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{{short description|Indian politician}}
{{Unbalanced}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2023}}
{{OR}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{TotallyDisputed}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Dr. Udit Raj
| image = Udit Raj MP.png
| caption =
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| imagesize =
| alt = Dr. Udit Raj
| order =
| office = ]
| term_start = 16 May 2014
| term_end = 23 May 2019
| constituency = ]
| predecessor = ]
| successor = ]
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1958|01|01}}
| birth_place = ], ], India
| spouse = {{Marriage|Seema Raj|24 March 1990}}
| children = 2
| party = ] (2019-present)
| otherparty = ] (2014-2019)
| alma_mater = ](], 1988) ](]), India Bible College and Seminary, Kota, Rajasthan (]), ] (])
| profession = Civil servant (Indian Revenue Service), social activist, writer, politician
| footnotes =
| date =
| year =
| website = {{URL|https://druditraj.com/}}
}}


'''Dr. Udit Raj''' (born 1 January 1958) is an ] and member of the ].<ref name="Congress">{{cite news |title=Denied ticket by the BJP, Udit Raj joins Congress |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/denied-ticket-by-the-bjp-udit-raj-joins-congress/story-I4UTUANqVYL1pWN9abJYqN.html |access-date=24 April 2019 |work=Hindustan Times |date=24 April 2019 |language=en}}</ref> He was a ] between 2014 and 2019 in the ], representing ] as a member of the ] but left the party after its first term. He was a civil servant and is the former ], Joint Commissioner and ] at New Delhi. Raj is also the National Chairman of the Confederation of Dalit, OBC, Minorities and Adivasi organisations ( DOMA Parisangh).<ref>{{cite news|title=Noted Dalit Activist Udit Raj joins Bharatiya Janata Party|url=http://news.biharprabha.com/2014/02/noted-dalit-activist-udit-raj-joins-bharatiya-janata-party/|work=IANS|publisher=news.biharprabha.com|access-date=24 February 2014}}</ref>
'''Udit Raj''' (born Ram Raj 1st Jan 1958, Ramnagar, Distt. Allahabad) studied for BA at ]. He was selected for the Indian Revenue Service in 1988 and is serving as the Joint Commissioner of Income Tax at New Delhi. He is a prominent activist claiming to work on behalf of India's ], also known as ]s. Raj changed his name upon his conversion to ], in the tradition of Dalit intellectual and activist ], who spearheaded the ].


== Life and Education ==
Raj has been accused by several Hindu groups such as the ] for having intensely ] views and sentiments<ref name="haf"/>. He has been accused of being part of the missionary agenda to foment social unrest in India by turning segments of the population against Hindus.
Born in Ram Nagar, Allahabad, Dr. Udit Raj, son of Shri Kallan Singh and Smt. Sukh Dei, began his journey at '''Jawahar Lal Nehru University''' in 1980. Overcoming economic hardships, he cleared the Civil Services Examination in 1988 and served in the Indian Revenue Service in Ghaziabad and Delhi. Dr. Raj, who holds M.A and L.L.B degrees, received an honorary doctorate from Emmanuel Bible College, Kota, and has authored 355 articles.


Married to Seema Bahl in 1990 and a father of two, he left his government role in 2003 for socio-political work. As the leader of the All India Confederation of SC/ST Organizations, he helped enact the 81st, 82nd, and 85th Constitutional amendments. Serving as North West Delhi’s MP (2014-2019), he later joined the Indian National Congress in 2019. Internationally, he’s active with the UN in Geneva and leads the Buddha Education Foundation and the Dalit International Foundation. He edits ‘Voice of Buddha’ and is a part of India’s National Monitoring Committee for Education of SC/ST & PWD, advocating for marginalized communities. His work inspires a push for greater societal equity.
==Activism==
He formed ], The All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations on ] ] and in ] founded the Lord Buddha Club.


He earned M.A and L.L.B degrees and was awarded a Doctorate Degree Honoris Causa from '''Emmanuel Bible College''' and '''Seminary, Kota, Rajasthan.'''
He is a strong advocate of increased ] for the Scheduled Castes, Schedules Tribes and Other Backward Classes and dismisses arguments against it as "baseless"<ref></ref>. Raj has formed partnerships with Christian organizations including the ] and the ]. Raj has worked with prominent Christian leaders such as ] and ] and with Muslim leaders such as ], general secretary of the ].


He has been recognized for his intellectual contributions in the U.S.A and Europe, holds dialogues with Congressmen of the U.S.A and members of the European Parliaments.
By his own definition, he remains a Buddhist and a Dalit activist{{Dubious}}.


He is also a prolific writer, and has published 355 articles in various national newspapers.
==Controversies==
Among his more controversial activities are mass conversions away from Hinduism, making disparaging statements against the religion and his marriage into a higher caste despite his views against upper-caste members.


He Co-founded the alumni organization for '''JawaharLal Nehru University,''' establishing a network for former students.
===Mass Conversions===
On October 27, 2002 Udit Raj organized a controversial conversion ceremony in which thousands of Dalits "converted' to Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity. He has organized other conversion events including one at Chennai on Dec. 6, 2002. These conversion activities have been criticized as "deceptive","violent" and a "exercise in self-promotion" on the part of Udit Raj <ref name="Week"></ref>. In particular, political parties such as the ] have questioned his motives. Giriraj Kishore, senior vice president of the VHP, has quoted:


'''Indian Revenue Service'''
{{cquote|The only purpose of the rally is to establish politically, but he will not be able to gain political mileage. The BJP vote bank is not threatened by this political drama<ref name="Week"/>.}}


First posted in Ghaziabad as Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax in 1990; transferred to Delhi in 1995, serving in key positions such as Deputy Commissioner, Joint Commissioner, and Additional Commissioner of Income Tax.
In particular, when he mocked ] deities during his conversion speech, his audience was not amused and reacted with hostility<ref name="Week"/>.


== Social career ==
Raj has worked with Christian groups to ] Christianity and turn them away from Hinduism. The prosetylizations are often ].He has not laid out any plans for emancipating the condition of the Dalits other than their conversion. He asserts that conversion alone is enough. His claims of Dalits yearning to convert to other religions have also been criticized as "tenuous at best"<ref name="Week"/>.
Formation of All India Confederation of SC/ST Organization: In response to anti-reservation orders issued in 1997, Dr. Udit Raj helped form the All India Confederation of SC/ST Organization, uniting various intellectuals and departments across the country.


* Leadership and Advocacy: Appointed as the National Chairman, he led numerous campaigns and demonstrations nationwide from 1997 to 2000, advocating against anti-reservation orders.
He has organized other conversion events including one at ] on ], ]. These conversion ceremonies aroused the ire of Hindu nationalist groups - like the ] <ref name="Week"></ref>. Hindu nationalist politicians such as ] have accused Raj of being in the payroll of Christians and inciting ] violence by deceptively converting Hindus into Christianity. Raj has replied, accusing of Togadia and other Hindu Nationalists fomenting violence against ]<ref></ref>. He reiterated:
* Influential Rallies: Organized several national-level rallies in Delhi, effectively managing media narratives and turning public opinion in his favor against competing rallies by BSP.
{{cquote|The Jhajjar conversions were a direct reaction to the lynching of Dalits in the region and the confederation will wage a concerted battle against the forces of communalism, especially the VHP.}}
* Legislative Impact: Instrumental in the passing of the 81st, 82nd, and 85th Constitutional amendments under the Atal Vihari Government, securing vital reservation benefits.
* Commitment to Social Equality: Dedicated to creating a caste less society, following the principles of Dr. Ambedkar, by working to eradicate discrimination and the divisive caste system.


== Political career ==
===Allegations of anti-Hindu views===
On 24 November 2003, he resigned from government service and formed the ].<ref name="LSProfile">{{cite web |title=Members : Lok Sabha |url=http://164.100.47.194/Loksabha/Members/memberbioprofile.aspx?mpsno=4764&lastls=16 |access-date=12 April 2021 |website=164.100.47.194}}</ref>


He merged Indian Justice Party with ] on 23 February 2014, and was elected as a Member of Parliament on BJP ticket. However due to the ideological differences and perceived betrayal, he left BJP.
Raj has been accused by several Hindu groups such as the ] for having intensely ] views and sentiments<ref name="haf"/>. He has been accused of being part of the missionary agenda to foment social unrest in India by turning segments of the population against Hindus.
Regarding Hinduism he has written: "For a Hindu priest, a leper, a beggar and a widow are hateful objects who need to be punished because of the “curse of their past life”. (from a letter posted on Bahujan group, Feb 9, 2004).


Joining Congress: On 24 April 2019, disillusioned with the BJP's approach to inclusivity and its internal politics, Dr. Raj joined the Indian National Congress to continue his advocacy for underprivileged communities. Currently he is the National Chairman of Unorganized Workers and Employees Congress.
Hindu nationalists castigate him for these views.However, some minority Hindu groups claiming to be "reformists", such as those led by ] Agnivesh, have expressed approval of the mass conversions, claiming that they are "an urgent and necessary cry for social justice"<ref></ref>.


==References==
===Marriage into a higher Caste===
{{reflist}}
About his marriage to a very light-skinned Seema Raj, from an upper caste (]), he said "I am very dark, almost black, but my wife is as fair as an English woman and I must say that although ours was a love marriage in which her intrinsic qualities mattered more than looks, I found her fair skin very attractive" <ref></ref>. They have two children Abhiraj and Saveri.


{{16th Lok Sabha members from Union territories |state=expanded}}
{{Indian National Congress|state=collapsed}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Raj, Udit}}
==Links==
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Latest revision as of 10:07, 15 December 2024

Indian politician

Dr. Udit Raj
Dr. Udit Raj
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office
16 May 2014 – 23 May 2019
Preceded byKrishna Tirath
Succeeded byHans Raj Hans
ConstituencyNorth West Delhi
Personal details
Born (1958-01-01) 1 January 1958 (age 66)
Ramnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India
Political partyIndian National Congress (2019-present)
Other political
affiliations		Bharatiya Janata Party (2014-2019)
Spouse Seema Raj ​(m. 1990)​
Children2
Alma materOsmania University(MA, 1988) CCS University(LLB), India Bible College and Seminary, Kota, Rajasthan (Hon Dr.), Jawaharlal Nehru University (Alumni)
ProfessionCivil servant (Indian Revenue Service), social activist, writer, politician
Websitedruditraj.com

Dr. Udit Raj (born 1 January 1958) is an Indian politician and member of the Indian National Congress. He was a Member of Parliament between 2014 and 2019 in the Lok Sabha, representing North West Delhi as a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party but left the party after its first term. He was a civil servant and is the former Deputy Commissioner, Joint Commissioner and Additional Commissioner of Income Tax at New Delhi. Raj is also the National Chairman of the Confederation of Dalit, OBC, Minorities and Adivasi organisations ( DOMA Parisangh).

Life and Education

Born in Ram Nagar, Allahabad, Dr. Udit Raj, son of Shri Kallan Singh and Smt. Sukh Dei, began his journey at Jawahar Lal Nehru University in 1980. Overcoming economic hardships, he cleared the Civil Services Examination in 1988 and served in the Indian Revenue Service in Ghaziabad and Delhi. Dr. Raj, who holds M.A and L.L.B degrees, received an honorary doctorate from Emmanuel Bible College, Kota, and has authored 355 articles.

Married to Seema Bahl in 1990 and a father of two, he left his government role in 2003 for socio-political work. As the leader of the All India Confederation of SC/ST Organizations, he helped enact the 81st, 82nd, and 85th Constitutional amendments. Serving as North West Delhi’s MP (2014-2019), he later joined the Indian National Congress in 2019. Internationally, he’s active with the UN in Geneva and leads the Buddha Education Foundation and the Dalit International Foundation. He edits ‘Voice of Buddha’ and is a part of India’s National Monitoring Committee for Education of SC/ST & PWD, advocating for marginalized communities. His work inspires a push for greater societal equity.

He earned M.A and L.L.B degrees and was awarded a Doctorate Degree Honoris Causa from Emmanuel Bible College and Seminary, Kota, Rajasthan.

He has been recognized for his intellectual contributions in the U.S.A and Europe, holds dialogues with Congressmen of the U.S.A and members of the European Parliaments.

He is also a prolific writer, and has published 355 articles in various national newspapers.

He Co-founded the alumni organization for JawaharLal Nehru University, establishing a network for former students.

Indian Revenue Service

First posted in Ghaziabad as Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax in 1990; transferred to Delhi in 1995, serving in key positions such as Deputy Commissioner, Joint Commissioner, and Additional Commissioner of Income Tax.

Social career

Formation of All India Confederation of SC/ST Organization: In response to anti-reservation orders issued in 1997, Dr. Udit Raj helped form the All India Confederation of SC/ST Organization, uniting various intellectuals and departments across the country.

  • Leadership and Advocacy: Appointed as the National Chairman, he led numerous campaigns and demonstrations nationwide from 1997 to 2000, advocating against anti-reservation orders.
  • Influential Rallies: Organized several national-level rallies in Delhi, effectively managing media narratives and turning public opinion in his favor against competing rallies by BSP.
  • Legislative Impact: Instrumental in the passing of the 81st, 82nd, and 85th Constitutional amendments under the Atal Vihari Government, securing vital reservation benefits.
  • Commitment to Social Equality: Dedicated to creating a caste less society, following the principles of Dr. Ambedkar, by working to eradicate discrimination and the divisive caste system.

Political career

On 24 November 2003, he resigned from government service and formed the Indian Justice Party.

He merged Indian Justice Party with Bharatiya Janata Party on 23 February 2014, and was elected as a Member of Parliament on BJP ticket. However due to the ideological differences and perceived betrayal, he left BJP.

Joining Congress: On 24 April 2019, disillusioned with the BJP's approach to inclusivity and its internal politics, Dr. Raj joined the Indian National Congress to continue his advocacy for underprivileged communities. Currently he is the National Chairman of Unorganized Workers and Employees Congress.

References

  1. "Denied ticket by the BJP, Udit Raj joins Congress". Hindustan Times. 24 April 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  2. "Noted Dalit Activist Udit Raj joins Bharatiya Janata Party". IANS. news.biharprabha.com. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  3. "Members : Lok Sabha". 164.100.47.194. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
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