M.A. Rasul

Mohammed Abdullah Rasul, Born: 1903, Died: 21 November 1991, was an Indian politician. He belonged to the Communist Party of India (Marxist).[1] M.A. Rasul was a prominent leader of the peasants' movement and served as minister in the West Bengal state government for a short period in the 1960s.

Early political activity

Rasul hailed from Burdwan.[2] Rasul was a leader of the peasant movement.[3] Rasul was arrested during the 1959 Food Movement.[3] In January 1936 he was one of the leaders, gathered in Meerut, that were tasked with convening the founding conference of the All India Kisan Sabha in Lucknow.[4] As a political activist, Rasul was an associate of Muzaffar Ahmed.[5] Around 1943 Rasul was sent to Chittagong, to make contact with the Communist Party of Burma, but his trip was suspended due to a boat accident.[6]

Independence, Partition and Tebhaga movement

Rasul was elected General Secretary of the All India Kisan Sabha at its 10th conference held in Sikandra Rao in 1947.[5] At the time the Kisan Sabha was facing government repression.[5] He resigned from this post in the early 1950s, in order to facilitate merger talks with the All India United Kisan Sabha (a break-away group).[7] Following the Second Party Congress of the Communist Party of India, held in Calcutta in 1948, at which the Communist Party of Pakistan was founded, Rasul and a number of other Muslim party leaders were sent to East Pakistan to build the party there.[8] Rasul's stay in Pakistan became short, however, and he soon returned to India.[8] He was a leader of the Tebhaga movement.[9]

Legislator and Minister

Rasul was a Member of the West Bengal Legislative Council.[4] He was elected by the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.[10] He was named Minister of Transport (leading the Transport branch of the Home Department) in the second United Front government of West Bengal, formed in February 1969.[1][11][12] Rasul resigned as Minister of Transport after the West Bengal Legislative Council was abolished.[4] Mohammed Amin was sworn in as new Minister of Transport on 4 February 1970.[4]

Later years

The 26th conference of the All India Kisan Sabha (Ashoka Road) elected Rasul as Vice-President.[5]

Rasul died on 21 November 1991, at the age of 88.[5]

Bibliography
  • Md. Abdullah Rasul (1974). A History of the All India Kisan Sabha. National Book Agency.
  • Md. Abdullah Rasul (1980). Krshaka Sabhara itihasa. Nabajataka Prakasana.
  • Md. Abdullah Rasul (1985). Grāme grāmāntare. Nyāśanāla Buka Ejensi.

References
  1. Communist Party of India (Marxist). West Bengal State Committee. Election results of West Bengal: statistics & analysis, 1952–1991. The Committee. p. 379. ISBN 9788176260282.
  2. Ke. El Mahēndra (1 January 2006). Recollections and reflections. Prachee Publications. p. 90. ISBN 978-81-7443-020-5.
  3. Suranjan Das; Premansukumar Bandyopadhyay (2004). Food Movement of 1959: Documenting a Turning Point in the History of West Bengal. K.P. Bagchi & Company. p. 181. ISBN 978-81-7074-268-5.
  4. Asian Recorder. Vol. 16. K. K. Thomas at Recorder Press. 1970. p. 9445.
  5. All India Kisan Sabha. Conference (1992). Documents of the ... Conference of All India Kisan Sabha. All India Kisan Sabha. pp. 40–41.
  6. Memoirs: 25 communist freedom fighters. People's Democracy. 2005. p. 171.
  7. Md. Abdullah Rasul (1974). A History of the All India Kisan Sabha. National Book Agency. p. 156.
  8. Badruddin Umar (2004). The Emergence of Bangladesh: Class Struggles in East Pakistan, 1947–1958. Oxford University Press. p. 46. ISBN 978-0-19-579571-4.
  9. Asok Majumdar (1 September 1993). Peasant protest in Indian politics: Tebhaga movement in Bengal. NIB Publishers. p. 56. ISBN 978-81-85538-01-3.
  10. West Bengal (India). Legislature. Legislative Council (1962). Council Debates; Official Report. p. iv.
  11. Intercontinental Press. Vol. 7. Intercontinental Press. 1969. p. 274.
  12. Hindustan Year-book and Who's who. Vol. 37. M. C. Sarkar. 1969. p. 211.
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