Shri
Onkar Singh Lakhawat
Chairman of Rajasthan Heritage Conservation and Promotion Authority (RHCPA)
Government of Rajasthan
In office
2014-2019
Chief MinisterVasundhara Raje
Succeeded bySurendra Singh Jadawat
In office
2007-2008
Chief MinisterVasundhara Raje
Minister of State
In office
2014-2019
Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
In office
1997-2000
Preceded byMahesh Chandra Sharma
Succeeded bySantosh Bagrodia
ConstituencyRajasthan
Personal details
Born (1949-04-01) 1 April 1949
Tehla, Nagaur, Rajasthan
NationalityIndian
Political partyBharatiya Janata Party
Children3
Parents
  • Shri Ashkaranji Lakhawat (father)
  • Shrimati Ratan Kanwar (mother)
EducationBachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Legislative Law
Occupation
Known forRajasthan Heritage Coservation and Development
AwardsKavi Kag Award (2014)
WebsiteOnkar Singh Lakhawat on Twitter
Onkar Singh Lakhawat
Notable worksNaharidas Barhath
Hinglaj Shaktipeeth
Bol Sansad Bol-Yug Charan Bankar Bol

Onkar Singh Lakhawat (born 1 April 1949) is an Indian lawyer, politician, writer, and a senior BJP leader from Rajasthan.[1] He is a former Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha (1997–2000).[2] He has served as the Chairman of Rajasthan Heritage Preservation and Promotion Authority.[3] He was a Minister of State in the Second Raje ministry (2014-2019).[4] He was also the Vice-President of the BJP in Rajasthan.[5]

Early life and family

Onkar Singh Lakhawat was born 1 April 1949 in Tehla village in Nagaur, Rajasthan.[6] His parents were Shri Ash Karanji (father) and mother Shri Ratan Kanwar (mother). Onkar Singh is married and has 1 son and 2 daughters.[7] He was married on 1 July 1964.[6]

Education

Onkar Singh Lakhawat has done graduation in Bachelor of Arts(B.A.) as well as obtained a degree in Bachelor of Legislative Law(LL.B.).[7]

Political career

Lakhawat came in contact with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in his early years during his graduation in Deedwana. It continued in Ajmer where he was pursuing his degree in law. He also worked for some time in Janata Party.[8] When BJP was established in 1980, Onkar Singh Lakhawat was appointed as the first General Secretary of BJP in Ajmer. Onkar Singh attended the Delhi conference of BJP's formation. He was later appointed as State President of BJYM.[6]

Onkar Singh Lakhawat has held various positions in the government of Rajasthan, including UIT Chairman of Ajmer (1994-1997),[8] Member of Parliament in Rajya Sabha (1997-2000),[6] Chairman of Rajasthan Heritage Protection and Promotion Authority (2007-2008[4]) (2014-2019),[9] Minister of State (2015),[10] and member of the Disciplinary Committee of BJP Rajasthan (2020).[11] He also planned tours of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Lok Sabha elections in 2019[12] and was a panelist in TV debates.[13] In June 2020, BJP fielded him for the election of 3 vacant seats of Rajya Sabha.[14]

Positions Held

Position Organization Term
General Secretary Bhartiya Janata Party Ajmer 1980
State President BJYM
Chairman Urban Improvement Trust 1994-1997
Member of Parliament Rajya Sabha 16 October 1997 – 2 April 2000
Vice President Bhartiya Janata Party Rajasthan 2005
Chairman Rajasthan Heritage Conservation and Promotion Authority (2007-2008) (2014-2019)
Minister of State Government of Rajasthan 2015
Member Disciplinary Committee BJP 2020

Monuments and panoramas

Onkar Singh Lakhawat, in his long career, is known for spearheading the construction of monuments and panoramas dedicated to local heroes & folk deities of Rajasthan. Till now, he has presided over the building of more than 75 such panoramas and monuments.

Prithviraj Chauhan Memorial, Ajmer

Pritviraj Chauhan Memorial Park, Ajmer 1996

After his appointment as Ajmer UIT Chairman, Onkar Singh took the decision to build a monument or paronama dedicated to Prithviraj Chauhan.[6]

Onkar Singh Lakhawat, Chairman of the Urban Improvement Trust (Ajmer), established a memorial park in Ajmer to commemorate Prithiviraj Chauhan. The opening ceremony, attended by prominent political figures including the then national president of BJP, L K Advani, was held on 1996-01-25. The park is located at a prominent location on a tall hill leading to Taragarh fort, providing a panoramic view of the city. It covers an area of approximately 3 acres. The centerpiece is a bronze statue of Prithviraj seated on a horse, which is approximately life-sized but elevated on an 11.6 foot-high stone plinth.[15]

Daher Sen Statue

Lakhawat also built a panorama dedicated to Raja Daher Sen, an old ruler of Sindh.[16]

Since 2018, Onkar Singh Lakhawat, as the chairman of Rajasthan Heritage Preservation and Promotion Authority, oversaw the construction of around 50 statues of various local heroes, freedom fighters, and folk deities of Rajasthan.[17]

In May 2018, Vasundhara Raje, then the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, met with Onkar Singh Lakhawat, Chairman of Rajasthan Heritage Protection and Promotion Authority and directed to speed up the pace for the installation of panoramas of great saints and heroes of various communities of Rajasthan. Onkar Singh assured the chied minister regarding installation of panoramas.[18] Onkar Singh said:

"The government is committed to restoring the memory of all revered persons from the state. There have been many who have not got their justified space in History and our effort is to correct that."[19]

Tejaji Panorama

Tejaji is a folk deity worshipped widely in Rajasthan by communities like Jats, and the Rajasthan Heritage Protection and Promotion Authority has built a panorama of Tejaji at Kharnal Village in Nagour district. Kharnal is the birthplace of Tejaji and the devotees go there to offer prayers.[17]

Ramdevji Panorama

Worshipped primarily by the Scheduled Caste community, the Rajasthan Heritage Protection and Promotion Authority built a panorama of Ramdev ji, also known as Ramdev Baba, in Ramdevra Village of Jaisalmer District. Ramdev Baba has a huge following among the ST/SC community.[17]

Pabuji Statue and Panorama

Similarly, with the camel-herding communities like Raika and Rebari, which worship Pabuji Rathore. The folk-deity's statue and panorama have been placed in Jodhpur’s Kolu Village. Pabuji is also popular among people from the Schedule Caste.[17]

Amar Singh Rathore Panorama

A panorama of Mughal-era ruler Amar Singh Rathore, who had defied the might of Shah Jahan at the royal court in Agra, has been placed in Nagaur. Amar Singh Rathore is seen as an icon of bravery and freedom by the Rajputs, a major caste in Rajasthan. Every year, the Rajput community celebrates his birth day in Nagour.[17]

Hasan Khan Mewati Panorama

In Alwar, the Rajasthan Heritage Protection and Promotion Authority has erected panoramas of Hasan Khan Mewati, a freedom fighter from the Meo community.[17]

Kushal Singh of Auwa

Thakur Kushal Singh and Sugali Mata

Catering to local sentiment, a replica of the ancient statue of Sugali Mata, the goddess with 54 arms, the protector or Auwa fort was also installed. The original statue was damaged by the British and presently is lying in the Pali Museum. Further a statue of Thakur Kushal Singh, who had led the revolt, was also unveiled.[20] Onkar Singh Lakhawat said:

"There has been gross disregard of national heroes and it needs to be set right. Their contribution cannot be ignored by terming them feudal or royal."[20]

Other panoramas include those of legendary saints such as Meera Bai, Sant Ravidas and Sant Bhagat Peepa.[17] Regarding the allegations of the Congress opposition on BJP using the paronamas as caste symbols for vote bank politics, Onkar Singh Lakhawat refuted these allegations, saying that[17]

"the BJP is only trying to pay tribute to the unsung heroes through the panoramas."

Controversies

In February 2016, Onkar Singh inaugurated an exhibition on Mahatma Gandhi held at Albert Hall Museum in Jaipur.[21]

Gorakh-dhandha word

Lakhawat criticised the usage of the word 'Gorakh-Dhandha'(Gorakh-business) for indicating illegal activities. He explained that the it hurts the feelings of the devotees Hindu saint Gorakhnath, who is worshipped by millions of devotees all over India. In 2018, BJP in its election manifesto, promised to censor the usage of the word 'Gorakh-dhandha'.[22]

Ram Mandir statement

In October 2018, Onkar Singh Lakhawat made a statement replying to the comment on the Ram Mandir by the Congress leader Shashi Tharoor that it is offensive to the Hindus that hundreds of years of struggle to reclaim the Ram Temple land is trivialised as Tharoor termed that "Good Hindus" won't accept any temple built after levelling others' religious site. Lakhawat told reporters that the Congress Party members are making contradictory statements over Ram Mandir while "temple tourism" is being done by top Congress leaders.[23]

CAA Bill

During December 2019, Onkar Singh Lakhawat was vocal regarding anti-CAA protests by the opposition parties in India. He targeted Congress, saying that the Congress wanted to make a vote bank out of the illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. He further remarked that even though Congress is protesting against Citizenship Amendment Bill, it hasn't yet clarified its stance regarding the citizenship of illegal foreign nationals living in India.[24]

Authorship

He is author of the following books on culture and history of Rajasthan:-[4]

  • Lakhawat, Onkar Singh (2003). Bārahaṭha Naraharidāsa (in Hindi). Sahitya Akademi. ISBN 978-81-260-1613-6.
  • Lakhawat, Onkar Singh (2011). Hiṅgalāja śaktipīṭha (in Hindi). Tīrtha Palace Prakāśana. ISBN 978-81-920932-0-8.
  • Lakhawat, Onkar Singh (2011). Bola Sāṃsada Bola: Yuga Cāraṇa Banakara Bola (in Hindi). Tīrtha Palace Prakāśana. ISBN 978-81-920932-1-5.
  • Lakhawat, Onkar Singh (2012). Samsara ka siramaura Sindha aura Maharaja Dahara Sena (in Hindi). Tīrtha Palace Prakāśana. ISBN 978-81-920932-3-9.
  • Lakhawat, Onkar Singh (2012). Svātaṃtrya Rājasūya Yajña meṃ Bārahaṭha Parivāra kī mahāna āhūti (in Hindi). ISBN 978-81-920932-5-3.
  • Lakhawat, Onkar Singh (2012). Rājala Akabara kā Navaroja Diyo Chuḍaāya (in Hindi). Tīrtha Pailesa Prakāśana. ISBN 978-81-920932-2-2.
  • Jay Awad Aashapura
  • Swatantrya Veer Govind Guru aur Vanvasiyon ka Balidan

Awards

References

  1. ↑ "PM Modi to address rally in Ajmer on Saturday, kick off Rajasthan assembly poll campaign". Hindustan Times. 6 October 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  2. ↑ Sabha, India Parliament Rajya (2003). Rajya Sabha Members: Biographical Sketches, 1952-2003. Rajya Sabha Secretariat.
  3. ↑ Desk, India com News (6 October 2018). "Modi in Ajmer: PM Bats For Hindu-Muslim Unity, Says Country Shouldn't be Divided on Communal Lines". India News, Breaking News | India.com. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 Lakhawat, Onkar Singh (2021). "About Chairman". Government of Rajasthan, Art and Culture Portal. Retrieved 10 October 2021. Sh. Onkar Singh Lakhawat, Former Member of Parliament has been appointed as Chairman of Rajasthan Heritage Protection and Promotion Authority, Jaipur. Sh. Onkar Singh Lakhawat is awarded rank of State Minister. He is a leading advocate and a prominent historian.
  5. ↑ India Today. Thomson Living Media India Limited. 2005.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "हिंदी खबर, Latest News in Hindi, हिंदी समाचार, ताजा खबर". Patrika News (in Hindi). Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  7. 1 2 Sabha, India Parliament Rajya (2003). Rajya Sabha Members: Biographical Sketches, 1952-2003. Rajya Sabha Secretariat.
  8. 1 2 Saini, Vishwanath (17 June 2020). "राज्यसभा चुनाव 2020 : राजस्थान बीजेपी प्रत्याशी बोले-'25 करोड़ क्या मेरे पास तो सब्जी के 25 रुपए भी नहीं है'". hindi.oneindia.com (in Hindi). Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  9. ↑ Desk, India com News (6 October 2018). "Modi in Ajmer: PM Bats For Hindu-Muslim Unity, Says Country Shouldn't be Divided on Communal Lines". India News, Breaking News | India.com. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  10. ↑ "हिंदी खबर, Latest News in Hindi, हिंदी समाचार, ताजा खबर". Patrika News (in Hindi). Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  11. ↑ "Rajasthan BJP forms new executive committee; Diya Kumari appointed general secretary". The PinkCity Post. 1 August 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  12. ↑ "Modi to lead poll rallies in run-up to voting on May 6". Deccan Herald. 23 April 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  13. ↑ Correspondent, dna (26 July 2018). "Union minister Arjun Meghwal among BJP spokespersons for Rajasthan". DNA India. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  14. ↑ "Rajya Sabha election 2020: Battle narrows down to 18 seats in seven states". The Financial Express. 20 March 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  15. ↑ Talbot, Cynthia (2016). The Last Hindu Emperor: Prithviraj Cauhan and the Indian Past, 1200–2000. Cambridge University Press. pp. 16–17. ISBN 978-1-107-11856-0. The initiative behind the commemoration of Prithviraj at Ajmer was entirely locally based, spearheaded by the Ajmer Urban Improvement Trust or Nagar Vikas Nyas Ajmer. Members of this municipal organization, along with several local officials, are listed on a plaque providing details on the opening ceremony held on January 25, 1996. The most prominent person in attendance was the well-known politician L. K. Advani, then president of the BJP party. Other luminaries present at the park's inauguration included the deputy chief minister and the ministers for the Public Works and Forest & Environment departments of the BJP-controlled state government, who no doubt attended as a courtesy to Onkar Singh Lakhawat, then chair of the Ajmer Urban Improvement Trust. Lakhawat is a long time member of the BJP, who has subsequently represented Rajasthan in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) and been on the party's national executive committee; in May 2014 he was appointed to head the Rajasthan Heritage Preservation and Promotion Authority."
    "The political clout of Lakhawat in the 1990s, and of the BJP in Rajasthan, can be gauged not only by the high profile of the politicians present at the park's opening, but also by its size and location.
  16. ↑ Lakhawat, Onkar Singh (2012). "'जब तक सिंध में एक भी हिंदू है, तब तक वहां पर भारत जीवित है'". Dainik Bhaskar. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Vasundhara Raje Govt Builds 50 Holy Statues Ahead of Polls, Congress Cries Vote Bank Politics". News18. 3 October 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  18. ↑ Correspondent, dna (23 May 2018). "Vasundhara Raje: Speed up work to develop religious sites". DNA India. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  19. ↑ Pranvendra, Sangeeta (7 September 2018). "Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje resurrects Brahmagupta to get polls arithmetic right". DNA India. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  20. 1 2 Correspondent, dna (31 August 2018). "Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje restores Auwa idol, Rajput pride". DNA India. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  21. ↑ "Mewar University : News". www.mewaruniversity.org. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  22. ↑ Lakhawat, Onkar Singh (2 December 2018). "राजस्थान चुनाव 2018: गोरखधंधा शब्द को बैन करने पर ओंकार सिंह लखावत ने कहा- जब जागो तभी सवेरा". Amar Ujala. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  23. ↑ sabguru (17 October 2018). "bjp leader onkar singh Lakhawat asks congress to clarify stand on ram temple-शशि थरुर के बयान से हिन्दुओं की आस्था आहत : लखावत". Sabguru News (in Hindi). Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  24. ↑ "दौसा: CAA को लेकर BJP नेता का कांग्रेस पर तंज, कहा- वोट बैंक की खातिर कर रही विरोध". Zee Rajasthan (in Hindi). 31 December 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  25. ↑ "लखावत को 'कवि काग स्मृति पुरस्कार'". Dainik Bhaskar. 2014.
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