Devinder Kumar Sehrawat
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|
Devinder Kumar Sehrawat | |
|---|---|
 Left Colonel Devinder Sehrawat and in right Shri Hardeep Puri | |
| MLA, Sixth Legislative Assembly | |
| In office Feb 2014 – Feb 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Sat Prakash Rana |
| Constituency | Bijwasan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 30 October 1965[1] New Delhi, India[1] |
| Other political affiliations | None |
| Spouse | Poonam (wife) |
| Children | 1 son & 1 daughter |
| Parent | Ram Prakash Sehrawat (father)[1] |
| Residence | New Delhi |
| Education | Business Management, BSc |
| Alma mater | IIM Ahmedabad & Jawaharlal Nehru University[2] |
| Profession | Politician |
Devinder Kumar Sehrawat is a retired colonel of the Indian Armed Forces and a politician. He is a farmers leader from rural belt of Delhi. As a former Member of the Sixth Legislative Assembly of Delhi,[1][2][3][4][5] he represented the Bijwasan constituency[6][7] of New Delhi.
Early life and education
[edit]Devinder Kumar Sehrawat hails from Mahipalpur. He attended The Air Force School, Subroto Park, Delhi, where he was a boarding student. He completed his Post Graduate Diploma at Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad, Master of Science (MSc) from Madras University and Bachelor of Science (Bsc) from Jawaharlal Nehru University, (JNU), New Delhi,( National Defence Academy.)
Military career
[edit]Devinder Kumar Sehrawat served in the Indian Army for 20 years. He trained at the National Defence Academy (NDA), Pune, where he captained the basketball team and received the book prize for achieving first place in "Overall Common Service Subjects" during his fourth term. Following NDA, he completed his military training at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun. At IMA, he earned the Jammu and Kashmir Medal for excelling in "Tactical Training" among his coursemates and held the prestigious position of Academy Under Officer for two terms during his final year.
Commission and Early Assignments
[edit]After completing his training, Sehrawat was commissioned into the Indian Army Infantry in June 1987. He underwent Commando training and was recognized as the 'Best Student' in Weapon Training during his Young Officers' Course.
Sehrawat served in various challenging roles, including counter-insurgency operations in Arunachal Pradesh, high-altitude warfare in Siachen Glacier, and staff appointments at Army Headquarters. He commanded an independent unit during Operation Parakram in Rajasthan following the 2001 Indian Parliament attack.
Key Roles
[edit]Sehrawat served as Deputy Commandant of a Field Ordnance Depot in Udhampur, a crucial logistic establishment for the Indian Army's Northern Command. He was promoted to the rank of Colonel and commanded a unit in Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir. After 20 years of service, he retired from the Indian Army.
His military career included multiple deployments to high-stakes insurgency areas, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir, and service at the Siachen Glacier. He also held significant staff and logistic positions at Army Headquarters and Northern Command.
Notable Assignments
[edit]- Infantry Unit Commission.
- Logistic Assignment in Army Aviation, Army Ordnance Cops and in Master General of Ordnance Branch at Army Headquarter..
Distinguished Service
[edit]Colonel Sehrawat served in 11 military stations, primarily in operational areas. As a political leader, Colonel Sehrawat continues to draw upon his military experience,
Farmer Leader
[edit]Sehrawat has emerged as a prominent leader for the rural population of Delhi, particularly focusing on the issues faced by farmers. His efforts include providing relief to flood-affected farmers and addressing the unique challenges of Delhi's rural areas.
His family's agricultural land in Mahipalpur was acquired by the government for the Indira Gandhi International Airport and National Highway 8. Sehrawat challenged the inadequate compensation provided to the affected farmers, leading to a legal battle. The Tejendra Khanna Committee's report highlighted the historical injustice faced by Delhi's farmers, who received minimal compensation for their land acquisitions.
Protests and Movements
[edit]With a keen insight into Delhi's socio-cultural fabric, he championed the rights and dignity of its indigenous population, promoting equitable governance and sustainable development in the National Capital Region .
He organized several Maha Panchayats of farmers and was instrumental in inclusion of several pro farmer provisions in the right to fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act.
He carried out mass contact by holding over 200 Panchayat Sabhas over a period of three years, while being the secretary of Delhi Gramin Samaj, during this period, covering the issues of rural population regarding land acquisition, exploitation due to misuse of the provisions of the Delhi Land Reform Act 1954, no ownership rights of land on Lal Dora. R
Maha - Panchayat at Mahipalpur.[8] On 25 October 2010 Colonel Devinder Sehrawat organized a historic Maha-panchayat at Mahipalpur Village. Shri Balram Jakhar, speaker of Lok Sabha of India presided over the meeting. Shri Jayant Chaudhary of RLD party was special guest. Col Devinder Sehrawat highlighted the injustice to the rural population in matters of Land acquisition, Property ownership rights in Lal Dora, application of the building by laws and property tax by Municipal Authorities in Lal Dora, Allotment of housing units by Delhi Development Authority.
Rally at Jantar Mantar. During this period Colonel Devinder Sehrawat (Retired), organized at farmers rally at 'Jantar Mantar', New Delhi, on 25 November 2011, in which Farmers of Delhi NCR participated. This period had large number of protests being organised by land acquisition affected farmers of Kundli and Mewat in Haryana, Bhatta Parsol village, in Jewar Area of Uttar Pradesh, the rally, at 'Jantar Mantar' had leaders from all these organisations participating.
Airport Land Acquisition Maha - Panchayat of Delhi NCR. He organized a Maha-panchayat at Mahipalpur on 04 Sep 2012, in matter of injustice meted out to people of Mahipalpur, Rangpuri, Nangal Dewat and Shahbad Mohammad Pur in matter of Land Acquisition for Indra Gandhi International Airport.
Farmers Protest at India Gate. He organized a protest at India gate on 19 October 2012 in which leaders of Farmers Organisations of Delhi NCR participated, this resulted in a meeting with Shri Jai Ram Ramesh, the Union Minister of Rural Development in UPA government on 20 October 2012, Jairam Ramesh was the minister responsible for drafting the new land during this meeting several pro farmer provisions to be included in the new and proposed land acquisition bill were discussed and included in the draft of the bill.
Farmers protest at Bawal, Haryana. He was a part of the protest against the Haryana government's move to acquire around 3,800 acres at Bawal for industrial development[9] and got highlighted for the social cause on TOI in March 2013.[10]
Policy Reforms Advocacy
[edit]He worked on the Land Acquisition Laws; specifically the Delhi Land Reform Act, which had some of the most draconian provisions .It was during one such meeting organized by Delhi Law Faculty where he and Arvind Kejriwal were guest speakers on Rural Development and Land Acquisition in Delhi and Right to Information, that both of them aligned to work together.
Movement to Stop Land Encroachment and Rehabilitation of Rohingya Burmese in Mahipalpur- Vasant Kunj area.
Approximately three thousand Rohingya Burmese nationals[11] had surfaced in the Mahipalpur- Rangpuri and Vasant Kunj area. He organized a mass movement of the villagers as well as the RWAs of Vasant Kunj to protest against the settlement of these Burmese nationals in the area. A Maha-panchayat was also organized by him . Due to his efforts to unite the people of the area, the Delhi Government under Late Smt Shiela Dikshit was forced to shift out the Burmese immigrants.[12]
He carried out large number of welfare activity for the rural community while carrying out the movement by Delhi Gramin Samaj, in some cases he helped the deprived communities in seeking justice.[13]
Civil society activist
[edit]Colonel Devinder Sehrawat was marched on 31 January 2011, in the first rally of India Against Corruption Movement in Delhi in one of the biggest ever public outpouring against corruption by citizens in India after the 'JP Movement'. Protest march against corruption were held in several cities in India demanding Lokpal Bill. It was during this rally that the decision about inviting Anna Hazare to lead the movement was taken and the seeds of the movement were sown
He was one of the founder members of the Aam Aadmi Party, AAP and member of its first Executive Committee of the National Council, on formation of the party on 26 November 2012. He held the following responsibilities in the party- Member Land Acquisition Committee, Prabahari State of Haryana.[14]
Heritage Preservation. He has been an activist in preservation of the ancient heritage of Delhi.
Friend of the Archaeological Society of India. He is member of this society for his efforts towards preservation of the 'Mahipalpur Paal' and the 'Sultan Garhi' Structure.
Efforts to Save the Ridge. He galvanized the villagers in the efforts to save the Aravali Ridge in Vasant Kunj- Mahipalpur-Rangpuri area.[14][15]
Political career
[edit]He started as grassroot worker and held panchayats in the villages of Delhi to know the problems of rural population.[16][17] He worked as a journalist to highlight the plight of the rural population of Delhi and wrote columns in newspapers. He launched an agitation against the provisions of the Land Acquisition bill of UPA government and was instrumental in addition of several progressive points in the final bill. he was a founder member of Aam Aadmi Party, He contested Lok Sabha election[18] in 2014 and secured second position in polls with approx 4 Lac votes.
He was elected as Member of Legislative assembly of Delhi in Feb 2015 as public representative of Bijwasan Constituency.
Legislative Achievements
[edit]He was elected as member of legislative assembly of Delhi in 2015, to represent Bijwasan Constituency:
- He supported the demand of One Rank One Pension, OROP of the Ex-Servicemen of Indian Armed Forces, addressed the Ex Servicemen sitting on Dharna at 'Jantar Mantar', New Delhi on 28 June 2015 and he tabled a resolution in support in support of 'One Rank One Pension', OROP of the veteran community in the Legislative Assembly of Delhi on 25 June 2015.[19] The Government of India, accepted the 'One Rank One Pension' by way of its mention in the President's address to both Houses of Parliament on 09.06. 2014.
- Colonel Devinder Sehrawat as member of Legislative Assembly of Delhi, drafted and tabled in the house the 'Citizens Health Safety and Security from Electromagnetic Radiation due to Mobile Towers, Bill 2015.
- In the environmental field,[20][21][22][23][24] he took up the concerns of the residents of Delhi Airport area regarding 'Waste Management', vide a 'Public Interest Litigation', PIL against SDMC for neglecting waste collection and cleaning of Airport Area.[25]
- He took up the matter of safety of School children of Delhi. After the incidents of death of 2 primary school children, one in Govt School Kapashera and the other in Ryan School in Vasant Kunj.[26][27] He filed public interest litigation,[28] PIL in the High Court of Delhi, against the negligence of the private school authorities and Government officials and by his personal intervention he got a standard operating procedure issued by the court for the safety of approx. 50 Lakh school children of Delhi[29][30]
Infrastructure development
[edit]He made a plan and prepared a vision document for development of Bijwasan constituency, which entailed the development of the Delhi Airport area. Infrastructure development plans. Projects in this area were pending for decades, the planned projects for Common Wealth Games, Delhi-2010, had not got implemented. The constituency was one of the most water deficient areas in Delhi. The plan “Pehli Nazar”- The First Look of India,[31] was conceived, with the aim of 'Creating a lasting impression on the foreign visitors' and to safe guard the heath of the residents of Bijwasan Constituency in view of the Use of Ground Water for Drinking Purpose, due to total absence of piped water supply.
Notable Works as MLA
During his tenure as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Delhi, Devinder Kumar Sehrawat undertook several significant infrastructure and development projects in the region. Some of his notable achievements include:
- Infrastructure Development:
- Completion of Northern Bypass: Overseeing the completion of the Northern Bypass from near the CNG Pump on Mahipalpur-Vasant Kunj Road to NH-8 near Aero City Hotel, a project implemented by the Delhi Development Authority at a cost of Rs 90 lakh.
- Revival of 400-year-old Lake: Initiating the revival of a historic lake near Vasant Kunj in the Shankar Vihar Cantonment, with support from the Ministry of Defence.
- Completion of Bijwasan Flyover and Underpass: Resolving long-standing issues and completing the Bijwasan Flyover and Underpass, which had been stalled for seven years.
Urban Development and Public Services
[edit]- Removal of Encroachments: Leading efforts to remove encroachments on government school land in Samalka and Gram Sabha land near the DC office, and constructing a 106-room government school and a Baraat Ghar for Kapashera residents.
- Water Supply: Providing water supply to areas like Raj Nagar, Mahipalpur, Rangpuri Complex, Shahbad Mohammadpur, Dhool Siras, Bamnoli, Bharthal, and Bagdola.
- Land Allocation: Allocating land for the Dada Bhaiyya Complex in Bijwasan and approving the development of sports complexes in Kapashera and Nangal Dewat.
- Public Amenities:
- Road Infrastructure: Recarpeting the Mahipalpur-Vasant Kunj Road and installing safety grills on the divider to improve traffic flow.
- Community Development: Proposing the development of a multi-utility recreation and fitness center, a water body, and a 200-bed hospital in Mahipalpur.
These initiatives significantly improved the quality of life for the residents of the region and showcased Sehrawat's commitment to public service.
He Resigned from Aam Aadmi Party, after Pulwama incident. He joined BJP in May 2019 during Delhi leg of the Lok Sabha elections and actively campaigned for BJP,[32] resulting in second highest margin in Bijwasan constituency [33] amongst the 10 Vidhan Sabha Constituencies under South Delhi Parliamentary seat.
Posts held
[edit]| # | From | To | Position | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 2014 | 2019 | Aam Aadmi Party, Member of Legislative Assembly for Bijwasan | |
| 02 | 2021 | 2023 | President in Delhi at Akhil Bhartiya Poorv Sainik Seva Parishad |
Honours and Recognition
[edit]- Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card for dedication to Service.
- Awarded best performing MLA of Delhi, during open on Line Survey on internet.
- Awarded environmental and Water resources soldier award by Airport area environment society.
- Netaji Subhash Chander Bose award[34] for environmental preservation work by civil society of Gurugram.
- Recognized by Cooperative ministry of Uttrakahand for service to organic farmers of the state.
See also
[edit]- The Air Force School, Subroto Park, New Delhi
- National Defence Academy
- Indian Military Academy
- Indian Army
- IIM, Ahemdabad
- Jawahar Lal Nehru University, JNU (National Defence Academy)
- School Of Foreign Languages, (Ministry Of Defence), Lodhi Road, New Delhi
- Mahipalpur
- Aam Aadmi Party
- Bijwasan Constituency
- New Delhi District
- Government of India
- Politics of India
- Sixth Legislative Assembly of Delhi
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Member Profile". Legislative Assembly official website. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- ^ a b "Candidate affidavit". My neta.info. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- ^ "Election result". Election commission of India. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- ^ "High drama at Delhi Secretariat". The Hindu. 7 March 2013. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- ^ "Will not support Cong. or BJP even if it means re-election: AAP". The Hindu. 27 October 2013. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- ^ "AAP's 1st manifesto for Bijwasan". The Times of India. 29 October 2013. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- ^ "AAP's Devinder Sehrawat wears Army pride on his sleeve". The Times of India. 31 March 2014. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ dash, dipak (25 October 2010). "Farmers Slam Government for selling land to private firms".
- ^ "Farmers' protest on Jaipur Road on Tuesday". Hindustan Times. 10 July 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Home ministry orders complex in 'Ridge' area". The Times of India. 11 March 2013. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
- ^ Sengupta, Nandita (27 May 2012). "Delhi Plays Reluctant Host to Mayannmars Nowhere People".
- ^ "Local residents resent Bangladeshi refugees". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ ""Penalty has exposed doublespeak"". The Hindu. 14 February 2013. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- ^ a b Singh, Darpan (8 February 2013). "Activists join villagers to save ridge from concrete, plan stir".
- ^ Chitanglia, Risha (11 March 2013). "home ministry order complex in ridge".
- ^ "Farmers agitate as state govts profit from land prices". The Times of India. 10 May 2011. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
- ^ "Original inhabitants of Delhi may meet the fate of Red Indians in US, says Colonel Devinder Sehrawat". The Indian Express. 1 July 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
- ^ "AAP's 'son of soil' Colonel sets up war room". The Times of India. 23 March 2014. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ "Motion | Legislative Assembly". delhiassembly.delhi.gov.in. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
- ^ "How the Vadra-DLF exposé has endeared Kejriwal to farmers". Firstpost. 5 November 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- ^ "col devinder sehrawat video on ryan school children - Google Search". www.google.co.in. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- ^ "Mahipalpur hunts for Rs 2cr missing road". The Times of India. 9 September 2012. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- ^ "Inquiry into Mahipalpur missing road". The Times of India. 2 October 2012. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- ^ "Bijwasan's MLA wants to end wait for new hospital". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Col. Devinder Sehrawat vs. South Delhi Municipal Coroporation & ANR". www.the-laws.com. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Schoolboy's death: Delhi HC issues notice to SDMC, Ryan International School". DNA India. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ "School death: HC issues notice to SDMC, Ryan International". Business Standard. 2 February 2016.
- ^ "School death: PIL seeks action over 'criminal neglect'". The Times of India. 2 February 2016. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ "Delhi HC asks govt, SDMC and Ryan International school to reply to PIL". Hindustan Times. 2 February 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ "Delhi High Court takes stand for students' safety in govt, private schools". India Today. 26 February 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ Trikha, Bhavini (6 July 2016). "Mahipalpur to become a heritage hub".
- ^ "⚡Shiv Sena Appoints Colonel Devinder Sehrawat As Party's Delhi Unit President". LatestLY. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
- ^ "Bijwasan Assembly Constituency Election Result - Legislative Assembly Constituency". resultuniversity.com. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
- ^ "Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar-2023". www.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 18 January 2024.