Maneka Gandhi: Difference between revisions
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==Early life== |
==Early life== |
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Gandhi was born in [[Delhi]] and educated at the prestigious [[Lawrence School, Sanawar]]. She married [[Sanjay Gandhi]], the son of the then Prime Minister [[Indira Gandhi]]. |
Gandhi was born in [[Delhi]] and educated at the prestigious [[Lawrence School, Sanawar]]and the Lady Shriram College in New Delhi. She married [[Sanjay Gandhi]], the son of the then Prime Minister [[Indira Gandhi]].She became the youngest editor of a national magazine "Surya" magazine, Gandhi entered politics in [[1984]] after her husband's death in a plane crash. She started a political outfit called the Rashtriya Sanjay Manch which later merged into the Janata Dal where she became India's youngest Cabinet minister ever at age 32. |
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==Political career== |
==Political career== |
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In [[1996]] and [[1998]], she was reelected to the [[Lok Sabha]] as an independent member from Pilibhit in [[Uttar Pradesh]] and served in the [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]] led governments as Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, and Minister for Culture. She created the Department for Animal Welfare and served as its Minister along with her other portfolios. |
In [[1996]] and [[1998]], she was reelected to the [[Lok Sabha]] as an independent member from Pilibhit in [[Uttar Pradesh]] and served in the [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]] led governments as Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, and Minister for Culture. She created the Department for Animal Welfare and served as its Minister along with her other portfolios. |
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She stood for the [[Indian general election, 2004 |2004 Lok Sabha elections]] on the BJP ticket and is currently a Member of Parliament from |
She stood for the [[Indian general election, 2004 |2004 Lok Sabha elections]] on the BJP ticket and is currently a Member of Parliament from Pilibhit. She has won every time she has contested from Piilibit , even though she has changed parties often and contested on different tickets. This is considered to be an indicator of her personal popularity in the region, which has been attributed to her nurturing the constituency and her national political stature The Times of India article crediting her electoral victories herself as opposed to her family name]</ref> Her son [[Varun Gandhi]] is also a leader of the BJP. |
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==Environmental activism== |
==Environmental activism== |
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Gandhi is considered the pioneer of the environmental and Animal rights movement in India who brought to the mainstream the issue of [[animal rights]] and environmental awareness in India. |
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She created the Ministry of Animal welfare as a separate ministry during her stint as minister during 1998-2004.Her zeal and integrity during these years saw her recieve various awards both nationally and Internationally. |
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| ⚫ | She was appointed chairwoman of the Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA) in 1995. Under her direction, unannounced inspections of laboratories where animals are used for scientific research were conducted, and abominable conditions and cruelty were documented and exposed. The CPCSEA imposed restrictions that brought some of the abuse to a stop. She started the organisation [[People for Animals]] in 1992 and it is the largest organisation for animal rights/welfare in Asia. |
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==Career in journalism== |
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She is known to be vegan and has advocated a [[Vegetarian |vegetarian]] lifestyle on ethical and health grounds. She also anchored several Television programs,most famous amongst them ''"Heads and Tails"''and "Maneka's Ark" highlighting sufferings meted out to animals due to their commercial exploitation. She has also authored books under the same titles. Her other books were about Indian people names.<ref>[http://www.amazon.ca/gp/search/701-8966233-9494705?search-alias=stripbooks&field-author=Gandhi%2C%20Maneka List of books authored by Maneka, from Amazon]</ref> |
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As a journalist, Maneka Gandhi is popular for her shocking publication in Surya Magazine of photos showing [[sexual intercourse]] between [[Suresh Ram]] (son of the then Defence Minister [[Babu Jagjivan Ram]]) and Sushma Chaudhury, a [[University of Delhi]] student.<ref>[http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/specials/proj_tabloid/tabloidhome1912.shtml Maneka centrespreads sex romp]</ref> Her daring publication of the photos ran the risk of violation of obscenity laws. The revealing pictures<ref>[http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/specials/proj_tabloid/pg/big01.htm Sexually explicit photos] showing Suresh Ram and Sushma Chaudhary in compromising positions.</ref> were published apparently to discredit Jagjivan Ram, who defected from the [[Indira Gandhi]] government and helped bring [[Janata Party]] to power in 1977. He was one of the contenders for the post of [[Prime Minister of India]].<ref>[http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/specials/proj_tabloid/politics.shtml A tale of sex and politics!] </ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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<div class="references-small"><references/></div> |
<div class="references-small"><references/></div> |
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Maneka Gandhi is the best known Environmentalist and animal rights activist in the Indian subcontinent. |
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== External links == |
== External links == |
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Revision as of 19:18, 23 August 2006
Maneka Gandhi | |
|---|---|
| File:Maneka Gandhi 20060618.jpg | |
| Constituency | Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 26 August, 1956 New Delhi |
| Political party | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| Spouse | Sanjay Gandhi |
| Children | Varun Gandhi |
| Residence | New Delhi |
As of June 18, 2006 Source: Government of India | |
Maneka Gandhi (born 26 August 1956) is an Indian politician, an ardent animal rights activist, and a former journalist. She has been a Minister in four governments, and has authored a number of books in the areas of etymology, law and animal welfare. Maneka Gandhi is an estranged member of the Nehru-Gandhi Family.
Early life
Gandhi was born in Delhi and educated at the prestigious Lawrence School, Sanawarand the Lady Shriram College in New Delhi. She married Sanjay Gandhi, the son of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.She became the youngest editor of a national magazine "Surya" magazine, Gandhi entered politics in 1984 after her husband's death in a plane crash. She started a political outfit called the Rashtriya Sanjay Manch which later merged into the Janata Dal where she became India's youngest Cabinet minister ever at age 32.
Political career
Gandhi was the petitioner in the case of Maneka Gandhi v Union of India, a 1979 case involving freedom of movement. "The case involved the refusal by the government to grant a passport to [Gandhi], which thus restrained her liberty to travel."[1] In its ruling in the case, the Supreme Court of India in a departure from its earlier stand taken in its ruling in A.K.Gopalan v. State of Madras (1950), expanded the scope and content of the right to life and liberty by introducing the concept of substantive due process to Indian law. [1] In writing that decision, the court found that "Democracy is based essentially on free debate and open discussion, for that is the only corrective of government action in a democratice [sic] setup."[2][3]
Gandhi formed the Sanjay Vichar Manch ("Platform for Sanjay's Thought") in 1983 and joined the Janata Dal in 1988. She was the general secretary of JD 1988-1989. She won her first election in 1989 and served as Minister of the Environment from 1989 to 1991 in the cabinet of V.P. Singh.
In 1996 and 1998, she was reelected to the Lok Sabha as an independent member from Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh and served in the BJP led governments as Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, and Minister for Culture. She created the Department for Animal Welfare and served as its Minister along with her other portfolios.
She stood for the 2004 Lok Sabha elections on the BJP ticket and is currently a Member of Parliament from Pilibhit. She has won every time she has contested from Piilibit , even though she has changed parties often and contested on different tickets. This is considered to be an indicator of her personal popularity in the region, which has been attributed to her nurturing the constituency and her national political stature The Times of India article crediting her electoral victories herself as opposed to her family name]</ref> Her son Varun Gandhi is also a leader of the BJP.
Environmental activism
Gandhi is considered the pioneer of the environmental and Animal rights movement in India who brought to the mainstream the issue of animal rights and environmental awareness in India. She created the Ministry of Animal welfare as a separate ministry during her stint as minister during 1998-2004.Her zeal and integrity during these years saw her recieve various awards both nationally and Internationally.
She was appointed chairwoman of the Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA) in 1995. Under her direction, unannounced inspections of laboratories where animals are used for scientific research were conducted, and abominable conditions and cruelty were documented and exposed. The CPCSEA imposed restrictions that brought some of the abuse to a stop. She started the organisation People for Animals in 1992 and it is the largest organisation for animal rights/welfare in Asia.
She is known to be vegan and has advocated a vegetarian lifestyle on ethical and health grounds. She also anchored several Television programs,most famous amongst them "Heads and Tails"and "Maneka's Ark" highlighting sufferings meted out to animals due to their commercial exploitation. She has also authored books under the same titles. Her other books were about Indian people names.[4]
References
Maneka Gandhi is the best known Environmentalist and animal rights activist in the Indian subcontinent.