Mrinal Gore (c. 24 June 1928 – 17 July 2012, Vasai) was a veteran socialist leader of India, and was a member of the Parliament of India. She died on 17 July 2012 at the age of around 84. Her death was mourned by Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh and many other Indians.[1][2]
Mrinal Gore | |
|---|---|
| Member of Parliament | |
| In office 1977 - 1980 | |
| Preceded by | position established |
| Succeeded by | Ravindra Varma |
| Constituency | Mumbai North |
| Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 23 December 1988 - 19 October 1989 | |
| Preceded by | Datta Narayan Patil |
| Succeeded by | Datta Narayan Patil |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Mrinal Mohile 24 June 1928 |
| Died | 17 July 2012 (aged 84) |
| Nationality | British Indian (1928-1947) Indian (1928-1947) |
| Political party | Janata Party |
| Spouse | Keshav Gore |
| Children | 1 (Daughter) |
| Occupation | Politician, social activist |
| Nickname(s) | Paaniwali Bai Mrinal Tai |
Early life
editMrinal Gore was born Mrinal Mohile in a Marathi CKP family and was a medical student. Towards the end of her schooling she came in contact with Rashtra Seva Dal - the cultural and social wing of the Socialist Party. Her inspiration was Sane Guruji and it was RSD that brought her in touch with dynamic leaders like Keshav Gore, a Marathi Brahmin, who mentored the young recruits during the days prior to Independence. She and Keshav Gore married and had a daughter. Unfortunately, Keshav died when Mrinal was 30 and the daughter was only 5.[3][4][5]
She earned the sobriquet Paaniwali Bai (water lady) for her effort to bring drinking water supply to Goregaon, a North Mumbai suburb.[6] She led many protests along with her contemporaries Ahilya Rangnekar and Pramila Dandavate.[6] She was the leader of opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly[6] and elected to 6th Lok Sabha from Mumbai North (Lok Sabha constituency) in 1977. When she was elected MP in 1977, the same election that Indira Gandhi lost, the popular slogan was Paaniwali bai Dilli mein, Dilliwali bai paani mein, meaning the water lady (Mrinal) has reached Delhi (Parliament) but the Delhi lady (Indira Gandhi) is in the water. She declined the offer of Health Ministry by then Prime Minister Morarji Desai.
Gore was arrested on December 21, 1975 and detained under MISA at Bombay Central Prison. Then she was moved to Akola Jail to completely isolate her from other political detainees. She was put in one barrack that had one door but no window. A criminal with advanced stage of leprosy was put in adjoining cell while a violent lunatic female prisoner was in opposite cell. This was done to torture Mrs Gore physically and mentally.[6]
References
edit- ^ "PM condoles Gore's death". The Business Standard. Press Trust of India. 17 July 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
- ^ Frontline Article on Mrinal Gore
- ^ Sonal Shah (29 June 2014). G. G. Parikh (ed.). "Janata weekly, Vol. 69 No. 22" (PDF). p. 8. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 August 2018.
"Penned by [retired professor of political science and PhD]Rohini Gawankar, Mrinal Gore's close friend and colleague of over six decades, it is an inspiring, virtually eyewitness account of one of India's tallest women leaders. ...Of a brave young woman widowed at 30, with a five-year-old daughter, who despite stringent financial circumstances and parental duties fulfilled the dream she and her husband Keshav had set out to achieve. Of a pair of young socialists belonging to different castes, (she, a woman from the Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu caste and medical student; he, a Brahmin and fulltime party worker)
{{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires|magazine=(help) - ^ "The Illustrated Weekly of India". 91 (3). Bennett, Coleman & Company. July 1970: 14.
B.T. Ranadive (b. 1904), a member of the Politbureau of the CPI.(M).Other notable C.K.Ps in this sphere are Mrinal Gore, V. B. Karnik and Datta Tamhane
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ Dr.Rohini Gawankar( retired head of the department of political science of S.N.D.T. Women's University, Mumbai, Maharashtra. She is the founder president of Maharashtra's Women's Studies Association and also Women's Development Cell of the University of Mumbai). Rajkarnatil char chaughi(Tr: four women politicians) (in Marathi). Indus Source books. p. 0.
The index page refers to her as paniwali bai-Mrinal Mohile-Gore
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c d "Veteran social activist Mrinal Gore passes away". The Hindu. 18 July 2012. Retrieved 18 July 2012.