Pick of the Day – Ajrun Ram Meghwal and Rattan Lal Kataria

Pick of the Day – Ajrun Ram Meghwal and Rattan Lal Kataria

Today, May 18, two news items in the media attracted my attention which I thought of sharing with you here – Elevation of Arjun Ram Meghwal as the Law Minister of India and Demise of former Minister, Rattan Lal Kataria with whom, both of them, I have had the chance to meet not as a matter of relationship or even acquaintances but as a routine courtesy in the process of my post retirement activities. Both happen to be dalit leaders of their own standing in the BJP.

Arjun Ram Meghwal – A simple and sober politician from Bikaner in Rajasthan made his mark as a self made man.  Belonging to a poor weaver’s family, he studied and did his MA and a degree in Laws

while serving as a Telephone Operator and later in coveted positions as an officer of the Rajasthan Civil Service (RAS) including District Collector of Churu as he was inducted into the IAS by his own right. It seems his attachment to the Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan as OSD while in government service, helped him in ushering himself into public life as a politician after his retirement. He scaled the ladder as an MLA, Minister in Rajasthan, MP and Minister in PM Narendra Modi’s government in New Delhi. While holding important portfolios at the Central Government as an MOS, he made his mark as a good administrator and a simple and humane politician. I recall Arjun Meghwal peddled his way to Rashtrapati Bhawan on a bicycle to take oath of office as an MOS and later also with his traditional headgear (colorful turban) and dhoti cycled to his Ministerial office and Parliament House. The position has taken a full circle in his elevation to a much sought after job as the Law Minister of India. This honour has another dimension too; Arjun Ram Meghwal is the second dalit Law Minister after the legendary Babasaheb Ambedkar since independence.  I am confident that he would prove himself to match the high profile job.

I met Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal some years before at the Rashtrapati Bhawan when I joined a delegation along with Meghwal Sahib under the aegis of Forum of Scheduled Caste MPs and MLAs

to submit a Memorandum to the then Mahamahim Rashtrapati Ram Nath Kovind on matters of concern and interest to the SC communities including the proposed on April 14, birthday of Babasaheb Ambedkar as International Day of Equality of which I am the initiator since June, 2015. I found him a simple but warm hearted politician fully engaged in the welfare and empowerment of the weaker sections of the society. I take this opportunity to wish Hon’ble Arjun Ram Meghwal all the best in his new assignment as the Law Minister of India. Hearty Congratulations, Sir.

Rattan Lal Kataria – Haryana BJP leader and an MP and former MOS Rattan Lal Kataria (71) passed away on May 18 after a brief illness. He was a grass-root public functionary who made his mark as

a successful politician – an MLA and a Minister in Haryana and three MP from Haryana and finally an MOS in the Ministry of PM Narendra Modi. I happened to meet him at his residence in New Delhi on his becoming the MOS for Social Justice and Jal Shakti along with my friend and BJP leader Rajesh Bagha. We were returning from our visit to the RSS Headquarters in Nagpur and had a few hours in Delhi before we board the train to Jalandhar. Rajesh Bagha thought of utilizing the time by meeting the BJP leaders. He took me and one of our friends Gurdip Singh, a prominent businessman of the community to Rattan Lal Kataria’s official residence. Rattan Lal Kataria, in his rustic demeanor, received us with appreciable warmth. He was dressed informally and was in his pyjamas; a simple living. He made us sit and comfortable in his modest sitting room and ordered tea and snacks in his typical Haryanvi style. We congratulated him on his getting a coveted

position in the government. As a down to earth politician and behaving as a modest person laughed loudly and while thanking us said, ‘ab Ganga bhi hamare se hi saaf karange’ as the Minister of Jal Shakti and added that the times were definitely changing under the BJP regime. There is no point in elaborating it further. We exchanged notes on some more issues of concern and interest. Rattan Lal Kataria spoke high of the Dera Sachkhand Ballan and said that he was enjoying a good rapport with the Dera. Rattan Lal Kataria was a worthy son of the soil; a simple and sober man. The community and the society have lost a good and simple politician in the death of Kattaria Sahib. May God grant peace to the departed soul? OM Shanto OM. With heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.