin|date=2010-10-16|title=The Dalits lose their mirror & Ramdhan|url=https://www.roundtableindia.co.in/the-dalits-lose-their-mirror-a-ramdhan/|access-date=2022-01-14|website=Round Table India|language=en-US}}
- 1977–1979 Chairman of Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes of Parliament.{{Cite web|title=Members Bioprofile|url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/1909.htm|access-date=2022-01-14|website=loksabhaph.nic.in}}
- 1984–1989 Member, 8th Lok Sabha (4th term).{{Cite web|title=Members Bioprofile|url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/1909.htm|access-date=2022-01-14|website=loksabhaph.nic.in}}
- 1984–1989 Member of Railway Convention Committee of Parliament.{{Cite web|title=Members Bioprofile|url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/1909.htm|access-date=2022-01-14|website=loksabhaph.nic.in}}
- 1989–1991 Member, 9th Lok Sabha (5th term).{{Cite web|title=Members Bioprofile|url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/1909.htm|access-date=2022-01-14|website=loksabhaph.nic.in}}
- 1990 Member of Consultative Committee, Ministry of Home Affairs.{{Cite web|title=Members Bioprofile|url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/1909.htm|access-date=2022-01-14|website=loksabhaph.nic.in}}
- 1990–1995 Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.{{Cite web|date=23 July 2001|title=OBITUARY REFERENCE|url=https://eparlib.nic.in/handle/123456789/716997?view_type=search|website=Lok Sabha Digital Library}}