Mohanbhai Sanjibhai Delkar: Difference between revisions

'''Mohan Sanjibhai Delkar''' (19 December 1962 – 22 February 2021) was an Indian politician and [[Scheduled_Castes_and_Scheduled_Tribes|tribal]] rights advocate,<ref name="ExpressTowering">{{Cite news|date=23 February 2021|title=Mohan Delkar: A towering figure of DNH who followed in his father's footsteps |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/mohan-delkar-a-towering-figure-of-dnh-who-followed-in-his-fathers-footsteps-7200274/|access-date=2021-03-01|newspaper=[[The Indian Express]]|language=en}}</ref> who was elected seven times as a member of [[Lok Sabha]] from [[Dadra and Nagar Haveli (Lok Sabha constituency)|Dadra and Nagar Haveli constituency]], in the Union Territory of [[Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu|Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Seventeenth Lok Sabha, Members Bioprofile, Shri Mohan S. Delkar |url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/Members/MemberBioprofile.aspx?mpsno=107 |website=Parliament of India |publisher=Lok Sabha |access-date=22 February 2021}}</ref> He had been part of [[Indian National Congress]] (INC) and [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP) at various times, and had also founded his own party [[Bharatiya Navshakti Party]] for some period.

Mohan Delkar was born on 19 December 1962 to [[Sanjibhai Delkar]]. Sanjibhai was elected to Lok Sabha from [[Dadra and Nagar Haveli (Lok Sabha constituency)|Dadra and Nagar Haveli]] in 1967 as [[Indian National Congress]] candidate and joined [[Morarji Desai]]'s NCO faction when the party split in 1969. He lost 1971 Lok Sabha election as NCO candidate.<ref>{{Cite web|title=1971 India General (5th Lok Sabha) Elections Results|url=https://www.elections.in/parliamentary-constituencies/1971-election-results.html|access-date=2021-03-17|website=Elections.in}}</ref>  

Mohan Delkar started his career as a trade union leader in [[Silvassa]] and fought for the rights of tribal people working in different factories there. In 1985, he started Adivasi Vikas Sangathan for the tribal people. In 1989, he was elected to the [[9th Lok Sabha]] from Dadra and Nagar Haveli constituency as an independent candidate. In 1991 and 1996 he was re-elected as an [[Indian National Congress]] candidate from the same constituency. In 1998, he was again elected to the Lok Sabha as a [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] candidate from the same constituency. In 1999 and 2004, he was re-elected to the Lok Sabha as an independent and the [[Bharatiya Navshakti Party]] (BNP) candidate respectively; a party that he had formed. On 4 February 2009, he re-joined the Congress.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/silvassa-mp-mohan-delkar-joins-cong/419500/|title=Silvassa MP Mohan Delkar joins Cong|last=Saiyed|first=Kamaal|date=5 February 2009|publisher=[[Indian Express]]|access-date=27 March 2010}}</ref> and in 2019 he distanced himself from the Congress and was elected as an independent politician.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/delkar-defeats-bjp-mp-natubhai-patel-in-dadra-and-nagar-haveli-119052302006_1.html |title = Delkar defeats BJP MP Natubhai Patel in Dadra and Nagar Haveli|newspaper = Business Standard India|date = 23 May 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/elections/lok-sabha-elections-2019/gujarat/news/delkar-quits-cong-to-contest-as-independent/articleshow/68587940.cms | title=Lok Sabha elections: Mohan Delkar quits Congress, to contest as independent | work=[[The Times of India]] | date=27 March 2019 | access-date=22 February 2021}}</ref> However, in 2020, he joined the [[Janata Dal (United)]] party.{{fact|date=March 2021}}

In July 2003, Delkar established the Svargiya Sanjhibhai Rupjhibai Memorial Trust (SSRMT), named after his father, with the mission to improve quality of higher education in the tribal region of Dadra & Nagar Haveli. The campus spread over 50 acres of land in [[Silvassa]] comprises four college that are affiliated with [[Pune University]]; [[SSR College of Arts, Science and Commerce]], [[SSR College of Pharmacy]], [[SSR College of Education]] and [[SSR_Institute_of_Management_and_Research_(SSRIMR)|SSR Institute of Management and Research]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ssracs.edu.in/about-ssr-memorial-trust/|title=About SSR Memorial Trust|website=Ssracs.edu.in|access-date=7 November 2021}}</ref> In 2018, Delkar gave part of the SSR Memorial Trust's land for a token rent of one rupee to the [[List_of_administrators_of_Dadra_and_Nagar_Haveli_and_Daman_and_Diu|local administration]] for establishment of the fifth college, [[NAMO Medical Education and Research Institute]].<ref name="ExpressTowering" /> For the Adivasi tribal people to have community function spaces he built a community hall called Adivasi Vikas Bhavan at [[Jawhar]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=26 February 2021|title=Congress demands judicial inquiry into alleged suicide of Dadra and Nagar Haveli MP Mohan Delkar |url=https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/congress-demands-judicial-inquiry-into-alleged-suicide-of-dadra-and-nagar-haveli-mp-mohan-delkar|access-date=2021-03-01|website=National Herald|language=en}}</ref>

On 5 July 2020, Delkar posted a video on YouTube and Twitter threatening to resign as Lok Sabha MP claiming that [[List_of_administrators_of_Dadra_and_Nagar_Haveli_and_Daman_and_Diu|local administration]] was tormenting him.<ref>{{Cite web|title=सांसद श्री मोहन डेलकर की अति महत्वपूर्ण घोषणा प्रदेश वासियों के लिए।|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUUT7hewBWI |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211218/CUUT7hewBWI |archive-date=2021-12-18 |url-status=live|language=en|publisher=[[YouTube]]|access-date=2021-03-17}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Mohan S. Delkar|url=https://twitter.com/mohandelkar/status/1279793673618591744|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-17|website=Twitter|language=en}} </ref> Delekar stated, "All my efforts to get justice are blocked and stonewalled by these people. They are even trying to frame me in fake cases, my supporters, the organisations I run or work for are targeted and the people in it are also hounded."{{cn|date=March 2021}} Delkar can also be heard saying that BJP leaders, the bureaucracy, [[Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Police|police]], investigating agencies, and local goons "were constantly harassing him at all levels."{{cn|date=March 2021}} Sachin Sawant of Congress stated that an investigating officer had allegedly even told Delkar, "He has received an order from above".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bhalekar|first=Ritvick|date=25 February 2021|title=BJP Under Lens After Ex-MLA Named in MP Delkar's Suicide Note|url=https://www.thequint.com/news/india/bjp-under-lens-after-ex-mla-is-named-in-mp-mohan-delkar-suicide-note#read-more|access-date=2021-03-02|website=The Quint|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Singh|first=Divyesh|date=24 February 2021|title=Probe if BJP linked to Dadra and Nagar Haveli MP Mohan Delkar's death: Maharashtra Congress|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/congress-probe-bjp-role-dadra-and-nagar-haveli-mp-mohan-delkar-death-1772649-2021-02-24/|access-date=2021-03-02|website=India Today|language=en}}</ref>

On 19 September 2020 in parliament, he raised the issue of "misbehaviour" by local officials "as part of a conspiracy" claiming that on [[Dadra_and_Nagar_Haveli_and_Daman_and_Diu#History|Liberation Day]] (2 August), he was "denied the right to address the people of the region as an MP".<ref name="ExpressUT">{{Cite web|date=25 February 2021|title=UT top official named in MP Mohan Delkar's suicide note, will probe: Anil Deshmukh|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/delkar-named-dadra-and-nagar-haveli-administrator-collector-sp-in-suicide-note-deshmukh-7203155/|access-date=2021-02-27|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref> Abhinav Delkar, son of Mohan Delkar, stated that local administration had made things difficult for them and their supporters. He further stated that his father's supporters and tribal workers had been sacked from their jobs in a local government school because they had supported him in elections. He stated that attempts of demolishing the local university [[SSR College of Arts, Science and Commerce]] were made which his father managed to stop through a [[stay of proceedings|stay order]] from the court".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sequeira|first=Rosy|date=28 February 2021|title=Don't raze hostels run by dead MP's trust till appeal heard: HC |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Dont-raze-hostels-run-by-dead-MPs-trust-till-appeal-heard-HC/articleshow/81249378.cms|access-date=2021-02-27|website=Times of India|language=en}}</ref>

Maharashtra's Home Minister [[Anil Deshmukh]] sought "a probe into the [[Bharatiya_Janata_Party|BJP]]’s role in Delkar's suicide", to check if he was being pressured by officials at the behest of the Central Government.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imphaltimes.com/news/item/19908-a-demand-for-judicial-probe-into-a-suicidal-death-of-mp-mohan-delkar |title=A Demand For Judicial Probe Into A Suicidal Death Of MP Mohan Delkar |publisher=Imphal Times |date=1 March 2021 |author=Raju Vernekar |access-date= 6 November 2021}}</ref> Abhinav Delkar states that, "He knew that if he had to end his life here, the suicide note would have vanished and no case would have been registered".<ref name="ExpressUT" />

[[First Information Report]] (FIR) under [[Indian_Penal_Code#Structure|Section 306 (abetment of suicide), 389 (Putting person in fear of accusation of offence, in order to commit extortion) and 506 (criminal intimidation)]] and sections of [[Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989]] was registered against [[Praful Khoda Patel]], collector Sandeep Kumar Singh, former police superintendent Sharad Bhaskar Darade, deputy collector Apurva Sharma, sub-divisional officer Manasvi Jain, police inspector Manoj Patel, DNH Law Secretary Rohit P. Yadav, talathi Dilip Patel<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bhardwaj|first=Ananya|date=11 March 2021|title=Administrator Patel threatened MP Delkar with false case, demanded Rs 25 cr: Son of dead MP|url=https://theprint.in/india/administrator-patel-threatened-mp-delkar-with-false-case-demanded-rs-25-cr-son-of-dead-mp/619649/|access-date=2021-03-11|website=The Print|language=en}}</ref> and BJP leader Fatehsinh V Chauhan who has a history of land grabbing disputes.<ref>{{Cite news|date=7 October 2018|title=Dadra and nagar Haveli: BJP councillor held in land grabbing case - Sources said that Chauhan and his brothers, Chitu and Rakesh, are quiet powerful in Silvassa|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/dadra-and-nagar-haveli-bjp-councillor-held-in-land-grabbing-case-5390072/|access-date=2021-03-11|newspaper=[[The Indian Express]]|language=en}}</ref>

From 18 December 2020 to 19 January 2021, Mohan Delkar had made complaints against those named in the FIR to Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister [[Amit Shah]], [[Speaker of the Lok Sabha|LS Speaker]] [[Om Birla]], and [[List of Indian parliamentary committees#Department-related standing committees|Parlimentary Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice committee chairman]] [[Bhupender Yadav]]. On 12 February 2021 [[Sunil Kumar Singh (politician)|Sunil Kumar Singh]] chaired a [[Lok Sabha]] [[List of Indian parliamentary committees#Other standing committees|Privileges Committee]] hearing<ref>{{Cite web|last=Jha|first=Sanjay K.|date=14 March 2021|title=Congress releases letters of dead MP seeking help from PM Modi|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/congress-releases-letters-of-dead-mp-seeking-help-from-narendra-modi/cid/1809429|access-date=2021-03-14|website=The Telegraph|language=en}}</ref> where Delkar announced, "If harassment to me is not stopped, then I would be left with no option but committing suicide."<ref name=ht>{{cite web |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/mumbai-news/praful-patel-demanded-25-crore-from-my-father-alleges-mohan-delkar-s-son-101615400371780.html |title=Praful Patel demanded ₹25 crore from my father, alleges Mohan Delkar's son |date=14 March 2021 |author=Sanjay K. Jha |newspaper= Hindustan Times|access-date= 25 August 2021}}</ref> Hours before the FIR was registered, [[Anil Deshmukh]]  announced in the Vidhan Bhavan the creation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the suicide.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sagar Rajput|first=Vishwas Waghmode|date=10 March 2021|title=Maharashtra govt announces SIT to probe Delkar death|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/maharashtra-govt-announces-sit-to-probe-delkar-death-7221571/|access-date=2021-03-10|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref>

During the 10 March 2021 [[Lok Sabha#Zero Hour|parliamentary Zero Hour]] session, [[Vinayak Raut]] declared: "[[Maha Vikas Aghadi|MVA government]] in Maharashtra has deputed ATS ([[Anti-Terrorism Squad]]) to probe the matter but I request the PM through this House that the local Administration, SP and Collector should be sacked and tried under [[Indian_Penal_Code#Structure|IPC Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder)]]."<ref>{{Cite web|date=10 March 2021|title=Mohan Delkar Death: FIR Filed, Maha MP Seeks Sacking of UT Admin|url=https://www.thequint.com/news/india/ut-administrator-humiliated-my-father-mohan-delkars-son-abhinav#read-more|access-date=2021-03-12|website=The Quint|language=en}}</ref>