Harishankar Tiwari, a former member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly and a notorious gangster, died on May 16, 2023, at the age of 76. He was suffering from kidney failure and other ailments and was admitted to a hospital in Lucknow, where he breathed his last. His death has brought back memories of his violent and controversial life, which spanned over four decades.
Who was Harishankar Tiwari?
Harishankar Tiwari was born in 1947 in Gorakhpur, a city in eastern Uttar Pradesh. He belonged to the Thakur caste, which is considered a dominant and influential community in the region. He started his political career as a student leader and joined the Congress party in the early 1970s. He soon became a close associate of Sanjay Gandhi, the younger son of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who was known for his authoritarian and ruthless style of politics.
Tiwari rose to prominence during the Emergency (1975-77), when Indira Gandhi suspended the constitution and civil liberties and imposed a dictatorial rule in the country. Tiwari was appointed as the president of the Youth Congress in Uttar Pradesh and was given a free hand to carry out Sanjay Gandhi’s infamous campaigns of forced sterilization, slum demolition, and land acquisition. He also formed a private army of armed thugs, who terrorized the people and eliminated his political rivals.
Tiwari’s reign of terror continued even after the Emergency was lifted and Indira Gandhi lost power in 1977. He became the leader of a criminal gang that operated in Gorakhpur and its neighboring districts. He was involved in various illegal activities such as extortion, kidnapping, murder, smuggling, and drug trafficking. He also maintained close links with other notorious gangsters such as Virendra Pratap Shahi, Sri Prakash Shukla, and Brajesh Singh.
Tiwari’s political career also flourished despite his criminal record. He won the Gorakhpur City assembly seat six times between 1980 and 2002. He switched parties several times and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Samajwadi Party (SP), and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) at different points of time. He also served as a minister in various state governments headed by Mulayam Singh Yadav, Kalyan Singh, and Mayawati.
Tiwari’s downfall began in the late 1990s when he faced a challenge from Yogi Adityanath, a young Hindu monk who emerged as a popular leader of the BJP in Gorakhpur. Adityanath accused Tiwari of being anti-Hindu and anti-national and launched a campaign against him. He also formed his own militia, called the Hindu Yuva Vahini, to counter Tiwari’s gang. The two groups clashed frequently and several people were killed or injured in their violent confrontations.
Tiwari lost his assembly seat to Adityanath in 1998 and again in 2002. He also faced several criminal cases and spent time in jail. His health deteriorated due to his kidney problems and he became inactive in politics. He died as a marginalized and isolated figure, with few supporters or sympathizers.
What is the legacy of Harishankar Tiwari?
Harishankar Tiwari’s death has evoked mixed reactions from different sections of society. Some people have hailed him as a brave and loyal leader who fought for the rights and interests of his community. They have also praised him for his philanthropic works such as building schools, hospitals, and temples for the poor. They have demanded that he should be given a state funeral and a memorial should be built in his honor.
Others have condemned him as a ruthless and corrupt politician who exploited and oppressed the people for his personal gain. They have also blamed him for spreading violence and crime in Gorakhpur and ruining its social fabric. They have demanded that he should be denied any respect or recognition and that his criminal deeds should be exposed.
The truth is that Harishankar Tiwari was neither a hero nor a villain, but a complex and contradictory character who embodied both the good and the bad aspects of Indian politics. He was a product of his times when democracy was subverted by dictatorship, when lawlessness prevailed over lawfulness when casteism dominated over secularism when violence overshadowed peace. He was also a victim of his circumstances when he had to survive and succeed in a hostile and competitive environment.
Harishankar Tiwari’s death marks the end of an era in Uttar Pradesh politics, which was characterized by feudalism, factionalism, and criminalization. It also raises questions about the future of Gorakhpur, which is now under the rule of Yogi Adityanath, who is currently the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. Will Adityanath be able to transform Gorakhpur into a model of development, harmony, and justice? Or will he continue to follow Tiwari’s footsteps and perpetuate his legacy of violence, corruption, and communalism?
Source- News in Bollywood
