Veteran CPI leader Satya Pal Dang passed away

92 years old Veteran CPI leader Satya Pal Dang passed away in Amritsar on 15 June 2013.

Satya Pal Dang was Born in 1920 in Gujranwala in Pakistan and had married to Vimla, another CPI leader, in 1952. Vimla died in 2009. The couple was known for their courage in raising their voices against terrorism in Punjab.

A Brief Insight into Satya Pal Dang’s Political Career

• Satya Pal Dang had contested his first Vidhan Sabha election in 1966-67 from Amritsar west constituency.
• He won that election after defeating then CM Gurmukh Singh Musafir.  With the win he became food and civil supply minister in the coalition government.
• During his term he took some tough decisions to ensure that food items reached the poor through PDS.
• He led several struggles of various sections of the people, including peasants and workers, and was elected four times to Punjab assembly from Amritsar.
• Satya Pal Dang won from the same constituency in 1969, 1972 and 1977.
• He remained an active trade union leader and fought for the cause of workers.
• Dang faced his first defeat in 1980. Later, his seat was given to his wife Vimla, who won it back in 1992.
• At the time of terrorism in Punjab in 1980s, Dang was vocal and active against the forces of secession. It was he who had then given the slogan 'Na Hindurashtra, na Khalistan, jug jug jiye Hindustan' (neither a Hindu state, nor a separate Khalistan, long live India).