Kaka Joginder Singh
Encyclopedia
Kaka Joginder Singh (alias Dharti Pakad
meaning "one who clings to the ground") was a textile owner who contested and lost over 300 elections in India.
(now in Pakistan
) to Punjabi
parents. He went to college and earned masters degrees in sociology
and philosophy
. Kaka earned his money through his family's textile mill in Bareilly
. In elections, he always contested as an independent, and always lost.
His election promises included: repaying all foreign loans, more character building in schools, and bringing back the barter
system as a panacea
for the Indian economy
.
and he earned the nickname Dharti Pakad
(one who clings) after several unsuccessful runs for the President of India
. The most prolific year for him was during the 1992 10th Presidential elections where he earned fourth place in the polling with 1135 votes, losing to Shankar Dayal Sharma
. He also tried elections from 14 states of India in the 1990s , mostly for state assemblies.
leaders L.K. Advani and Atal Behari Vajpayee .
Dharti Pakad
Dharti Pakad is the nickname of at least three persons in India who contested unsuccessfully in several elections against top political leaders.A satirical television show looking at the electoral politics was named...
meaning "one who clings to the ground") was a textile owner who contested and lost over 300 elections in India.
Early life and career
He was born the 14th out of 16 children in GujranwalaGujranwala
Gujranwala is a industrial city in the north-east of the Punjab province. It is the sixth largest city in Pakistan with a population of approximately 2,661,360 as on 24 June 2011...
(now in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
) to Punjabi
Punjabi people
The Punjabi people , ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ), also Panjabi people, are an Indo-Aryan group from South Asia. They are the second largest of the many ethnic groups in South Asia. They originate in the Punjab region, which has been been the location of some of the oldest civilizations in the world including, the...
parents. He went to college and earned masters degrees in sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
and philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
. Kaka earned his money through his family's textile mill in Bareilly
Bareilly
Bareilly is a prominent city in Bareilly district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Standing on the Ramganga river, it is the capital of the Bareilly division and the geographical region Rohilkhand...
. In elections, he always contested as an independent, and always lost.
Thoughts on his campaigns
Kaka looked at the security deposit which he has always lost as his 'humble contribution' to the national fund, and said he never campaigned or used money to earn support. The campaign donations for 1991 were Rs. 2500 and after 1997, the security deposit was raised to Rs. 15000.His election promises included: repaying all foreign loans, more character building in schools, and bringing back the barter
Barter
Barter is a method of exchange by which goods or services are directly exchanged for other goods or services without using a medium of exchange, such as money. It is usually bilateral, but may be multilateral, and usually exists parallel to monetary systems in most developed countries, though to a...
system as a panacea
Panacea
In Greek mythology, Panacea was a goddess of healing. She was the daughter of Asclepius and Epione. Panacea and her five sisters each performed a facet of Apollo's art: Panacea was the goddess of cures, Iaso was the goddess of recuperation, Hygieia was the goddess of disease prevention, Aceso was...
for the Indian economy
Economy of India
The Economy of India is the ninth largest in the world by nominal GDP and the fourth largest by purchasing power parity . The country is a part of the G-20 major economies and the BRICS, in addition to being partners of the ASEAN. India has a per capita GDP of $3,608 as per 2010 figures, making it...
.
Earning of "Dharti Pakad"
His nomination papers were usually disregarded by the election commissionand he earned the nickname Dharti Pakad
Dharti Pakad
Dharti Pakad is the nickname of at least three persons in India who contested unsuccessfully in several elections against top political leaders.A satirical television show looking at the electoral politics was named...
(one who clings) after several unsuccessful runs for the President of India
President of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
. The most prolific year for him was during the 1992 10th Presidential elections where he earned fourth place in the polling with 1135 votes, losing to Shankar Dayal Sharma
Shankar Dayal Sharma
Shankar Dayal Sharma was the ninth President of India serving from 1992 to 1997. Prior to his presidency, Dr Sharma had been the eighth Vice President of India, serving under President Ramaswamy Venkataraman...
. He also tried elections from 14 states of India in the 1990s , mostly for state assemblies.
Election efforts
- He earned 451 votes (0.23%) in the Ludhiana poll for 1982
- He earned 1848 votes (0.33%) in the Ludhiana poll for 1985
- He earned 46 votes in the 1991 New Delhi elections
- He was fourth in the polling for the NandyalNandyalNandyal or Nandyala is a town in Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is a major centre of trade, commerce, education and industries in the region and is also important because of its religious significance and Rich water resources. The town derives its name from Nandi, the vehicle of...
Lok SabhaLok SabhaThe Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
election of 1991 with 1506 votes (.001%) - He was fourth in the polling for president in 1991
- He was eighth place in the polling for the LucknowLucknowLucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
Lok SabhaLok SabhaThe Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
elections of 1998, with 212 votes (0.02%)
Death
According to his family, Kaka was hospitalised after a paralysis attack on December 19, 1998. He died on December 23, 1998 from complications. Earlier in the year, he tried to contest elections against BJPBharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...
leaders L.K. Advani and Atal Behari Vajpayee .