Vishvendra Singh

Vishvendra Singh (born 23 June 1962) is an Indian politician. He is Former serving as the Cabinet Minister of Tourism in the Department of
Civil Aviation of the Government of Rajasthan. He is a member of the Indian National Congress. Before 2008, he had been associated with Bhartiya Janta Party and Janata Dal. Singh joined the Congress in 2008 due to conflict with his party colleague Digamber Singh. Vishvendra being a royal always had political leverage, however his defeat against Digamber Singh in 2008, reduced his political stature & made Digamber the leader of Jats in Rajasthan.

He previously served as the Minister of Tourism and Devasthans in the Rajasthan Government. He is a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Deeg-Kumher constituency in Bharatpur district of Eastern Rajasthan. He is a three time Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha representing Bharatpur, Rajasthan. In 2018, he became a member of the cabinet of the Third Gehlot ministry. However, his term was terminated a year later in 2019, over disputes within the party.

He is the son of the last ruler of the princely state of Bharatpur.

In the 26th amendment to the Constitution of India promulgated in 1971, the Government of India abolished all official symbols of princely India, including titles, privileges, and remuneration ( privy purses).See:
* , "Through a constitutional amendment passed in 1971, Indira Gandhi stripped the princes of the titles, privy purses and regal privileges which her father's government had granted." (p 278).
* Quote: "The princes of India – their number and variety reflecting to a large extent the chaos that had come to the country with the break up of the Mughal empire – had lost real power in the British time. Through generations of idle servitude they had grown to specialize only in style. A bogus, extinguishable glamour: in 1947, with Independence, they had lost their state, and Mrs. Gandhi in 1971 had, without much public outcry, abolished their privy purses and titles." (pp 37–38).
* Quote: "Although the Indian states were alternately requested or forced into union with either India or Pakistan, the real death of princely India came when the Twenty-sixth Amendment Act (1971) abolished the princes' titles, privileges, and privy purses." (page 78).
* Quote: "The third stage in the political evolution of the princes from rulers to citizens occurred in 1971, when the constitution ceased to recognize them as princes and their privy purses, titles, and special privileges were abolished." (page 84).
* Quote: "Her success at the polls emboldened Mrs. Gandhi to act decisively against the princes. Through 1971, the two sides tried and failed to find a settlement. The princes were willing to forgo their privy purses, but hoped at least to save their titles. But with her overwhelming majority in Parliament, the prime minister had no need to compromise. On 2 December she introduced a bill to amend the constitution and abolish all princely privileges. It was passed in the Lok Sabha by 381 votes to six, and in the Rajya Sabha by 167 votes to seven. In her own speech, the prime minister invited 'the princes to join the elite of the modern age, the elite which earns respect by its talent, energy and contribution to human progress, all of which can only be done when we work together as equals without regarding anybody as of special status.' " (page 441).
* Quote: "The Indian princes survived the British Raj by only a few years. The Indian republic stripped them of their powers and then their titles." (page 10).
* Quote: "Indian States: Various (formerly) semi-independent areas in India ruled by native princes .... Under British rule ... administered by residents assisted by political agents. Titles and remaining privileges of princes abolished by Indian government 1971." (page 520).
* Quote: "A monarchy is only as good as the reigning monarch: thus it is with the princely states. Once they seemed immutable, invincible. In 1971 they were "derecognized," their privileges, privy purses and titles all abolished at a stroke" (page 91)

Rajasthan Legislative Assembly

Lok Sabha

References

External links

Official biographical sketch on the Parliament of India website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Vishvendra
1962 births
Living people
Indian National Congress politicians from Rajasthan
India MPs 2004–2009
People from Bharatpur, Rajasthan
Lok Sabha members from Rajasthan
India MPs 1989–1991
Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Rajasthan
India MPs 1999–2004
Janata Dal politicians
Jat