Kamal Nath

Infobox_Indian_politician
name = Kamal Nath

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caption = Nath at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, 2008
birth_date =Birth date and age|1946|11|18|df=y
birth_place =Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh
residence =Chhindwara
death_date =
death_place =
office = MP
constituency = Chhindwara
salary =
term =
predecessor =
successor =
party =INC
religion =
spouse = Alka Nath
children = 2 sons
website =
footnotes =
date = September 22
year = 2006
source = http://164.100.24.209/newls/Biography.aspx?mpsno=175

Shri Kamal Nath (born 18 November 1946) is an Indian politician and the current Union Cabinet Minister of Commerce and Industry. He is a member of the 14th Lok Sabha of India. He represents the Chhindwara constituency of Madhya Pradesh and is a member of the Indian National Congress (INC) political party. [http://164.100.24.209/newls/Biography.aspx?mpsno=175 Profile at Parliament of India website] .]

Career

He is an alumnus of The Doon SchoolFact|date=January 2008 and a graduate of St. Xavier's College of the University of Calcutta.

Kamal Nath was first elected to the 7th Lok Sabha in 1980. He was re-elected to the 8th Lok Sabha in 1985, the 9th Lok Sabha in 1989, and the 10th Lok Sabha in 1991. He served as Union Minister of State for the Environment and Forests (Independent Charge) from 1991 to 1995, then as Union Minister of State for Textiles (Independent Charge) from 1995 to 1996. He was elected to the 12th Lok Sabha in 1998 and the 13th Lok Sabha in 1999. From 2001 to 2004, he was the General Secretary of the INC. He was re-elected to the 14th Lok Sabha in the 2004 election and has served as Union Cabinet Minister of Commerce & Industry since May 23 2004.

He has stake in many industries , he also operates a chain of colleges under brand name of IMT.He hailed from a small town Chindwara in MP his father was an insurance broker.

Controversies

Nath was indicted by the Nanavati Commission on allegations that he was involved in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Witnesses testified to seeing Nath lead an armed mob that attacked and demolished a Gudwara in Rakab Ganj [The trial of Kamal Nath - Sheela Bhatt http://www.rediff.com/news/2005/aug/09sb1.htm] . Nath allegedly incited the mob to attack. Several Sikhs were burned alive during the attack. [ [http://www.ensaaf.org/complete-1984report-v2.pdf i-vi ] ] Nath responded to the Commission, saying that he visited the Gudwara later in the day to investigate the agitation and urge peace.

The Commission Report observed that Nath's testimony was "vague" and "not consistent with the evidence" and also that his version of events was "a little of strange." However it overruled the contradictions in his testimony, saying "it is also required to be considered that he was called upon to give an explanation after about 20 years and probably for that reason he was not able to give more details." In conclusion the Commission said, "In absence of better evidence it is not possible for the Commission to say that he had in any manner instigated the mob or that he was involved in the attack on the Gurudwara" [Nanavati Commission - Full Text http://www.carnage84.com/homepage/nancom.htm] .

Kamal Nath was embroiled in a controversy when the Supreme Court in March 2002, applying the polluter pays principle, imposed a fine of Rs 10,00,000 (US$ 25,000) on Kamal Nath for damaging the environment by building a motel on the bank of river Beas near Kulu-Manali in Himachal Pradesh. The Supreme Court Bench held that Kamal Nath was liable to pay a fine of Rs 10 lakh for causing damage to the sensitive ecology of the area by building Span Motel.Fact|date=July 2008

Awards and recognition

Kamal Nath was named the FDI Personality of the Year 2007 by FDI magazine and Financial Times Business for his "active efforts to attract foreign businesses to India, boost exports, and promote trade and investment". [ [http://www.indiaprwire.com/pressrelease/other/200708144092.htm "fDi Personality of the Year 2007 awards event at New Delhi 31st August 2007."] , Indiaprwire.com, August 25, 2007.]

References