Pratibha Patil

Her Excellency
 Pratibha Patil

Incumbent
Assumed office 
25 July 2007
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari
Preceded by Abdul Kalam
Governor of Rajasthan
In office
8 November 2004 – 23 July 2007
Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje
Preceded by Madan Lal Khurana
Succeeded by Akhlaqur Rahman Kidwai
Born 19 December 1934 (1934-12-19) (age 76)
Nadgaon, British Raj (now India)
Political party Indian National Congress
United Progressive Alliance
Spouse(s) Devisingh Ransingh Shekhawat
Alma mater Mooljee Jaitha College, Jalgaon
Government Law College, Mumbai
Profession Lawyer
Religion Hinduism

Pratibha Devisingh Patil (Marathi: प्रतिभा देवीसिंह पाटील) (born 19 December 1934) is the 12th and current President of the Republic of India and first woman to hold the office. She was sworn in as President of India on 25 July 2007, succeeding Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

She is a member of the Indian National Congress (INC), was nominated by the ruling United Progressive Alliance and Indian Left. She won the presidential election held on 19 July 2007 defeating her nearest rival Bhairon Singh Shekhawat .[1][2][3]

Contents

Early life

Pratibha Patil was born in Nadgaon village of Jalgaon District, Maharashtra. She received her early education from RR Vidyalaya, Jalgaon and later obtained her Master’s degree in Political Science and Economics from the Mooljee Jetha College, Jalgaon. Later, she obtained the degree of Bachelor of Sciences BSc from University of Delhi, New Delhi.While in college, she took active part in sports, excelled in table tennis and won several shields at various Inter-collegiate tournaments. Even as an MLA, she pursued her studies as a law student.

Career

Pratibha Patil started her professional career as a practicing lawyer at the Jalgaon District Court and worked on various social activities, especially, for the upliftment of poor women.

At the young age of 27 years, she successfully contested her first election to the Maharashtra State Legislature from the Jalgaon Assembly constituency. Subsequently she was continuously elected four times as MLA from the Edlabad (Muktai Nagar) constituency until 1985. Thereafter, she served as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha from 1985 to 1990 and later elected as a Member of Parliament to the 10th Lok Sabha in the 1991 General Elections from the Amravati constituency. She enjoys the unique distinction of not having lost a single election that she contested to date.

Patil represented Edlabad constituency in Jalgaon District, Maharashtra as a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly (1962–1985), and was deputy chairwoman of the Rajya Sabha (1986–1988), Member of Parliament from Amravati in the Lok Sabha (1991–1996), and the 24th, and the first woman Governor of Rajasthan (2004–2007).

Positions held

Patil was the Deputy Chairperson, Rajya Sabha from 1986 to 1988 and also served as the Chairperson, Rajya Sabha from July 1987 to September 1987 when Dr. R. Venkataraman got elected as President of India. She was also the Chairperson, Committee of Privileges, Rajya Sabha and Member, Business Advisory Committee, Rajya Sabha from 1986 to 1988. While in the Lok Sabha, Patil was the Chairperson, House Committee.

Presidential Election 2007

On 14 June, United Progressive Alliance (UPA), the ruling alliance of political parties in India headed by Congress (I), and the Indian left nominated her as their candidate for the Presidential Election to be held on 19 July 2007.[4] She emerged as a compromise candidate after the Left parties would not agree to the nomination of past Home Minister Shivraj Patil. At that point, Sonia Gandhi proposed Pratibha Patil's name. Her loyalty to Nehru-Gandhi family was widely perceived to be a major factor in her nomination as UPA-Left Presidential candidate.[5]

As a result of the potential that she would become the first female President of India, UPA Chairwoman Sonia Gandhi described her nomination as a "historic occasion" in India's 60th year of independence.

Before leaving Jaipur for New Delhi, she thanked Sonia Gandhi for choosing her and said that her first job as president would be to make National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) started by UPA a success.[6] In Delhi she asserted that she would not be a rubber stamp president.[5]

Accompanied by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi she filed her nomination on 23 June which was found to be valid after scrutiny. She faced Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, an NDA supported candidate, in a straight contest, and visited state capitals to garner support. Her campaign got a major boost with decision of UNPA to abstain from voting.

The Leader of the Opposition L K Advani sought intervention of Election Commission of India to get Pratibha Patil to declare her assets,[7] but this was rejected by the Commission.

Shiv Sena, an important ally of NDA, declared its support to Pratibha Patil on the grounds that she will be the first Maharashtrian to hold this prestigious post. This decision of Shiv Sena created trouble in BJP-Sena all788iance.[8]

Presidency

Presidential styles of
Pratibha Patil
Emblem of India.svg
Reference style Her Excellency Pratibha Patil, President of the Republic of India
Spoken style President Patil
Alternative style Madame President

She won the presidential election held on 19 July 2007 defeating her nearest rival Bhairon Singh Shekhawat by over 300,000 votes. She took office as India's first woman president on 25 July 2007.

Philanthrophy

Along with her husband, she set up an educational institute, Vidya Bharati Shikshan Prasarak Mandal, which runs a chain of schools and colleges in Jalgaon and Mumbai.[9] She has also set up Shram Sadhana Trust that runs hostels for working women in New Delhi, Mumbai and Pune and an engineering college in Jalgaon.[9] She also founded and was the chairwoman of a cooperative sugar factory known as Sant Muktabai Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana and a cooperative bank named after herself as Pratibha Mahila Sahakari Bank. She was also involved in setting up an Industrial Training School for the visually challenged in Jalgaon and running a school for poor children of Vimukta Jatis and Nomadic tribes.

Controversies

BJP's campaign

Since Pratibha Patil's nomination as a presidential candidate, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have highlighted her past activities and made comments as part of its political campaign against her.

BJP leader Arun Shourie authored two articles published as a booklet titled 'Does This Tainted Person Deserve to Become President of India?'.[10] Another BJP leader, Arun Jaitley, announced the launch of a website called Know Pratibha Patil, which contains various media reports and documents concerning the questionable financial dealings of both Patil and her family.[11] The campaign generated a lot of media attention on Pratibha Patilfcgmcdgmcmgtgmcgmcgcdm mfgm mg as a controversial and unworthy presidential candidate.

While the BJP has been trying to build a strong public opinion against her, it clarified that it was not challenging her nomination on legal grounds.[12]

Legal challenges to candidature

An advocate Manohar Lal Sharma has filed a Public Interest Litigation before a bench of Supreme Court of India comprising Justice Tarun Chatterjee and Justice P K Balasubramanyan challenging her nomination for the presidential election 2007. The advocate has referred to the various allegations against Patil and her family members and sought the cancellation of her nomination papers on the ground of her being an undischarged insolvent. The petitioner raised legal and constitutional questions on whether a person declared to be an 'undischarged insolvent', for not clearing a debt to the public exchequer and others, was eligible to be elected president.[13][14]

The apex court however observed that it could not act on mere allegations, and rejected the petition at the admission stage[15] itself. The court said there was no merit in the petition as there was no document to substantiate the allegations[16] and raised doubts about the petitioners real intention adding it was more of a "private interest litigation".[17] The court ruled:

“ This petition is filed under Article 32 of the Constitution. We find no ground to interfere and exercise our jurisdiction. However, this will not prevent the petitioner from approaching appropriate authorities for redressal of his grievances.[17] ”

The advocate then approached the Election Commission of India seeking her disqualification. The Election Commission, through an order, replied:

“ The question whether a person has become insolvent and whether he/she is still an undischarged insolvent has to be decided by the competent insolvency court under the provisions of the Provincial Insolvency Act, 1920, and not by the Commission. The Commission is not the appropriate forum. No action is called for on the part of the Commission on your representation.[15] ”

Following this, the advocate again approached the court and filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) before a bench comprising Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justice R.V. Raveendran. He contended that the Election Commission had not applied its mind to the matter, and sought quashing of the commission's order.[15]

In another case a Delhi-based NGO has also filed a petition before the Delhi High Court alleging that Patil being Managing Trustee of Mumbai-based Shram Sadhana Bombay Trust, which is under the control of state government, was holding the office of profit making her ineligible to contest the President's election.[18] The High Court deferred the hearing until after election.

Refutation

The leaders of Indian National Congress and Indian left say that these facts highlighted are a clever mixture of truth, half-truths and exaggerations.[19] They have also said that these issues have never been raised in the past while she was a deputy chairwoman of the Rajya Sabha, or during her tenure as a governor. They accused the BJP of launching a "malicious, unsubstantiated and deliberate" slanderous campaign just to damage her reputation.[20][21][22] Prime Minister Manmohan Singh defended Pratibha Patil and dismissed the charges as "mud-slinging".[23] On Monday 2 July 2007 breaking her long silence Pratibha Patil described the allegations leveled against her as "false, malicious and baseless".[24]

Prominent allegations against her that have been controversial are:

Allegations of shielding her brother on a murder charge

On 22 June 2007, Rajni Patil, a professor of Marathi in a Jalgaon college, and the widow of murdered Jalgaon congressman Vishram G Patil in a press conference claimed that her husband was murdered by Pratibha Patil's brother G.N.Patil. She accused Pratibha Patil of shielding her brother. She further said that she had written to Sonia Gandhi and President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam giving details about the allegations. Copies of her memorandum to the President on this issue were distributed to the press by Mr. Sudheendra Kulkarni, an aide of Leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani.[25][26]

On 13 July 2007 Rajani Patil moved the Bombay High Court demanding that the CBI "interrogate" UPA's presidential candidate Pratibha Patil and her brother in connection with the case before the presidential poll. Rajni Patil's petition stated that the CBI, which was directed by the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court to probe the case in February, must question Pratibha before 19 July, the date for the presidential election because she might get "presidential immunity" if she wins the poll.[27]

The lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani said that two CDs have surfaced which contain incriminating material against Patil's brother. The CDs contain footage of the elections for the district Congress presidentship in Jalgaon. Jethmalani offered to place both CDs on record, saying "These contain vital information showing the political link behind the murder." [1]

Pratibha Women Cooperative Bank

Pratibha Mahila Sahakari Bank, a cooperative bank set up by Pratibha Patil in 1973 in her name, to empower women, had its license revoked in 2003 by the Reserve Bank of India for alleged financial irregularities. Among the reasons listed by the RBI for cancellation of the license was the faulty loan policy of the bank and loan interest waivers given, among others, to Pratibha Patil's relatives.[28] Pratibha Patil was one of the chairpersons of the Bank and along with a number of her relatives, was one of its directors. She is currently one of the 34 respondents in an ongoing case in the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court on the subject of mismanagement of the bank and misappropriation of funds by its Managing Directors.[29][30]

In her defence, her supporters point out that she was not the founding president[31] of the bank, and that she held the job of the chairwoman for only a month and eight days.[32] They also point out that the RBI has never mentioned Patil's name in the report,[31] and the court has not charge-sheeted her.[33] Communist leader A.B. Bardhan cast doubts on the credibility of the official employees union of the bank, which has been highlighting the issue of the banks mismanagement since 2002, drawing attention to the fact that it is associated with the BMS union led by the BJP.[33]

Sant Muktabai Cooperative Sugar Factory

A cooperative sugar factory - Sant Muktabai Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana - of which Pratibha was a founder member, was found to be a drug trafficking ring, was declared a defaulter for failing to repay a Rs 17.5 crore (Rs 175 million) bank loan.[34] Pratibha Patil had been its chairwoman and director until she became the Governor of Rajasthan.[35] The loan was taken in 1994 when Pratibha was its chairwoman, but the factory has failed to repay the full amount. The bank sealed the factory on 23 January 2007 after issuing many reminders. This was the second occasion the mill had been sealed. Earlier, it was sealed in January 2006, but was reopened after the board of directors headed by G. N. Patil - younger brother of Pratibha Patil - requested for an opportunity to improve the performance of the mill.[36]

In 2002 the chief commissioner of central excise and customs, Pune, issued notice to the factory for evading excise duty resulting from diversion of export-oriented sugar by the factory into domestic market.

Dubbing as "malign campaign" the allegations, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, defended Pratibha and noted that there was never any enquiry under Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act against her. He also pointed out that as many as 74 mills were issued notices in December 2006, and it was "unfortunate that only one particular case has been brought up in the media". Pawar said most of the mills had failed to repay the loans because of persistent drought affecting sugarcane production, leading these mills to go sick.[37]

Nevertheless in 2007, Manohar Lal Sharma, an independent advocate, filed a public interest litigation petition in the Supreme Court alleging that Mrs Pratibha Patil was an undischarged insolvent relating to the Sant Muktabai Sugar Factory and hence disqualified to remain in the office of the presidency.[38]

Shrama Sadhna Trust

MPLADS

As Member of Parliament from Amravati between 1991 and 1996 Pratibha Patil had diverted Rs 36 lakh (Rs 3.6 million) from her MPLADS fund to a trust run by her husband Devisingh Shekhawat. This was in violation of Government rules which barred MPs from providing funds to organisation run by their relatives.[39][40]

Views on sterilisation

On 10 December 1975, when she was the Health Minister of Maharashtra, Pratibha Patil advocated in Maharashtra Assembly that people with hereditary diseases should be compulsorily sterilised.[41]

Purdah remarks

On 17 June 2007, Pratibha Patil made remarks on the Purdah system, while addressing a congregation of Rajputs in Udaipur:[42]

“ Women have always been respected in the Indian culture. The purdah system was introduced to protect them from the Muslim invaders. However, times have changed. India is now independent and hence, the systems should also change. Now that women are progressing in every field, we should morally support and encourage them by leaving such practices behind.[43] ”

This comment was however welcomed by the Rajputs as they now want to come out of their infamous image and join the main stream of progress along with the whole Nation.

Divine indication

Patil claims to have spoken to the spirit of the deceased leader (Baba Lekhraj[44]) of the at their headquarters in Mount Abu, Rajasthan.[44]

"Dadiji ke shareer mein baba aye ... Maine unse baat ki (Baba entered Devi’s body and he communicated to me through her)," she said on TV camera.[45] Reporters began to report on the message she received of a "divine indication" of great responsibility coming her way.[46]

Positions held

Pratibha Patil in North-east India
Period Position
1967-72 Deputy Minister,N.H.E.A.,Scav, Public Health, Prohibition, Tourism, Housing & Parliamentary Affairs, Government of Maharashtra
1972-74 Cabinet Minister, Social Welfare, Government of Maharashtra
1974-75 Cabinet Minister, Public Health & Social Welfare, Government of Maharashtra
1975-76 Cabinet Minister, Prohibition, Rehabilitation and Cultural Affairs, Government of Maharashtra
1977-78 Cabinet Minister, Education, Government of Maharashtra
July 1979 to February 1980 Leader of Opposition, CDP (I), Maharashtra Legislative Assembly
1982-85 Cabinet Minister, Urban Development and Housing, Government of Maharashtra
1983-85 Cabinet Minister, Civil Supplies and Social Welfare, Government of Maharashtra
18 November 1986 to 5 November 1988 Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha
1986-88 Chairperson, Committee of Privileges, Rajya Sabha; Member, Business Advisory Committee, Rajya Sabha
1991-96 Chairperson, House Committee, Lok Sabha
8 November 2004-June 2007 Governor of Rajasthan
25 July 2007 to date President of India

See also

References

  1. ↑ Bibhudatta Pradhan (2007-07-19). "Patil Poised to Become India's First Female President". Bloomberg.com. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601091&sid=aHJhXtWRZ4bA&refer=india. Retrieved 2007-07-20. 
  2. ↑ Anita Joshua (2007-07-20). "High turnout in Presidential poll". The Hindu. http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/20/stories/2007072050450100.htm. Retrieved 2007-07-20. 
  3. ↑ "Voting for Presidential poll ends". NDTV. 2007-07-19. http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20070019470&ch=7/19/2007%201:48:00%20PM. Retrieved 2007-07-20. 
  4. ↑ Prez polls: Sonia announces Pratibha Patil's name, NDTV
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 DNA - India - I will not be a rubber stamp President: Pratibha Patil - Daily News & Analysis
  6. ↑ I'm grateful to Sonia: Pratibha Patil
  7. ↑ The Hindu News Update Service
  8. ↑ The Hindu : Front Page : Shiv Sena backs Pratibha Patil
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Pratibha Patil's Resume. The Times of India. 19 July 2007.
  10. ↑ Jerath, Arati R (2007-07-04). "Pratibha Patil fails to impress Arun Shourie". DNA. http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1107977. Retrieved 2007-07-21. 
  11. ↑ Benedict, Kay and Sanjay Singh (2007-07-10). "War against Patil becomes public". DNA. http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1109218. Retrieved 2007-07-21. 
  12. ↑ Sanjay Singh (2007-07-02). "NDA's legal ploy fails, aims moral fire at Pratibha". http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1107322. Retrieved 2007-07-21. 
  13. ↑ The Hindu News Update Service
  14. ↑ Patil Faces Legal Hurdles Before Presidential Election (NIGHT LEAD) | News Post India
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Another PIL filed against Pratibha The Hindu - 13th, July 2007
  16. ↑ SC rejects anti-Pratibha PIL; UPA-Left now raring to go The Financial Express - July 04, 2007
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Supreme Court dismisses PIL against Pratibha Patil
  18. ↑ Petitions before SC & HC against Pratibha Patil. The Hindu
  19. ↑ The Runaway Presidential Campaign The Hindu - July 14, 2007
  20. ↑ RSS, BJP desperate: CPI (M) The Hindu - 25 June 2007
  21. ↑ NCP blasts BJP for anti-Pratibha campaign New Kerala. Kune 28, 2007
  22. ↑ UPA criticises BJP-RSS campaign against Pratibha. Times of India - 28 June 2007
  23. ↑ Muck refuses to move from Pratibha path-India-The Times of India
  24. ↑ Patil: Charges false, baseless-India-The Times of India
  25. ↑ Congman's wife drags Pratibha name into allegations, NDA distances itself
  26. ↑ Woman claims husband killed by Pratibha Patil's brother Times of India- 22 June 2007
  27. ↑ The Hindustan Times
  28. ↑ Arun Shourie. Lifting the veil over Pratibha Patil
  29. ↑ Pratibha Patil in the line of fire NDTV - 25 June 2007
  30. ↑ Pratibha bank waived loans for kin before RBI shut it down
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Congress rebuts BJP charges on Pratibha Patil DailyIndia - June 29, 2007
  32. ↑ Should Pratibha Patil be President? Hindustan Times - 7 July 2007
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 CNN - IBN Interview CNN - IBN - July 01, 2007
  34. ↑ Return Rs 17-cr loan, bank tells Pratibha's family CNN-IBN - 22 June 2007
  35. ↑ Pawar defenhd ass ds Pratibha - The Hindu - June 2jenndjme d nfm vmd fdmks dkld rkme tmxosm 3m vlls ne fme d dmmv,,s e nvm4, 2007
  36. ↑ UPA nominee's co-op firm loan defaulter, gets notice The Pioneer - 23 June 2007
  37. ↑ Allegations against Pratibha Patil unfortunate: UPA - The Hindu - June 23, 2007
  38. ↑ Special Story
  39. ↑ IndianExpress.com :: For family again: Patil’s MP funds for sports complex on land leased to husband society
  40. ↑ DNA - Mumbai - Now, a land grab haunts Patil - Daily News & Analysis
  41. ↑ Should Pratibha Patil be President?
  42. ↑ Pratibha Patil unveils a controversy Yahoo News - 18 June 2007
  43. ↑ Fury as presidential hopeful urges women to throw off 'veil of invader'.
  44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 IBN Live, Race for Raisina: Shekhawat vs. Patil - Pratibha Patil speaks to a ghost (video)
  45. ↑ KhaleejTimes, 28 June 2007, Patil kicks up another row
  46. ↑ Times of India, 27 June 2007, Pratibha believes in spirits?

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Rajya Sabha
Preceded by
Unknown		 Member for Maharashtra
1985–1990		 Succeeded by
Unknown
Lok Sabha
Preceded by
Sudam Deshmukh		 Member for Amravati
1991–1996		 Succeeded by
Anant Gudhe
Political offices
Preceded by
Madan Lal Khurana		 Governor of Rajasthan
2004–2007		 Succeeded by
Akhlaqur Rahman Kidwai
Preceded by
Abdul Kalam		 President of India
2007–present		 Incumbent