My Friend Rajesh Bagha – A Young and Dedicated Face in Public Life

My Friend Rajesh Bagha – A Young and Dedicated Face in Public Life

I, as a non-political person, thought of writing about my good friend Rajesh Bagha, a young politician belonging to the BJP who is currently contesting the bye-poll from the Phagwara legislative constituency. The purpose obviously is to lend my support to Rajesh in his maiden electoral debut, as I feel good people with a sense of dedication should enter the temples of democracy i.e. the assemblies and parliament. I did the same some years ago to support yet another young politician PawanTinu of Akali Dal from the Adampur seat. I do so, without any political affiliation, just to support the right people for the right job. Pawan won and delivered successively. I am happy. I am confident that Rajesh Bagha would also make it and stand up to the expectations of the discerning voters of the Phagwara constituency.

Rajesh Bagha is an upcoming politician with a sense of interest and concern for the issues directly affecting the common man, particularly belonging to the weaker sections of the society. A young man, Rajesh made it to the higher echelons of the BJP through the ladder. The party rewarded him for his involvement and dedication in public affairs by appointing him the Chairman of the

Punjab Scheduled Castes Commission in the Akali-BJP coalition government of CM Parkash Singh Badal. Rajesh made his mark and did full justice to his responsibilities as head of an important constitutional outfit. He gave an account of his work and achievements in his book – SC Commission Ch Mere 6 Saal which I reviewed and included in my recently released book – The Bits and Pieces: Reminiscences and Reflections of a Novice. I did so in appreciation of the good work done by Rajesh Bagha.

I came to know Rajesh only after my return to Jalandhar on retirement some years ago. He was an effective Chairman of the Punjab SC Commission. I found him reverential and considerate. In the process of our acquaintances, he desired and suggested that I should be somewhat more active in my public involvements and lend a helping hand to him and his associates with my considerable experience as a senior adviser and a Marg Darshak. I agreed to do so without any political motivation. Our cooperation resulted in the formation and launch of the Schedule Caste Entrepreneurs Empowerment Forum a few years ago. The Forum organized several awareness events for the benefit of the weaker sections of society. I together with Rajesh Bagha extensively interacted and worked with both governmental and non-governmental

organizations like the MSME, NSIC, SC/ST Hub among others to invite and motivate SC entrepreneurs to avail of the government schemes and facilities to encourage SC businessmen to become the ‘job givers rather than job seekers’. He established, and rightly so, institutional link of the Schedule Caste Entrepreneurs Empowerment Forum’s link with the apex chamber of commerce, ASSOCHAM with a view to have a wide reach of the businessmen belonging to the SC communities. Rajesh Bagha was instrumental in initiating and organizing these activities. His pioneering work in helping the SC students in availing of and streamlining the post-matric scholarships was yet another feather in his cap. Rajesh, during the course of his political and social activities, contributed positively in bringing about “Samrasta” in the society as stipulated in the constitution of India and as such integrating the just social order.  I found him always standing in the first row in all social and public causes like blood donation and Swacch Bharat Abhiyan. I know personally Rajesh is a regular blood donor himself. Apart from my interaction with regard to my regular social and community activities, I came to know Rajesh more intimately when, this July; we together visited the RSS Home in Nagpur on the invitation of RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat. He was not only a good guide to me but also a genuinely reverential hand-holder right from Jalandhar to Delhi by train and from Delhi to Nagpur by flight and back to Jalandhar. I could gauge his depth and clarity about the matters of concern and interest to the community and the society at large. I also realized happily that Rajesh Bagha enjoyed good respect and rapport with the BJP and RSS hierarchy.

Rajesh Bagha or anybody else has not asked me to write this and extend support to him in the election of October 21, 2019. I am doing so on my own volition and will to help and support the right man for an important job to serve the public with responsibility and involvement. Rajesh Bagha fully deserves my humble support. I take this opportunity to wish my friend Rajesh all the very best in the days to come.