Senior Congressman Buta Singh Khanty was a politician who kept an ear on the ground and kept an eye on national politics, who emerged as number two in Rajiv Gandhi's government in the 1980s with his diligence and work efficiency. Buta Singh, a prominent Dalit face of the Congress and loyalist of the Gandhi family including Indira, Rajiv, breathed his last at AIIMS on Saturday.
In his more than a five-decade-long political career, he has often been at the center of controversies but has come back stronger each time. He was born on 21 March 1934 in an elite 'Mazhabi' Sikh family in Mustafapur in the Jalandhar district of Punjab. He was elected to the Lok Sabha eight times, was a minister in various ministries at the center, and was made the Governor of Bihar in 2004.
His rise to the national scene of the country's politics took place in the 1980s when he was the only minister in the Rajiv Gandhi cabinet from the Sikh community. At that time, the Congress had to face a lot of resentment of the Sikh community due to Operation Blue Star and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. He was replaced as Home Minister by PV Narasimha Rao in 1986 and he held the post till the 1989 defeat of the Rajiv Gandhi-led Congress.
The key role in choosing the 'hand' election symbol
Buta Singh was very close to his mother Indira Gandhi before Rajiv Gandhi and held many important positions in his government. According to one book, he was instrumental in choosing the 'hand claw' symbol. In 1978, the Election Commission gave Indira-led Congress (I) the option to choose one of the three election symbols Elephant, Cycle, and Hath Ka Paw. Indira gave the responsibility of choosing the mark to Buta and he stamped his hand.
Also faced a social religious boycott
Buta Singh also had to pay the price of his proximity to the Gandhi family. The Sikhs were socially and religiously ostracized in April 1985 due to Operation Blue Star and anti-Sikh riots. Nearly 10 years after the events of the Golden Temple, he repented and returned to the Sikh society. He was pardoned in March 1994. His pictures of cleaning floors, washing utensils, cleaning shoes, and slippers in other gurdwaras including the Golden Temple were quite viral.
Controversies over sacking state governments
Buta Singh was also in controversy over the recommendation of the sacking of various state governments as Union Home Minister and Governor. Most of the controversy was about the dissolution of the Bihar assembly in 2005. His role was sharply criticized by the Supreme Court. Due to this, he resigned as Governor in 2006.
Ramlila Virajman was made a party in the Ayodhya case only after Buta's suggestion
As soon as Buta Singh was the Home Minister, the lock of the disputed premises was opened in Ayodhya. Not only this, according to the author of one book, no Hindu party had claimed the disputed land of Ayodhya before 1989. The then Home Minister Buta Singh, using his law understanding, sent a message to Ashok Singhal of the VHP that in a suit filed by the Hindu side, the title of the land has not been sought and in such a case, his case is sure to be lost. Subsequently, people associated with the Ram Mandir movement took legal opinion from the famous lawyer Lal Narayan Sinha and supported Singh's argument. After this, Ramlila Virajaman was made a party in the Ayodhya case in the Faizabad civil court in 1989.
Started political journey with Akali Dal
Singh started his political journey with the Shiromani Akali Dal. He joined the Congress in the early 1960s. Elected to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab in 1962. He was then elected as the Lok Sabha MP from Jalore seat in Rajasthan. He also remained in the BJP for some time and was made the Minister of Communications in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in March 1998. In 1998, he was accused in the JMM bribery case and had to resign as minister. He again joined the Congress and was made the Governor of Bihar.
Various positions held in Congress
Singh, a prominent Dalit leader, started work as the coordinator of All India Congress Committee Harijan Cell in 1973-74. In 1978 he became Congress General Secretary. Was made Deputy Minister of Railways in 1974 and Deputy Minister of Commerce in 1976. In 1980 he became Minister of State in the Ministry of Shipping and Transport and in 1982, Minister of Sports, independent charge. In 1983, PM Indira Gandhi assigned him the charge of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Sports and Housing as a Cabinet Minister. In 1984, he became the Union Home Minister in Agriculture and Rural Development, 1986. He was the Minister of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution from 1995 to 1996 in PV Narasimha Rao's government. In 2007, PM Manmohan Singh appointed him chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes. He held this post till 2010.