Jyotibhushan Bhattacharya Explained

Professor Jyotibhushan Bhattacharya (1 May 1926 – 1998) was an Indian politician and scholar. He served as general secretary of the Workers Party of India.[1] He served as a Minister in both of the United Front governments in West Bengal.

Youth

Bhattacharya was born on 1 May 1926.[2] He studied at Calcutta University and Leeds University, obtaining M.A. degrees at both universities.[3] [4] [5] He took part in the Quit India movement and was jailed during the struggle for Indian independence.[3] Bhattacharya came into contact with the Democratic Vanguard leader Jibanlal Chatterjee in 1943.[6] After Chatterjee founded the WPI, Bhattacharya became a key leader of the party.[6]

WPI leader

Bhattacharya worked as a lecturer in English at Dibrugarh University, Assam, later shifting to Calcutta University, where he retired as Professor of English.[3] [7] During the Sino-Indian War of 1962 cadres of the Communist Party of India, the Socialist Unity Centre of India and WPI were arrested.[8] Bhattacharya, as a leading party member, was one of the WPI cadres caught in this wave of arrests.[9]

Education Minister

Bhattacharya won the Ballygunge constituency seat in the 1967 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election. He obtained 21,153 votes (53.74%).[10] He served as Education Minister in the first United Front cabinet 1967–1968.[3] [7]

Information and Public Relations Minister

Bhattacharya retained the Ballygunge seat in the 1969 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election. He obtained 22,941 votes (55.95%).[11] He served as Minister of Information and Public Relation in the second United Front cabinet 1969–1970.[12] [7] On 28 May 1969 a mob attacked Bhattacharya's residence.[13]

Later years

Bhattarcharya lost his seat in the 1971 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election.[14] He finished in second place with 13,943 (38.42%).[15] During the violent environment of the election campaign, he had to leave the constituency and live elsewhere.[16] In September 1971 he presented his unpublished thesis Fascism: A Developing Trend in India at the Second All India Conference of the Indian School of Social Sciences.[17] According to the thesis, a fascist system of governance was emerging in India under Congress (I) rule.[18] Bhattacharya again contested the Ballygunge seat in the 1972 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, finishing in second place with 18,181 votes (35.49%).[19]

The WPI was split in 1976, with Bhattacharya leading the minority faction.[20] Bhattacharya was seen as closer linked to the Communist Party of India (Marxist).[20] He was expelled from WPI in early 1976, accused of 'anti-party activities' in the party organ Ganabiplab.[1] After his expulsion he founded the Communist Workers Party.[1]

As of the 1980s Bhattacharya was the Head of the Department of English at Calcutta University.[5] [21] Bhattacharya died in 1998.[22]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Asish Krishna Basu. Marxism in an Indian State: An Analytical Study of West Bengal Leftism. 2003. Ratna Prakashan. 978-81-85709-73-4. 78.
  2. Book: Sudershan K. Savara. International trade and development: UNCTAD II, New Delhi, India, February–March 1968. 1968. Commercial Publications Bureau. 5.
  3. Book: Times of India (Firm). The Times of India Directory and Year Book Including Who's who. 1969. Bennett, Coleman & Company. 871.
  4. Book: University of Calcutta. Hundred years of the University of Calcutta supplement. 1957. University of Calcutta. 437.
  5. Book: Journal of the Department of English. 1. 20. 1984. University of Calcutta. 1.
  6. Book: West Bengal. 12. 1964. Director of Information. 944.
  7. Book: India Who's who. 1978. INFA Publications.. 211.
  8. Dasgupta, Salien. Left Unity
  9. The Financial Express. Corridors of excellence
  10. Web site: General Elections, India, 1967, to the Legislative Assembly of West Bengal . Constituency-wise Data, AC No 141. Election Commission . 1 December 2016.
  11. Web site: General Elections, India, 1969, to the Legislative Assembly of West Bengal . Constituency-wise Data, AC No 141 . Election Commission . 1 December 2016.
  12. Book: Communist Party of India (Marxist). West Bengal State Committee. Election results of West Bengal: statistics & analysis, 1952–1991. The Committee. 379, 418. 9788176260282.
  13. Book: Indian Recorder and Digest. 1969. 37.
  14. Book: Socialist India. 4. November 1971. Indian National Congress. All India Congress Committee.. 132.
  15. Web site: General Elections, India, 1971, to the Legislative Assembly of West Bengal . Constituency-wise Data, AC No 141. Election Commission . 1 December 2016.
  16. Book: Jyoti Basu. Documents of the Communist Movement in India: 1971–72. 1998. National Book Agency. 978-81-7626-019-0. 437.
  17. Book: Religion and Society. 1975. Christian Institute for the Study of Religion and Society. 53.
  18. Book: Ar Or. 1978. Nakl. Ceskoslovenské akademie věd.. 95.
  19. Web site: General Elections, India, 1972, to the Legislative Assembly of West Bengal . Constituency-wise Data, AC No 141. Election Commission . 1 December 2016.
  20. Book: Sajal Basu. Factions, ideology, and politics: coalition politics in Bengal. 1 December 1990. Minerva Associates (Publications). 978-81-85195-26-1. 133.
  21. Book: Srichandra Sen. Arnold on Shakespeare: Mohini Mohan Bhattacharya memorial lecture, 1978. 1981. University of Calcutta.
  22. Book: Sen Gupta Sen Gupta. Subodh Chandra Sen Gupta. Professor Subodh Chandra Sen Gupta: Scholar Extraordinary. 2000. Subodh Chandra Sengupta Foundation. vii.