SHRI   ASHOK  CHANDULAL  BHATT

Veteran Parliamentarian and revolutionary

       Shri Ashok Chandulal Bhatt, Hon.’ble  Speaker of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly is widely popular as  ‘Ashok Bhatt’ in the Public and Political arena of Gujarat. Right from his young age, he has been instrumental in providing leadership to the many national as well as state Welfare agitations. By birth, he possesses revolutionary idealogy and this ideology has inspired him to get associated with “Maha Gujarat Agitation, Nav Nirman Agitation etc.

       Born on the 28^th January 1939 in Ahmadabad, Shri Ashok Bhatt is a man of common people of Ahmadabad and he became Prominent under the deep rooted ‘Pole Culture’ of the Walled – old city of Ahmedabad.

       He, before actually jumping into the political life of Gujarat, participated as a student from the Khadia ward in the Maha Gujarat Agitation in 1956, which ultimately resulted in to  the bifurcation of  Gujarat and Maharashtra states from former  Mumbai state in  1960. An activist Ashok Bhatt came into limelight during this movement and after that, he became the Secretary of Bharatiya Jansangh from the Khadia Ward and Started his Political as well as social life by solving  people’s problems, leading agitations against corruption, price-hike etc. In 1976 and during 1977-80, as the President of Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha, he led agitations like Nav Nirman Andolan, Labour Agitation etc. He also suffered imprisonment for so many times during the Emergency Period. In 1973, he became the Member of the Ahmadabad Municipal Corporation. He successfully  shouldered the responsibility of the office of  Chairman,  Gujarat Slum Clearance Board during 1977-80.

       Shri Bhatt entered the Gujarat Legislative Assembly for the first time in 1975 i.e. in the 5^th Gujarat Legislative Assembly winning the election from the constituency of Khadia in Ahmedabad. Since then he never looked back and won the Assembly elections for 8 times consecutively. During his successive 8 terms, he held various portfolios and positions in the Assembly and the Ministry. Thus he has developed his personality from a mere student agitator and an activist of the city to a veteran Parliamentarian and a responsible Statesman of Gujarat.

       Being a Member of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly since 1975, he held many important positions. He was the member and also the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee. He was the cabinet Minister in various Ministries handling Departments like Civil Supplies, ‘Revenue, Jails, Labour and Employment, Health and Family Welfare, Law and Justice, Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs, Co-ordination of Voluntary organization of Non-Resident Guajarati’s, Cow-breeding, Devasthanam and Pilgrimage Development in the Government of Gujarat. Throughout his Ministership in various
Departments, he was instrumental in not only in motivating the employees for the service of the people in more effective and cordial atmosphere but also in brining various administrative reforms. He was the Deputy Whip of Janata Morcha Party during 1975-76. He was the Whip of Bharatiya Janata Party in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly during 1980-90.

       Shri Ashok Bhatt, outing to his longest and active political career and vast political experience, has been unanimously elected as the Speaker of the 12^th Gujarat Legislative Assembly a prestigious position on 18^th January, 2008.

Shri Ashok Bhatt has also actively participated in various International Seminars, Conferences and Study Projects. He had attended Commonwealth Parliamentary Seminar in 1984. He has travelled U.S.A. and Israel. He has also participated in the International Labour Conference in Geneva, Malaria Control Study Project Organized by the British Council in North Africa and U.K., Health Care Projects in Australia, International AIDS Conference in South Africa, International Ayurved Conference in Brazil; ‘Vibrant Gujarat’ meets in Dubai, Muscat, Qatar and Doha.

       His active role and participation in public life and his genuine concern for overall welfare of  the people, have attracted many International Institutions resulting into their conferring upon him many prestigious awards like International Lions Club Award for Sight, Sasakawa Award for Commitment Beyond Elimination of Leprosy in the State of Gujarat by the International Leprosy Union and Sasakawa Memorial Foundation, Lifetime Achievement Honors for Heart Disorders by the Brahmakumari Prajapita Sanstha and the Asian Innovation Award for ‘Chiranjeevi Yojna’ conferred on Gujarat Government at Singapore by the Wall Street Journal Asia and Global Interpolis.

       Emerging from a student activist to a veteran leader and Parliamentarian of the State, Shri Ashok Bhatt has secured his place in the hearts of the people of Gujarat.