Former minister OP Jain dies at 72

Geetanjali Gayatri

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 16

Former minister OP Jain passed away on Sunday night at a private hospital in New Delhi following lung infection due to Covid. He was 72.

He was down with liver infection for the past one week. He was shifted to Delhi two days ago, where he tested positive for Covid.

A grassroot leader who gradually climbed up the political ladder, Jain contested as an Independent and won twice to become a minister. He was the Education Minister in the Bansi Lal government (1996) and the Transport Minister in the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government (2009).

During his term as minister in the Hooda government, Jain was forced to resign in 2011 after his name surfaced in an abetment to suicide case of a sarpanch of Karnal’s Kambopura village.

It was alleged that Jain and then Chief Parliamentary Secretary had allegedly promised jobs to the sarpanch’s son and relatives in lieu of money. They, however, failed to keep their commitment and refused to return the money. The CBI is still investigating the case.

Always accessible, Jain maintained his Independent tag in five of the six Assembly elections he contested. However, in the 2019 Assembly elections, he had joined the Congress and was given the ticket. Though he was defeated, he remained politically active till the very end.

Jain began his political career as a sarpanch of Panipat’s Jatal village and remained at the position for two terms. Later, he rose to become the chairman of the market committee, Panipat. At one time, he was the chairman of HARCO Bank. Later, he contested the Assembly elections and tasted success twice.

His campaigning is best remembered for reaching out to people residing in colonies while he contested from the Panipat City and Panipat Rural segments. The colonies were considered his stronghold.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar expressed grief over Jain’s demise. “Jain took keen interest in politics and social work. He held a special place in the Aggarwal community,” he said.

Was accused in abetment to suicide case

• OP Jain  contested as an Independent and won twice to become a minister
• In 2011, his name surfaced in an abetment to suicide case of a sarpanch of Karnal’s Kambopura village
• Subsequently, he had to resign as the Transport Minister from the Hooda government
• It was alleged that Jain had allegedly promised jobs to the sarpanch’s son and relatives in lieu of money