Shri Joginder Nath Mandal
(1904-1968) (The Dalit who Presided over the Pakistan
Constituent Assembly ) ( His 118th B.D.falls on 29 Jan.2016) By:-
Er. H.R. Phonsa
Shri Joginder Nath Mandal was a trusted
lieutenant of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and became the first Law Minister of Pakistan
and also the Chairman of Constitution Drafting committee of Pakistan after the
partition of India. Prior to the partition of India Shri Joginder Nath Mandal
gained national prominence for winning the election in 1946 on SCF ticket and
for being included in the interim Ministry of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru with Law
Portfolio. Then Babu Jagjivan Ram was another prominent Dalit leader of
Congress party and a minister in the Interim Ministry. In free India Babu Jagjivan Ram served in
different capacities including Deputy Prime Minister .
Shri Joginder Nath Mandal
was also fondly called Mahapran. Shri
J.N. Mandal was born in Namashudra
caste of Scheduled Castes on January 29th, 1904. He was born to
a farmer Shri Ramdayal Mandal and Shrimati Sandhaya Devi of village Maister
Kandi in Barisal district of undivided Bengal. He was admitted to a school when
he was eight years old. He was meritorious and passed his Matriculation
examination securing First Division in 1924. After passing his B.A. from B.M.
College at Barisal in 1929 he secured admission for M.A. in Dacca University.
Due to his weak financial position, he discontinued studies at Dacca
University. However later he passed Law Degree in 1934. He was aware of the
suppression of the Scheduled Castes by the upper Caste Hindus, who were denying
them their due share in political, educational, social, religious and
economical fields. He thought that only political power can mitigate the
Shudras from their man made miseries. So he entered politics and contested his
maiden election as independent candidate for the Bengal Legislative Assembly in
1937. He defeated congress candidate, a very powerful and rich landlord.
Therefore he became the member of the Legislative assembly when he was only 33
years old. There were 20 other Independent Scheduled Caste party leaders. Shri
J.N. Mandal was elected as secretary with Shri Hem Chander Naskar as President
of the Independent Scheduled Caste Party. The joint effort of the M.L.As
succeeded in securing 15% reservation in services for Scheduled Caste
candidates in Bengal. Observing sincerity, intelligence and organizational
qualities of J.N. Mandal, Jenab Khawaja Nizamudeen, the Chief Minister of
Bengal, inducted him as a minister in his cabinet along with two others from
Scheduled Castes. So Shri J.N. Mandal became undisputed political leader of
Scheduled Castes in Bengal.
The Independent Labour Party
(IPL) formed by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar on15th August 1936 had got itself engaged in
the welfare and the struggle to secure political power for Scheduled Castes.
When in 1942 Dr. Ambedkar tried to broaden IPL’s base so changed its name to
The Scheduled Castes Federation (SCF). Units of SCF were established in several
states including Bengal. The unit in
Bengal was given the name of Bengal Provincial Scheduled Caste Federation.
Meanwhile Shri J.N. Mandal started a weekly paper called “Jagran” through which he continued the crusade to enlighten the
Dalits about their just rights. This
paper could not last long. He also started another weekly paper “The People’s Herald” in 1943 and in its
inaugural function Dr. Ambedkar was present to bless the project.
On defeat of the ministry in 1935, fresh elections were ordered in 1946.
Shri J.N. Mandal contested as a SCF party candidate from a general seat and
won. After the elections, a new ministry under Jenab H.S. Surahawardy of Muslim
League was formed. Shri J.N. Mandal was again included in the Ministry. Under
Cabinet Plan in 1946, the Muslim League also joined the interim ministry formed
by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru and Shri J.N. Mandal was included from Muslim League
quota and allotted Law portfolio. The
SCF in its convention held at Agra passed a congratulatory message to
congratulate Shri Mandal on his selection to the interim ministry. The
Provincial assemblies had the right to choose their representatives to form
Constituent Assembly. Since Dr. B. R. Ambedkar had failed to win a seat from
Bombay on SCF ticket, the prospects of his election to the Constituent Assembly
were blocked. Sardar Patel said that all
doors and windows of the Constituent Assembly were closed to Dr. Ambedkar and
now he cannot enter it. Here stepped in Shri J.N. Mandal to suggest that Dr.
Ambedkar should contest for Legislative Assembly from Bengal. Dr. Ambedkar agreed and so with the support of
Scheduled Caste and Muslim members, he was elected from Bengal Legislature to
be a member of Constituent Assembly of India. Subsequently Dr. Ambedkar was
selected as the chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee, thanks to the
vision of Shri J.N. Mandal.
Shri J.N. Mandal had clear
vision of the rights of the Scheduled Castes, but declared that congress
leaders were adamant not to give any such rights to the Scheduled Castes in
free India, so the rights will have to be secured by dint of their unity. He
was a strong supporter of united Bengal. He pleaded that political turmoil of
partition was temporary and shall pass off soon.
Things changed with the
formation of the new country Pakistan on 14th August1947. Every
individual was given the right to choose the country of his or her choice to
live in. Shri Mandal opted to be a citizen of Pakistan to oversee the interests
of the Scheduled Caste people left over there.
Jenab Liaquat Ali Khan became first Premier of Pakistan. Sh. J.N Mandal
was included in the first Pakistan government as the Law ,Justice and Labour
Minister. He was also the second minister of commonwealth and Kashmir affairs. So in the divided India
both countries had the first law Ministers from among the Scheduled Castes.
Shri J.N. Mandal as Law Minister had the honour to preside over the first
meeting of the Pakistan Constituent Assembly. Since Pakistan Government was not
prepared to grant constitutional rights to scheduled casted in Pakistan, so
Shri J.N. Mandal decided to come back to India. He resigned on October 8, 1950
as Law Minister and as President of Pakistan's Constitution Drafting Committee.
He came back to India in 1950 to continue his struggle for the rights of
Dalits.
After returning back to India he
continued his work for the up liftment of Dalits. He played an important role
in Dr. Ambedkar’s dream project of establishing the Republican Party of India
(RPI). Shri J.N. Mandal contested for Lok Saba as an RPI Candidate from a
general constituency in West Bengal in 1967 but lost.
This son of the soil, one of the important and brave soldiers of Dalit
cause passed away in Calcutta (now Kolkata) on 5thOctober, 1968. He
shall be long remembered for his life long fight for the Dalit cause
Dated 15-01-2016 By:- Er. H. R. Phonsa Jammu
Source material References:-
1. Wikipedia
2. Dalit Movement In India and Its Leaders
by;-R.K. Kshirsagar
3. Dr Ambrdkar and His Associates by
“ Er.H.R.Phonsa”.Jammu
