Om Prakash Chautala, a prominent Jat leader and former Haryana Chief minister whose career was marked by dizzying highs and rock bottoms, including stints in jail, died on Friday. He was 89. A party spokesperson said Chautala had hiccups in the morning and collapsed in his house. He was rushed to a hospital, where he died.
The eldest son of former deputy prime minister Devi Lal, the five-time chief minister headed the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), a party founded by his father. Tributes for Chautala poured in from across the political spectrum, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing anguish at his passing and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal describing it as a “huge personal loss”. The Haryana government declared a three-day state mourning from Friday. It has also declared Saturday, when his funeral will be held, as a public holiday.
“He (Chautala) was active in the state politics for many years and strove constantly to advance the work of Devi Lal,” Modi said. Although Chautala, born into an influential political family on January 1, 1935, in Chautala village, could never match the stature of his father who was known as a messiah of farmers, he was known for his sharp political acumen and wit despite not being well-educated.
While serving his 10-year prison term, Chautala was released from Delhi's Tihar jail in July 2021. He was already out on parole at the time. He was sent to Tihar jail again in May 2022 after being awarded a four-year sentence in a disproportionate assets case. At 87, he became the oldest inmate. In August 2002, Delhi High Court suspended the sentence.
According to an INLD statement, Chautala passed his Class 10 and Class 12 exams while in jail. He was 82 when he scored first division marks in his Class 12 examination. His clearing of the Class 10 exam was an inspiration for the Bollywood film “Dasvi”.
During his political career, Chautala raised his voice against the anti-people policies of ruling governments and went to jail several times. He also spent 19 months in jail during the Emergency, it said. During the past few years, Chautala made efforts to form a third front, meeting his old associates Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda. The efforts, however, did not yield a result.
