Bhakta Charan Das

Bhakta Charan Das (born 26 November 1958) is an Indian politician. He was a member of the Indian Parliament and represented the Kalahandi constituency in the 15th Lok Sabha.

Das graduated from the Sambalpur University and, with a background in Law, worked as an advocate before joining politics.

Bhakta Charan Das made significant contributions to ensuring basic rights, entitlements, and nature conservation, serving as an inspiration to others. In 1977, he joined the Yuva Chhatra Sangharsh Bahini, the student wing of the JP movement. Through this organization, he initiated efforts against widespread corruption and advocated for the basic rights of marginalized communities. Under his leadership, the organization successfully campaigned for the employment of local youths from nearby districts in the Indravati Hydro and Irrigation Project.

Save Forest Movement – 1982-83
Das led the "SAVE FOREST" movement in a peaceful and non-violent manner, raising awareness about the adverse effects of deforestation, including ecological imbalances, climate warming, and reduced rainfall, which would threaten agriculture and food security for thousands in the area. He encouraged forest dwellers, including primitive tribes, to protect the forest and wildlife from illegal timber contractors and corrupt forest officials. Das also opposed the government's policy of auctioning timber trees, threatening the District Forest Administration over this issue. Despite the government's auctions of timber and bamboo, contractors were prevented from entering the forest by the forest dwellers and nearby villagers. Within a few months, the movement gained widespread support, significantly aiding in forest conservation.

Farmers' Movement - 1983
In 1983, Das championed the farmers movement by initiating an agitation in the district to advocate for waiving bank loans for marginal farmers affected by drought in Kalahandi and other districts. He was supported by Shri Kishan Pattnaik, a veteran socialist leader and then Member of Parliament from Sambalpur Constituency. Das organized peaceful protests at the district headquarters and Block Development Offices (B.D.O.s) across the district. Numerous farmers' rallies were held, attracting thousands of participants and transforming the movement into a mass protest. The state government, under significant pressure, conceded to some of the farmers' demands.

As a politician
As an MLA, Das extensively toured the entire district, including many inaccessible areas that had not been visited by any elected representatives or officials since independence. Despite significant hardships, he not only visited these areas but also involved district administration officials in these visits. Das engaged in a prolonged and dedicated effort, employing various methods to draw attention from the press, media, administration, and the government. He and his activists organized numerous peaceful protests, bandhs, road blockades, and hunger strikes, which were prominently covered by leading magazines and newspapers nationwide.

In the Odisha Legislative Assembly, Das consistently highlighted the dire conditions faced by millions in his district, bringing significant attention to the issues of Kalahandi. His efforts ensured that the Kalahandi issue frequently dominated discussions in the Assembly, ultimately drawing national attention to the region's plight.

As a member of Parliament and Minister in Government of India
At the age of 30, Das was selected by the Janata Party to contest the 1989 Lok Sabha election from the Kalahandi constituency. He won by a large margin and was appointed Deputy Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs in the Union Ministry under Prime Minister V.P. Singh. Despite the short tenure of only five months, his performance was notable.

After the V.P. Singh government fell, a new government was formed under Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar, and Das was appointed Minister of State for Railways. During this brief period, he made significant contributions, including the surveying and approval of new railway lines by the Planning Commission, their inclusion in the Union Railway Budget, the introduction of new trains on various routes, and the modernization of railway stations with improved technologies and amenities.

Throughout his career, Das consistently advocated for the rights of tribal communities, farmers, and other marginalized groups. His efforts in 2012–13 resulted in Odisha farmers receiving over Rs 500 crore from the National Crop Insurance Scheme. Between 2009 and 2014, he was instrumental in securing several road, irrigation, and railway projects for the Kalahandi and Nuapada districts.

Conservation of Niyamgiri and protection of rights of the Primitive tribal groups
In 2003, Vedanta signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government of Odisha for an alumina refinery at Lanjigarh and bauxite mining from Niyamgiri. Das played a crucial role in protecting Niyamgiri and the rights of the local inhabitants, particularly the Dongaria Kondhs, for whom Niyamgiri is a vital source of sustenance and holds religious significance.

Das supported the local community's cause over Vedanta's interests, opposing investment and mining projects in an era when many politicians were favoring such initiatives. After a prolonged struggle by various civil society groups and the local community, Das regularly informed Smt. Sonia Gandhi, the President of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) and Chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), about the situation. She pledged her full support for the tribal cause.

Subsequently, Sh. Rahul Gandhi, MP and General Secretary of the AICC, visited Niyamgiri Hills despite security concerns raised by the Special Protection Group (SPG) and local administration. He engaged with the tribal communities, listened to their accounts of mistreatment by Vedanta, and expressed solidarity with them, describing himself as their "Sipahi" (soldier) in Delhi.

Das and his activists conducted the movement in a peaceful and non-violent manner, adhering to Gandhian principles. They succeeded in bringing attention to Vedanta's illegal activities at the national government level.

Implementation of forest rights act
Das supported Jamguda village in the Kalahandi district to secure the right to sell bamboo from natural forests under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) of 2006, making it the first village in Odisha and the second in India to do so. He exerted pressure on the Odisha government through press conferences for the proper implementation of the act. His efforts facilitated a significant bamboo business for forest dwellers in Odisha, valued at 100 crore rupees.

As a result of his advocacy, two central ministers, Jayaram Ramesh and V. Kishore Chandra Deo, along with Odisha's Revenue Minister Surya Narayan Patra, visited Jamguda village. On March 4, 2013, they ensured the approval of bamboo sales by the Jamguda Gram Sabha.