RABINDRA NATH OJHA , JP MOVEMENT, MISA & EMERGENCY

RABINDRA NATH OJHA, JP MOVEMENT, MISA & EMERGENCY 

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Prof (Dr) Rabindra Nath Ojha
Photo by  Dr Ajay Kumar  (Ojha)

An active Gandhian Social Activist Prof ( Dr) Rabindra Nath  Ojha  always fought for the causes and welfare of Teachers, students &  other deprived sections of society. In the process he has gone on fast -unto -death and courted arrest  several times.

 Prof Ojha jumped into JP movement whole-heartedly  in 1974 and  went to jail two times . First time for 18 days  and  second time detained under MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act 1971) itself  for  more than  two months ( In fact detention under MISA was experimented on him for the first time in Champaran). He remained in jail from 13th July 1974  to 16 September 1974. Consequently  during Emergency he was suspended from his job in M.J.K College Bettiah. His family had to suffer tremendous tension &  great hardship. 

But detention order was quashed by  High Court in the matter of an application under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, Rabindra Nath Ojha Vs The State of Bihar &Others (Cr.N.J.C.No.183 of 1974 dated 13th September 1974) in the presence of the Hon'ble Justice A.N. Mukharji & the Hon'ble Justice Muneshwari Sahay. On the basis of High Court's order his suspension was revoked and he could regain his job.

Prof Rabindra Nath Ojha represented several times after announcement of JP Senani Samman Yojana.He wrote a letter to the then Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Home, Government of Bihar along with a copy of the order of High Court for ready reference but he could not find his name in the published list of JP Senani.  He  again represented his case to Chairman, Advisory Council JP Andolan Samman Yojana. But he did not get any response and passed away on 13th May 2010 in Delhi without receiving the Samman he deserved. First man to be detained under MISA in the district was deprived of his rightful claim.

Even till date he has not been honoured under JP Senani Samman Yojana  by Government of Bihar due to bureaucratic & other lapses for they could not find any proof of his stay in Bettiah & Motihari Jail due to destruction of the records in flood as reported by district administration. What proof is more authentic than the order of High Court which has  everything in detail? Will  the supreme  sacrifice of a person go in vain just like this & justice be denied ? This is really a shameful state of affair.