Dharma Bhiksham

Bommagani Dharma Bhiksham
Born	15 February 1922(1922-02-15) Suryapet, Nalgonda Dist, Andhra Pradesh
Died	26 March 2011(2011-03-26) (aged 89)
Occupation	Freedom Fighter, Communist, Ex-M.P., Ex-MLA
Children	Bommagani Prabhakar (Adopted Son)
Parents	Muthilingam (Father) Gopamma (Mother)
Relatives	Venkataiah (Brother)

Bommagani Dharma Bhiksham(born 15 February 1922 - 26 March 2011^[1]), a veteran leader of Communist Party of India, is a former member of the 10th Lok Sabha, and 11th Lok Sabha of India. He represented Nalgonda constituency of Andhra Pradesh both in Parliament of India and Legislative Assembly of Andhra Pradesh from Communist Party of India(CPI) political party. He also represented Hyderabad State Assembly from suryapet constituency. He is the renowned freedom fighter during telangana peasantary arm struggle during Nizam regime. He was well known trade unionist and President of All India Toddy Tappers and workers Federation. Dharma Bhiksham was honoured by Government of India by awarding him Thamra patra. His brother Venkataiah is also a freedom fighter

Dharma Bhiksham died on 26 March 2011 due to cardiac arrest in kamineni Hospital at hyderabad. Earlier he joined the hospital on 7th Februaury 2011 with right leg fractured and later on contracted infection to lungs lead to his death.

Personal details

B. Dharma Bhiksham, a Goud by caste, was born in Suryapet of Nalgonda district of Andhra Pradesh on February 15 1922^[2] to a Toddy tapper's couple Gopamma and Muthilingam.^[3] Their original place was Vookondi village of Nalgonda district. Later his family during his father's time settled down in suryapet. He was a good orator in Telugu, Urdu, English and Hindi. He also worked as journalist during freedom struggle contributing to Meezan, Rayyat, Golconda newspapers. In student days, he was hockey team captain. He was living with his adopted son Bommagani Prabhakar, Andhra Pradesh High court advocate.

Political career

Dharma Bhiksham, having got attracted to the communist party beliefs during his school days, joined Communist Party of India in 1942. Earlier, as a student leader he boycotted the silver jubilee celebrations of the then Nizam's Corronation imposed by school headmaster.^[4] Even as a student, he ran a students hostel in suryapet, which was a training centre for students to fight against the social evils of those days. Former Minister V.Purushotham Reddy, CPI(M) leader Mallu venkata Narsimha Reddy, several others were the products of his hostel. He used to organize the general body meetings of CPI at a hostel run by him in Suryapet of Nalgonda district on behalf of the CPI. As an active member of Andhra Mahasabha, he led the several processions on behalf of farmers from Nalgonda district on foot. In those days he ran a Arjun pustaka bhandar, a secret library, promoting and distributing prohibited revolutionary literature.

After India attained independence in 1947, Communist Party of India party led armed struggles against a series of local monarchs that were reluctant to give up their power particularly in Telangana, Tripura, and Kerala. Dharma Biksham was an active member in rebellion that took place in Telangana, against the Nizam of Hyderabad for which he was imprisoned for more than five years.^[5]

Earlier, he was Arya Samaj activist for some time opposing forcible conversion of the then ruler and his followers. He organised rebellion against Nizam and razakars rule and was subsequently arrested and imprisoned for more than 5 years. He was declared as most dangerous political prisoner and was in different jails, i.e. Suryapet, Nalgonda, Chanchalguda, Jalna, and Aurangabad^{[disambiguation needed ]}. He organised strike in prisons demanding rights for prisoners.

He first got elected as Member of the Legislative Assembly of Hyderabad State in 1952 from Suryapet assembly constituency.^[6] He got elected as Member of the Legislative Assembly (India) of Andhra Pradesh from Nalgonda constituency in 1962 but lost in 1983 from Munugodu assembly constituency of Nalgonda district.

He got elected as a member of Parliament of India(MP) twice in 1991 and 1996 to represent Nalgonda parliamentary constituency in 10th Lok Sabha, and 11th Lok Sabha and he defeated 480 contenders in 1996 ^[7] but lost in 1967 and 1980.^[8]

Due to his age, he almost got retired from political life except participating in important Communist Party of India meetings in Andhra Pradesh as a senior leader. Also participating and representing agitations or dharnas on behalf of farmers, and toddy tappers held in Andhra Pradesh.

His victories in the elections are historical. In 1952, first general elections to Hyderabad State Assembly, he got the highest majority. In 1957, he elected to from Nakrekal constituency and in 1962, elected from Nalgonda. Dharma Bhiksham achieved a rare feet of hat trick victories from three different consituenices consecutively. Also, he is one of the very few, who got elected to two state assemblies, i.e., Hyderabad State(1952), Andrha Pradesh(1957 & 1962).

In 1991, he was the only M.P. representing CPI from entire South India. In 1996 he won the election by defeating 480 contestants with a margin well above 76,000 votes. This huge number of contestants in the fray are not against the Dharma Bhiksham, but contested by the call given by Jala Sadhana Samithi to draw the attention of nation on the neglect attitude of the Government towards Nalgonda district, which was suffering with heavy fluoride. This election brought the change in the election game in India by enhancing the nomination deposit drastically to avoid number of contestants. Dharma Bhiksham was the only M.P. got elected from Nalgonda parliamentary constituency twice consecutively.

Dharma Bhiksham was a known trade unionist. During the construction of Nagarjuna Sagar project, he organised workers and labour hailing from different areas involved and organised historical strike with one lakh workers for their better lively hood. He is well known for upliftment of toddy tappers community. He organised toddy tappers under A.P. Geetha Panivarala sangam, which is a premier and first union for toddy tappers with more than 50 years of history. He advocated for upgrading the toddy tapping profession scientifically and also to develop it as a rural industry by making sugar, jaggery, chocolates, and cool drinks etc. from toddy. He is the instrumental for achieving ex-gratia to the toddy tappers, who fell from toddy palm trees while tapping. He is always remembered for his contributions in formation of co-operative societies for toddy tappers. He also organised several trade unions.

References

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X43htnA3S_c
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77vy_jgk9uM
• http://www.prajasakti.com/todaysessay/article-223539?sms_ss=email&at_xt=4da9c3f597b12b97%2C0
• http://164.100.24.209/newls/lokprev.aspx
• http://www.goudsinfo.com/famous-DHARMA%20BIKSHAM.htm
• http://www.goudsnews.com
• http://www.eci.gov.in/ElectionAnalysis/GE/PartyCompWinner/S01/partycomp41.htm
• http://www.hindu.com/2006/09/12/stories/2006091215180300.htm
• http://www.telangana.com/Nalgonda/nlg_poli.htm
• http://pd.cpim.org/2004/1212/12122004_com%20vn.htm
• http://www.india-forums.com/news/article.asp?id=83285
• http://www.rediff.com/news/1999/aug/06ap1.htm
• http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2006082220960300.htm&date=2006/08/22/&prd=th&
• http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/17/stories/2008041754140400.htm
• http://www.khojhyderabad.com/News/Fullstory.asp?Q=75126

1. ^ Communist leader Dharma Biksham was dead due to illness on YouTube
2. ^ [1]
3. ^ Famous Gouds
4. ^ నింగి కేగిన పోరు కెరట౦
5. ^ నింగి కేగిన పోరు కెరట౦
6. ^ In 1957 elected to Andhra Pradesh Legislature Assembly from Nakrekal Assembly Constituency
7. ^ Former Lok Sabha Members
8. ^ Nalgonda Parliamentary Constituency

Persondata
Name	Biksham, Dharma
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	15 February 1922
Place of birth
Date of death	26 March 2011
Place of death