India loses a fine statesman with passing away of Brahm Dutt

A tribute to veteran Congress leaders Brahm Duttji

  

In passing away of veteran Congress leader Bhahm Dutt today morning after a brief illness India has lost a fine statesman. I had many occasions of personal interaction with Brahm Dutt ji during my early years of journalism career, during mid eighties, while writing for the oil industry which I am presently also doing. Since he hailed from Vikasnagar (Dehradun district) and me from Dehradun, there was a natural liking towards each other whether we met in Dehradun or New Delhi. He appreciated me as a youngster always charged up to get facts from him as a journalist. Probably he had a soft corner for journalist as he was one having edited “Nav Kranti” a weekly of his times in his early days.

Born on March 27, 1926 in Vikasnagar (District Dehradun) he leaves behind his wife Usha Dutt, politician son Nav Prabhat, former Uttarakhand minister in the previous Congress Government and other family members. Nav Prabhat is presently MLA from Vikasnagar.

A Gandhian, hailing from a middle class agriculturist family Dutt sahib always thought of rural development while being a Political and Social Worker from his early days and even afterwards. An alumnus of DAV College, Dehradun Brahm Duttji was a vivid readers and writer fond of trekking and travelling. As minister, government of India he must have traveled the entire globe. He often used to advice youngsters to do more physical work along with mental work.

While Dutt sahib lived a full contented life his passing away will certainly create a void in the Indian politics which will be hard to fill. I feel sad on his passing away. May God rest his soul in peace and give courage to the bereaved family to bear this loss.

Having started his political career from being elected to local civic bodies he rose to the national level politics by his sheer hard work and dedication. He was twice elected from Congress (Indira) party to the constituency of Tehri Garhwal in 1984 and 1989 as Member of Parliament from erstwhile Uttar Pradesh. A late Rajiv Gandhi loyalist Dutt ji held the important portfolio of Minister of State for Petroleum and even Minister of State for Finance in late Rajiv Gandhi’s government.

He was elected to the Eighth Lok Sabha, 1984-89; Legislative Assembly, Uttar Pradesh, 1980-84; Legislative Council, Uttar Pradesh 1974-80 besides being Chairman, Public Accounts Committee, Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, 1983-84; Chairman, Lok Pal Bill, 1985-86; Member, Business Advisory Committee, December 22, 1989—April 26, 1990; Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Planning and Programme Implementation, 1990.

A lean and thin person by personality he was a tough task master and very gentle by heart. Usually seen in a full sleeved grey colored Safari Suit he was a man of words. Among landmarks with which he was associated, the inauguration of the historic first phase of the HBJ gas pipeline was a major one during his tenure as India's Petroleum Minister which got him immense applauds and recognition. His tenure as India's Minister of State for Finance also got him equal recognition.