Harinder Singh Khalsa

Harinder Singh Khalsa is an Indian politician. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from Bathinda during 1996-98 as a member of the Shiromani Akali Dal. In 2014, he joined the Aam Aadmi Party and was elected as an MP from Fatehgarh Sahib.[2] He joined Bharatiya Janata Party in March 2019 but left the party in December 2020 to give his support to 2020–2021 Indian farmers' protest.[3]

Harinder Singh Khalsa
Member of Parliament
In office
2014–2019
Preceded bySukhdev Singh Libra
Succeeded byDr. Amar Singh
ConstituencyFatehgarh Sahib
Member of Parliament
In office
1996–1998
Preceded byKewal Singh
Succeeded byChatin S. Singh
ConstituencyBathinda
Personal details
Born (1947-06-12) 12 June 1947
Ludhiana, Punjab, British India
NationalityIndian
Political partyBhartiya Janta Party (March 2019 - Dec. 2020)
Aam Aadmi Party (2013-2019)
Shiromani Akali Dal (1998-2013)
ProfessionPolitician, Social Activist
[1]

Early life

Harinder Singh Khalsa was born in 1947, in Ludhiana, British India. His father Gopal Singh khalsa was an Akali Dal politician, who served as the chief Parliament secretary of Punjab assembly in 1937, and was elected to the Punjab Legislative Assembly in 1952, serving as the leader of opposition. Harinder Singh obtained an M.A. (English) degree from the Government College, Ludhiana. He married Satwant Kaur on 8 February 1976. The couple has three sons.[1]

Pre-political career

Harinder Singh Khalsa started his career as an English lecturer at the G.G.N. Khalsa College, in Ludhiana. During his academic career (1964-1974), he published two textbooks: A Manual of General English and Social Science. In May 1974, he joined the Punjab Civil Service. In July 1974, he joined the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and worked as a Second Secretary in Jakarta. Later, he served as a First Secretary in Bangkok and Norway.[1]

In June 1984, while posted in Norway, he resigned in protest against the Operation Blue Star. As the Congress government filed some cases against him, he decided to stay in Norway, running a small eating joint and working as a postman in Norway. He returned to India in 1990, after being assured that the cases against him would be dropped.[4]

During 1990-91, he served as the Chairman of Punjab Human Rights Organization, an NGO that highlighted the excesses committed by the state government during the anti-insurgency operations. During 1991-03, he served as a secretary of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC).[5]

Shiromani Akali Dal

Harinder Singh joined Shiromani Akali Dal, and was elected as an MP from Bhatinda in 1996, winning by a margin of 92,229 votes.[1] He was a member of the third National Commission for SC/ST under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.[6]

Aam Aadmi Party

In 2014, Harinder Singh joined the Aam Aadmi Party, and contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Fatehgarh Sahib. He won by a margin of 54,144 votes.[5] On 29 August 2015, he was suspended from AAP due to anti-party activities. He has denied any involvement in any such activities.[7]

Bharatiya Janata Party

On 28 March 2019 he joined Bharatiya Janata Party in the presence of Arun Jaitley.[8]

References
  1. "Biographical Sketch (XI Lok Sabha): Harinder Singh Khalsa". Parliament of India. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  2. "Constituency-wise: All Candidates (Fatehgarh)". Retrieved 17 May 2014.
  3. Harinder Singh Khalsa left BJP in favour of farmers protest. punjabi.abplive.com. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  4. "Former Ambassador beats richest candidate in Punjab". The Times of India. 17 May 2014.
  5. Parmjit Singh (19 March 2014). "Former MP Harinder Singh Khalsa may contest LS election from Fatehgarh Sahib on AAP ticket".
  6. "National Commission for Scheduled Tribes: Background". NCST. Archived from the original on 18 May 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  7. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/Khalsa-Not-involved-in-any-anti-party-activity/articleshow/49224152.cms
  8. https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/suspended-aam-aadmi-party-lawmaker-harinder-singh-khalsa-joins-bjp-2014103
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