Amra Ram (born 5 August 1955) is an Indian politician and peasant leader from Shekhawati region in Rajasthan. He has been serving as a Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from Sikar since 2024.[1] He served as a member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly for four-terms from 1993 to 2013.[2][3][4][5] He served as president of All India Kishan Sabha from July 2013 to October 2017.[6] He is currently vice-president of All India Kishan Sabha since October 2017.[7]

Amra Ram
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
Assumed office
4 June 2024
Preceded bySumedhanand Saraswati
ConstituencySikar
President of the All India Kisan Sabha
In office
2013–2017
Preceded byS. Ramachandran Pillai
Succeeded byAshok Dhawale
Member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly
In office
1993–2008
Preceded byRamdeo Singh
Succeeded byPema Ram
ConstituencyDhod
In office
2008–2013
Preceded byNarain Singh
Succeeded byNarain Singh
ConstituencyDanta Ramgarh
Personal details
Born (1955-08-05) 5 August 1955 (age 69)
Mundwara, Sikar, Rajasthan, India
Political partyCommunist Party of India (Marxist)
Alma materShri Kalyan Government College,
University of Rajasthan
OccupationPolitician and Peasant Leader
Source: [1]

He is a member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). Since 2014, he has been the State Secretary of the CPI(M) Rajasthan unit and a CEC member of CPI(M).[8][9] He won the Best MLA award for the year 2011 from Rajasthan Government.[10]

Early life, education and first job

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He was born into the Jat family on 5 August 1955 to Rami Devi and Dallaram in Mundwara village, Sikar District, Rajasthan. His early education started at Govt. Primary School, Mundwara, followed by Govt. Shri Kalyan School for his higher secondary education. In 1973, he enrolled at Shri Kalyan Govt. College, where he obtained a B.Sc. degree. Subsequently, in 1976, he ventured to Gorakhpur University, earning a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) degree. Returning to Shri Kalyan Govt. College in 1979, he furthered his academic pursuits, culminating in an M.Com degree with a specialization in EAFM (Economics, Accounting, and Financial Management). [11][12][13]

He participated in the sport of Kabbadi, playing for Rajasthan in the National Open Championship held in Simoga, Karnataka in 1971.[14]After completing college, he started the job of a government teacher in 1982. During this, He taught at the Dhod and Nagawa School. Soon he left the job and actively joined activism and politics.

Political career

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Student Politics

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While studying in college, he joined the Students Federation of India (SFI), the student organization of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).[15] He was elected Students Union President of Shri Kalyan Govt. College under the banner of SFI in 1979. At that time, Shri Kalyan Govt. College was the second largest college in Rajasthan based on student's strength.[11] In the same year, he was elected State Vice President of SFI's Rajasthan Unit.

Indian Mainstream Politics

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  • Sarpanch, Grampanchayat Mundwara- Amra Ram was elected Sarpanch of Mundwada twice from 1983 to 1993.[15][12]
  • In 1985, he contested for the first time for the legislator on CPI(M) ticket and stood in third place with 10281 votes.[16]
  • In 1993, he was elected Legislative Assembly Member for the first time, by defeating Congress's Ramdev Singh in the Assembly elections from Dhod constituency of Rajasthan Assembly.[17]
  • He was elected legislator (MLA) for three consecutive terms in the year 1993, 1998, and 2003 from Dhod.[17][18][19]
  • In 2008, he was elected Legislative Assembly Member for the fourth time, by defeating Congress's Narayan Singh in the Assembly elections from the Danta Ramgarh constituency of the Rajasthan Assembly. It was his fourth consecutive term in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly on CPI(M) ticket.[20]
  • He lost the 2013 Assembly elections and stayed in third place, this time Narayan Singh of Congress won the seat.[21]
  • In 1996, he contested for the first time for Member of Parliament. He lost, receiving 56,452 votes in the Sikar constituency of Lok Sabha (Lower house of Indian Parliament), trailing in the third position behind Dr Hari Singh (INC candidate, winner) and Subhash Maharia (BJP candidate).[22]
  • After 1996, he has contested for the Sikar Lok Sabha constituency seat 6 times but has not won.

Role in Vidhan Sabha

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He was elected to the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly for four terms. Amra Ram is known for bringing farmer issues to the notice of the Assembly.

  • Farmers were agitating on 20 January 1997 for power supply for wells outside the Rajasthan assembly, Amra raised this demand of farmers in the House and sought a solution. However, this was not discussed before the Governor's address commenced. Amra Ram, however, disrupted the governor's address and insisted that if the assembly won't look after the well-being of the farmers, the assembly proceedings would/should be stopped. (Hindi: अमराराम ने कहा कि अगर किसान का कुआँ नहीं चलेगा तो विधानसभा भी नहीं चलेगी).[23] For this incident, Amra Ram and 4 other MLAs were suspended from the assembly for 3 months.[24] At that time Baliram Bhagat was the Governor and Bhairun Singh Shekhawat was the Chief Minister of Rajasthan.
  • As an MLA, Amra Ram always opposed the proposals for the increase in wages and allowances of legislators.[25]
  • Amra Ram opposed the proposal of the Legislative Council in Rajasthan and demanded a division of the house on the issue on 17 April 2012. He argued that doing so would give an additional burden of Rs 500 crore annually to the people of the state. The proposal of the Legislative Council passed in the division of assembly by majority. Ruling Party and opposition were in favor of the proposal, Amra Ram and 4 other MLAs were against the proposal.[26]

Movements

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Sikar Kisan Movement 2017

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Sikar Kisan Andolan 2017

A large farmer's movement started in Rajasthan on 1 September 2017 to promote farmer's loan waivers, minimum support price and other demands under the leadership of Akhil Bhartiya Kishan Sabha (AIKS).[27] Kisan Sabha, President, Amra Ram, Former MLA Pema Ram, Hetram Benwal, Pawan Duggal, Mangal Singh Yadav, Bhagirath Netar, Sagar Mal Khachariya and others were leading the movement.[28] Sikar was the center of movement, so it is known as "Sikar Kisan Andolan".[29] Thousands of farmers gathered in Sikar Mandhi on 1 September, and said their Padav would continue until demands were accepted. Kishan Padav (Hindi: किसान पड़ाव) continued in Sikar and Other Districts including Bikaner, Nagaur, Jhunjhunu, Churu, Hanumangarh, Shri Ganganagar, Alwar till 10 September.[30] During this, government imposed Section 144 and also blocked Internet services in Sikar.[31] When the demands were not accepted, on 10 September, AIKS called a Statewide Indefinite Highway Strike. After beginning from Sikar, this movement spread throughout Rajasthan, it had a widespread impact in 14 districts.[29] Meanwhile, Sikar and other cities were also kept under strike. Traders and many organizations supported the Farmer's Movement.[32][33] On the 11th day, on the call of the Kisan Sabha, the farmers blocked highways and all other major and minor roads.[34][30][35] Then the government invited the delegation of farmers for the talks on 11 September. After 2 days of long talks the government accepted the demand of the farmers on 13 September .[27][36] The movement was withdrawn after the demands were accepted.[37][38][39]

References

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  1. ^ "Lok Sabha Election Result 2024 : सीकर से CPM के Amra Ram ने दर्ज की जीत | Rajasthan News | N18ER |". News18 हिंदी (in Hindi). Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  2. ^ "IndiaVotes AC: Rajasthan 2008". IndiaVotes. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  3. ^ "IndiaVotes AC: Rajasthan 2003". IndiaVotes. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  4. ^ "IndiaVotes AC: Rajasthan 1998". IndiaVotes. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  5. ^ "IndiaVotes AC: Rajasthan 1993". IndiaVotes. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  6. ^ "Amra Ram and Hannan Mollah elected as new president and general secretary of AIKS". Ganashakti. 27 July 2013. Archived from the original on 5 January 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  7. ^ "AIKS 34th Conference at Hisar: Organise, Unite & Launch Issue-Based Struggles to Overcome Agrarian Crisis". Peoples Democracy. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  8. ^ "Amra Ram elected new State Secretary,CPI-M". News Webindia. 14 December 2017. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  9. ^ "Leadership". Communist Party of India (Marxist). 18 March 2009. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  10. ^ "चपलोत, कटारिया, डोटासरा सहित 12 को मिला सर्वश्रेष्ठ विधायक का सम्मान". Dainik Bhaskar (in Hindi). 7 March 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  11. ^ a b "अमरा राम : राजस्थान का वो विधायक जो पुलिस की गोली से बचने ऊंट पर चढ़कर भागा था". The Lallantop News. 16 September 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  12. ^ a b Bagriya, Rameshwar (2004). Tisri Takat - Itihas, Sangharsh aur Trilok Singh. Jaipur.
  13. ^ "बिना लाठी-गोली चलाए राजस्थान सरकार को झुका देने वाले ये अमराराम हैं कौन ? जानिए इनका रोचक सफर | Know who is farmers leader amraram in sikar". Patrika News (in Hindi). 22 September 2017. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  14. ^ "कबड्डी के नेशनल प्लेयर के दिमाग की उपज था सीकर किसान आंदोलन, जानिए कौन है यह खिलाड़ी?". Rajasthan Patrika. 19 September 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  15. ^ a b "बिना लाठी-गोली चलाए राजस्थान सरकार को झुका देने वाले ये अमराराम हैं कौन ? जानिए इनका रोचक सफर". Rajasthan Patrika. 22 September 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  16. ^ 1985 Rajasthan Assembly results
  17. ^ a b 1993 Rajasthan Assembly results
  18. ^ 1998 Rajasthan Assembly results
  19. ^ 2003 Rajasthan Assembly results
  20. ^ 2008 Rajasthan Assembly results
  21. ^ 2013 Rajasthan Assembly results
  22. ^ Election Commission of India – General Elections, 1996 (11th LOK SABHA) Results
  23. ^ News in Rajasthan Patrika dated 21 January 1997, front Page
  24. ^ Front Page News in Dainik-Bhaskar dated 21 January 1997, published from Jaipur
  25. ^ "Salaries of Rajasthan Ministers, MLAs increased". The Hindu. 22 April 2005. Retrieved 26 September 2017.[dead link]
  26. ^ "राजस्थान विधान परिषद का संकल्प भारी बहुमत से पारित". Dainik-Bhaskar. 18 April 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  27. ^ a b "Cattle and cash curbs stoke farm revolt - Joined by DJs, farmers force Rajasthan to waive loans and commit on minimum support price". The Telegraph (India). 24 September 2017. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  28. ^ "किसान आंदोलन: कहीं सीकर तो नहीं बन रहा दूसरा मंदसौर!". News 18. 10 September 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  29. ^ a b "प्राइम टाइम: राजस्थान के सीकर से किसान आंदोलन". NDTV India. 12 September 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  30. ^ a b "किसान आंदोलन : सीकर के बाद अब आज पूरे राजस्थान में देखने को मिल सकते हैं ऐसे नजारे, मीणा व बेनीवाल भी आए साथ". Rajasthan Patrika. 12 September 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  31. ^ "Rajasthan Sikar Farmers' Protests: Section 144 Imposed, Internet Services Snapped, Highways Blocked". Öutlook. 13 September 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  32. ^ "Farmers observe Bandh in Sikar district". The Times of India. 8 September 2017.
  33. ^ "Sikar farmers get traders' support". The Hindu. 5 September 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  34. ^ "Rajasthan: Sikar farmers' agitation paralyses traffic on National Highway-52, at least six districts affected". India Today. 13 September 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  35. ^ "सीकर किसान आंदोलन : किसानों ने सडक़ों पर डाला महापड़ाव, 2 राज्य व 6 जिले प्रभावित". Rajasthan Patrika. 11 September 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  36. ^ "Government, farmers call truce, panel to work out waiver". The Times of India. 14 September 2017. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  37. ^ "Sikar farmers call off 13-day agitation after Rajasthan govt announces debt waiver". Zee News. 14 September 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  38. ^ "Shekhawati farmers withdraw agitation on loan waiver issue". The Hindu. 14 September 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  39. ^ "किसान आंदोलन: दिनभर सरकार के साथ बातचीत, चक्का जाम, आधी रात समझौता". Dainik Bhaskar (in Hindi). 14 September 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
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