A newspaper hawker, who became an MP eight years ago, is set to try his luck once again at the hustings in Chandigarh. Mr Satya Pal Jain (52), a member of the National Executive of the BJP, who has again been fielded as the party nominee for the Chandigarh parliamentary seat, makes no secret of his humble beginning as a footpath worker from the nearby township of Kharar. "I used to help my father, the late Roop Lal Jain, in his wayside shop of a newspaper agent at Kharar", said Mr Jain in an interview with TNS.
Born on June 15, 1952, Mr Jain did his schooling from Christian High School, Kharar, before passing his B.A. (Honours) in political science from Government College, Chandigarh, and MA in the same subject from Panjab University, Chandigarh. He was jailed during the Emergency and spent a year in Burail Jail. Later, he obtained his degree in law from DAV College, Dehra Dun.
Mr Jain fought his first parliamentary elections from Chandigarh in 1991, but lost to a former Union Law Minister, Mr Jagannath Kaushal (Congress), by about 15,000 votes. He, however, was elected to the Lok Sabha five years later after defeating Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal of the Congress by about 25,000 votes. In the Lok Sabha, he was made the chief whip of the BJP for all states of northern India, in charge of Punjab affairs and was also appointed as convener of the legal committee of the BJP parliamentary party. He was a member of the Consultative and Parliamentary Standing Committee.
He was re-elected in 1998 to the Lok Sabha by defeating Mr Bansal by about 10, 000 votes when he was again entrusted with a number of parliamentary assignments.
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Q. The problem of drinking water is becoming acute in Chandigarh with each passing year. How do you plan to solve it? A. A dam should be built across the Ghaggar to solve the water problem of Chandigarh and the surrounding townships. That is the only long-term solution to the problem. The Kajauli waterworks and underground tubewells can at best be only stop-gap measures.
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Q. How to ease the increasing congestion on the roads of the UT?
A. Construction of flyovers alone will ease the increasing traffic congestion in the city's major roads. The Administration should start planning for a metro otherwise the traffic problem will become serious within a few years. I also want that the airport and the railway station should be upgraded. A dental college should also be established in the city. ...
Born on June 15, 1952, Mr Jain did his schooling from Christian High School, Kharar, before passing his B.A. (Honours) in political science from Government College, Chandigarh, and MA in the same subject from Panjab University, Chandigarh. He was jailed during the Emergency and spent a year in Burail Jail. Later, he obtained his degree in law from DAV College, Dehra Dun.
Mr Jain fought his first parliamentary elections from Chandigarh in 1991, but lost to a former Union Law Minister, Mr Jagannath Kaushal (Congress), by about 15,000 votes. He, however, was elected to the Lok Sabha five years later after defeating Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal of the Congress by about 25,000 votes. In the Lok Sabha, he was made the chief whip of the BJP for all states of northern India, in charge of Punjab affairs and was also appointed as convener of the legal committee of the BJP parliamentary party. He was a member of the Consultative and Parliamentary Standing Committee.
He was re-elected in 1998 to the Lok Sabha by defeating Mr Bansal by about 10, 000 votes when he was again entrusted with a number of parliamentary assignments.
...
Q. The problem of drinking water is becoming acute in Chandigarh with each passing year. How do you plan to solve it? A. A dam should be built across the Ghaggar to solve the water problem of Chandigarh and the surrounding townships. That is the only long-term solution to the problem. The Kajauli waterworks and underground tubewells can at best be only stop-gap measures.
....
Q. How to ease the increasing congestion on the roads of the UT?
A. Construction of flyovers alone will ease the increasing traffic congestion in the city's major roads. The Administration should start planning for a metro otherwise the traffic problem will become serious within a few years. I also want that the airport and the railway station should be upgraded. A dental college should also be established in the city. ...
