Bhajahari Mahato (1911–2003) was an Indian politician belonging to

Lok Sewak Sangha The Lok Sewak Sangh ('Union of Servants of the People', abbreviated LSS), or Manbhum Lok Sewak Sangh, was a political party in Purulia District, West Bengal, India. LSS was founded in 1948. The party was the main political force in Purulia Distric ...

. He was elected thrice as a member of the

Lok Sabha The Lok Sabha, constitutionally the House of the People, is the lower house of India's bicameral Parliament, with the upper house being the Rajya Sabha. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by an adult universal suffrage and a first-past ...

Early life

Mahato was born on 1911. He took part in

Civil disobedience movement The Salt March, also known as the Salt Satyagraha, Dandi March and the Dandi Satyagraha, was an act of nonviolent civil disobedience in colonial India led by Mahatma Gandhi. The twenty-four day march lasted from 12 March to 6 April 1930 as a di ...

and August movement. He was arrested during the

British Rule The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent; * * it is also called Crown rule in India, * * * * or Direct rule in India, * Quote: "Mill, who was himsel ...

. He was sentenced to seven years in prison. Later, he was released in 1946.

Post independence career

After the formation of

Mahato joined the party from

Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party but often simply the Congress, is a political party in India with widespread roots. Founded in 1885, it was the first modern nationalist movement to emerge in the British Em ...

. He was elected as a member of the

from erstwhile Manbhum South Cum Dhalbhum in 1952 as a

candidate. Later, he was elected from

Purulia Purulia is a city and a municipality in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarters of the Purulia district. It is located on the north of the Kangsabati River. Geography Location Purulia is located at . It has an average elev ...

in 1962 and 1967.

Role in Bengali language movement in Manbhum

Mahato took part in the Bengali language movement in Manbhum. He raised the issue of Bengali language movement in Manbhum in the

. He wrote Tusu songs during that time. He wrote the Tusu song titled "Shun Bihari Bhai Tora Rakhte Larbi Dang Dekhai". He was arrested by the

Government of Bihar The Government of Bihar, known locally as the State Government, is the supreme governing authority of the Indian state of Bihar and its 9 divisions which consist of 38 districts . It consists of an executive, led by the Governor of Bihar, a jud ...

during that time.

Personal life

Mahato was married to Shanto Devi in 1926. They had two sons and two daughters.

Death

Mahato died in 2003.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mahato, Bhajhari 1911 births 2003 deaths India MPs 1952–1957 India MPs 1962–1967 India MPs 1967–1970 Indian National Congress politicians from Bihar Lok Sabha members from Bihar Lok Sabha members from West Bengal Lok Sewak Sangh politicians People from Purulia district Indian independence activists from West Bengal Prisoners and detainees of India Prisoners and detainees of British India