Harish Boodhoo: Difference between revisions
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==Contributions and legacy== |
==Contributions and legacy== |
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Whilst in government Harish Boodhoo campaigned for reform in the sugar industry, protection of public beaches from private ownership and fought against corruption. Two of his Labour Party colleagues (ministers Badry and Dabee) had to resign based on findings of a commission of enquiry which was instigated by Harish Boodhoo's corruption allegations. He has also campaigned against the "Sale by Levy" system which had been abused by unscrupulous businessmen and lawyers to the detriment of numerous Mauritian borrowers. For a number of years Harish Boodhoo published newspaper Sunday Vani. |
Whilst in government Harish Boodhoo campaigned for reform in the sugar industry, protection of public beaches from private ownership and fought against corruption. Two of his Labour Party colleagues (ministers Badry and Dabee) had to resign based on findings of a commission of enquiry which was instigated by Harish Boodhoo's corruption allegations. He has also campaigned against the "Sale by Levy" system which had been abused by unscrupulous businessmen and lawyers to the detriment of numerous Mauritian borrowers.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sale by Levy under attack |url=https://www.5plus.mu/node/19688 |website=www.5plus.mu |publisher=5 Plus Dimanche |accessdate=2004-08-07}}</ref> For a number of years Harish Boodhoo published newspaper Sunday Vani. |
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==Controversies== |
==Controversies== |
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Revision as of 06:37, 16 June 2020
Harisun Boodhoo (Harish Boodhoo) | |
|---|---|
| Deputy Prime Minister of Mauritius | |
| In office 11 June 1982 – 21 August 1983 | |
| Prime Minister | Anerood Jugnauth |
| Preceded by | Gaëtan Duval |
| Succeeded by | Gaëtan Duval |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 September 1946 British Mauritius |
Harisun Boodhoo more commonly known as Harish Boodhoo, (born in Belle Terre, Vacoas-Phoenix, Mauritius on 12 September 1946) is a Mauritian political figure who served as Deputy Prime Minister of Mauritius from 11 June 1982 to 21 August 1983. He was elected Member of Parliament (MP) in 1976, 1982 and 1983. [1][2]
Early life and education
Harish Boodhoo attended the Camp Fouqueraux primary school and completed his School Certificate at Mauritius College, Curepipe. He worked as a labourer before attending Teachers’ Training College. He then worked as a school teacher.[3]
Ancestry and family life
In the 1800s Harish Boodhoo's ancestors migrated from the state of Bihar in India. His father and mother were both Mauritians who worked as labourers on Highlands Sugar Estate. At the time of his birth Harish's father had already passed away and his mother continued to work as a labourer to support her six children. In 1973 Harish Boodhoo married school teacher Sarita Boodhoo and they have no children.[4]
Political career
Harish Boodhoo became involved with socio-cultural movement Siva Shivir in 1968 and he campaigned against the consumption of alcohol and cigarettes in Mauritian villages. In 1976 he was approached by Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam to join the Labour Party (Mauritius) (PTr).[5] He was elected to the Legislative Assembly or National Assembly of Mauritius at the 1976 General Elections as part of the Independence Party (Mauritius) coalition government made up of Labour and CAM which allianced with rival PMSD after the elections. [6] He represented Constituency No. 13 (Riviere des Anguilles and Souillac).
From 1976 to 1979 Harish Boodhoo served as a Labour-CAM-PMSD MP but he criticized various aspects of the ruling government. He was especially critical of the Minister of Finance Sir Veerasamy Ringadoo's budget and instigated a commission of enquiry in 1978 which led to the resignation of two sitting ministers Lutchmeeparsad Badry (Social Security) and Gyandeo Dabee (Cooperatives) in May 1979.[7] Eventually Harish Boodhoo and two other Labour parliamentarians (Rada Gungoosingh and Rohit Beedassy) who supported him were dismissed from the Labour Party in late 1979.
In December 1979 he formed a new party Parti Socialiste Mauricien (PSM) and was joined by other disgruntled members of the ruling Labour Party. In 1982 he formed a coalition with Mouvement Militant Mauricien (MMM) which won the 1982 General Elections. Harish Boodhoo became Deputy Prime Minister. Whilst still in power there was disagreement within the ruling coalition of MMM-PSM which led to the departure of Aneerood Jugnauth from MMM as he formed a new party MSM. Harish Boodhoo dissolved his party PSM so that all PSM parliamentarians could merge into the new party MSM. He was Chief Whip until the 1983 General Elections. At the August 1983 elections Harish Boodhoo was elected under the MSM banner (part of the victorious MSM-Labour-PMSD coalition) at Constituency No. 13 (Riviere des Anguilles and Souillac). However he was dismissed from the MSM in 1986. He did not take part in the 1987 General Elections. In 1999 he relaunched the defunct party All Mauritius Hindu Congress (AMHC) which had originally been active from 1965 to 1968.
Contributions and legacy
Whilst in government Harish Boodhoo campaigned for reform in the sugar industry, protection of public beaches from private ownership and fought against corruption. Two of his Labour Party colleagues (ministers Badry and Dabee) had to resign based on findings of a commission of enquiry which was instigated by Harish Boodhoo's corruption allegations. He has also campaigned against the "Sale by Levy" system which had been abused by unscrupulous businessmen and lawyers to the detriment of numerous Mauritian borrowers.[8] For a number of years Harish Boodhoo published newspaper Sunday Vani.
Controversies
Harish Boodhoo was sentenced and jailed numerous times following lawsuits involving allegations against judges and politicians. When found guilty he opted for jail time instead of paying the fines.
References
- ^ "1983 elections results". Office of Electoral Commissioner. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
- ^ "1976 elections results National Assembly". Office of Electoral Commissioner. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
- ^ Rédaction. "Le parcours d'un combattant". 5plus.mu. 5 Plus Dimanche. Retrieved 2007-09-10.
- ^ Rédaction. "Le parcours d'un combattant". 5plus.mu. 5 Plus Dimanche. Retrieved 2007-09-10.
- ^ Rédaction. "Le parcours d'un combattant". 5plus.mu. 5 Plus Dimanche. Retrieved 2007-09-10.
- ^ "1976 results General Elections". National Assembly. Office of Electoral Commissioner. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
- ^ Prayag, Touria. "Wrangling over a commission of enquiry" (PDF). L'Express Weekly. Retrieved 2010-07-09.
- ^ "Sale by Levy under attack". www.5plus.mu. 5 Plus Dimanche. Retrieved 2004-08-07.