IFTU pays homage to democratic rights fighter Dr NK Bhattacharya

Dr NK Bhattacharya passed away on Monday. Inveterate fighter for human rights, Dr Bhattacharya or "Dada" as he was affectionately called, was the Founder Convenor of Janhastakshep in Delhi. He had retired from Delhi University as Principal of Moti Lal Nehru College. He also contributed often to New Democracy magazine. Indian Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU) paid rich tributes to this relentless champion of the cause of the poor, human tights and democracy.

The IFTU blamed the gross mismanagement and uncaring attitude of the government for his untimely death. “It is learnt that his daughter died of covid as she could not be admitted in a hospital with proper facilities. She died three days ago and Dr Bhattacharya died of shock yesterday i.e.26th April 2021. His cremation has taken place today.” IFTU said in a statement.

“A very emotive activist and a committed human rights activist, prof Bhattacharya had been part of many fact finding teams sent by Jan Hastakshep to different parts of the country wherever repression was unleashed by the ruling classes on people's movements to repress them. among these were the teams he led to Kalinga agar and Posco movements in Odisha, and to Kashmir.

Apart from a scientific outlook towards the issues of social justice and human rights, Dr Bhattacharya's articulation of people's miseries and their struggles had a rare emotive appeal which brought out the poignancy with which he perceived the trials and travails of the people. In his death the human rights movement in India and her impoverished people have lost an untiring champion of their rights,” Jan Hastakshep said in a statement paying tribute to Dr Bhattacharya.

Activists, academics and several people to whom he had been a ‘comrade’ a ‘help’ in need paid rich tributes to the social activist.