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{{short description|Indian politician and socialist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = Amar Singh at the India Economic Summit 2008 cropped.jpg 
| caption = Singh speaking at the [[World Economic Forum]]'s India Economic Summit 2008.
| name = Amar Singh
| office = [[Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha]]<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/samajwadi-party-wins-7-rajya-sabha-seats-in-up-kapil-sibal-emerges-victorious-1418013|title=Samajwadi Party wins 7 Rajya Sabha seats in UP, Kapil Sibbal emerges victorious|publisher=[[NDTV]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190823212833/https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/samajwadi-party-wins-7-rajya-sabha-seats-in-up-kapil-sibal-emerges-victorious-1418013|archive-date=2019-08-23}}</ref>
| term_start = 26 November 1996
| term_end = 25 November 2014
| constituency = [[Uttar Pradesh]]
| predecessor =
| successor =
| term_start2 = 5 July 2016
| term_end2 = 1 August 2020
| constituency2 = [[Uttar Pradesh]]
| predecessor2 = [[Ambeth Rajan]]
| successor2 = [[Syed Zafar Islam]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date |1956|01|27|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Azamgarh]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|2020|08|1|1956|1|27|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Singapore]]
| otherparty = [[Samajwadi Party]]<br>[[Rashtriya Lok Dal]]
| party = [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| spouse = Pankaja Kumari Singh
| children = 2
| alma_mater = [[University of Calcutta]]
| profession = [[Politician]]
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
'''Amar Singh''' (27 January 1956 – 1 August 2020) was an Indian politician from the state of [[Uttar Pradesh]].<ref name="gaeatimes">{{cite web |url=http://law.gaeatimes.com/2009/10/24/corruption-case-amar-singh-gets-reprieve-from-high-court-15183/ |title=Corruption case: Amar Singh gets reprieve from high court |publisher=law.gaeatimes.com |access-date=7 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160325025044/http://law.gaeatimes.com/2009/10/24/corruption-case-amar-singh-gets-reprieve-from-high-court-15183/ |archive-date=25 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="liveindia">{{cite web|url=http://www.liveindia.com/news/m.html |title=Amar Singh's telephone conversations recorded, Such acts are surely very bad and very shameful. |author=Rajesh Chopra www.liveindia.com|publisher=liveindia.com|access-date=7 July 2015}}</ref> He was the general secretary of the [[Samajwadi Party]] and was a member of the [[Rajya Sabha]], the upper house of the [[Parliament of India|Indian parliament]]. On 6 January 2010, he resigned from all the posts of the Samajwadi Party<ref>{{cite news |title=Amar Singh quits all party posts |date=7 January 2010 |url=http://www.hindu.com/2010/01/07/stories/2010010757850100.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100110052738/http://www.hindu.com/2010/01/07/stories/2010010757850100.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 January 2010 |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=7 September 2011}}</ref> and was later expelled from the party by its chief, [[Mulayam Singh Yadav]], on 2 February 2010.<ref>{{cite news |title=Amar, Jaya expelled from SP |date=2 February 2010 |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-02-02/india/28136835_1_amar-singh-political-party-primary-membership |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120926000922/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-02-02/india/28136835_1_amar-singh-political-party-primary-membership |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 September 2012 |newspaper=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=7 September 2011}}</ref>

In 2011, he was arrested and spent a brief period in jail for his alleged involvement in the [[cash-for-votes scandal]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Amar Singh arrested, sent to Tihar in cash-for-votes case|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/amar-singh-arrested-sent-to-tihar-in-cash-for-votes-case-466819|access-date=2020-08-11|website=NDTV.com}}</ref> In 2016, he was elected to Rajya Sabha with support from Samajwadi Party even after facing a stiff opposition from a section of the party including the then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh [[Akhilesh Yadav]]. He was also reinstated as one of the general secretaries of the party in October 2016. On August 1, 2020, Singh died of a kidney ailment in [[Singapore]] at the age of 64.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh dies at 64 |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/rajya-sabha-mp-amar-singh-dies-at-64/story-QJ6pIYq4SVe6drwNBBKb4K.html |publisher=[[Hindustan Times]] |date=August 1, 2020}}</ref>

==Early life==
Amar Singh was born on 27 January 1956 at [[Azamgarh]], Uttar Pradesh to a [[thakar (tribe)|thakur]] family.<ref name="google">{{cite book|author=Chande, B.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fEhXiAnWXA4C&pg=PA337|title=Betrayal of Indian Democracy|date=1999|publisher=Atlantic Publishers and Distributors|isbn=9788171567928|page=337|access-date=7 July 2015}}</ref> He got his early education at his native place.<ref>{{cite news |title=Amar Singh : Biography |url=https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/amar-singh-biography-family-education-political-career-last-tweet-more-1596285965-1 |access-date=5 August 2020}}</ref> Afterward his family moved to [[Kolkata]] where he completed his graduation from [[St. Xavier's College, Kolkata|St. Xavier's College]] and had his law education from [[University of Calcutta|University College of Law, Kolkata]].<ref>{{cite web|date=1 August 2020|title=Amar Singh (27 January 1956 - 1 August 2020): Biography - Family, Education, Political Career, Last Tweet & More|url=https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/amar-singh-biography-family-education-political-career-last-tweet-more-1596285965-1|website=Jagranjosh.com}}</ref> Amar Singh started his career as a liaison officer of [[K.K. Birla]]. K.K. Birla was the owner of [[Hindustan Times]]. Working with Birla he made inroads in journalist fraternity.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hindi.theprint.in/india/how-amar-singh-exposed-the-flaws-or-hypocrisy-of-indian-politics/159137/|title=अमर सिंह ने कैसे भारतीय राजनीति की खामियों (या पाखंड) को उजागर किया|access-date= 5 August 2020 |language=hi |trans-title=How Amar Singh exposed the flaws (or hypocrisy) of Indian politics}}</ref>

==Political career==
Singh's prominence in [[Delhi]] surged when the [[United Progressive Alliance|UPA]] government was reduced to a minority after the [[Communist Party of India]], [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]] and [[All India Forward Bloc]] withdrew their support over the proposed [[India–United States Civil Nuclear Agreement|Nuclear Accord]] with the [[United States]]. His [[Samajwadi Party]] pledged support to the [[United Progressive Alliance|UPA]] government with the support of its 39 members.<ref>{{cite news |title=Samajwadi Party declares support to UPA |date=9 July 2008 |url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/07/09/stories/2008070961720100.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080712230039/http://www.hindu.com/2008/07/09/stories/2008070961720100.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=12 July 2008 |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=7 September 2011}}</ref>

Singh along with his close associate [[Jaya Prada]] were expelled from the Samajwadi Party in February, 2010 for anti party activities.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2010-02-02|title=Amar Singh, Jaya Prada expelled from SP|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/amar-singh-jaya-prada-expelled-from-sp/story-YZKx21kpQT8JcsvQqzZyFP.html|access-date=2020-08-11|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref> On 21 December 2010, Singh launched his official website and blog.<ref>{{Cite web|title=With candid blogposts, Amar launches his website - Indian Express|url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/with-candid-blogposts-amar-launches-his-website/559001/0|access-date=2020-08-11|website=archive.indianexpress.com}}</ref>

Singh floated his own political party, Rashtriya Lok Manch, in 2011, and fielded candidates in 360 of the 403 seats in Uttar Pradesh in the 2012 assembly polls. However his party did not win a single seat in these elections. He joined the [[Rashtriya Lok Dal]] party in March 2014, contested the general elections that year from [[Fatehpur Sikri (Lok Sabha constituency)|Fatehpur Sikri]], Uttar Pradesh in [[2014 Indian general election]] and lost.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=NDTV.com |title=Amar Singh, Jaya Prada join Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal |date=10 March 2014 |url=http://www.ndtv.com/elections/article/election-2014/amar-singh-jaya-prada-join-ajit-singh-s-rashtriya-lok-dal-493674 |access-date=20 April 2014}}</ref>

He was admitted at a hospital in Dubai with kidney failure and was stated to be critical on 19 February 2013.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/amar-singh-hospitalised-in-dubai/articleshow/18563179.cms?from=mdr | title = Amar Singh was hospitalised in Dubai - The Economic Times|newspaper=The Economic Times| date = 18 February 2013|access-date=2019-09-27}}</ref>

==Positions held==
* Nov. 1996 : Elected to Rajya Sabha
* 1997-98 : Member, Committee on Papers Laid on the Table
* 1998-99 and Oct. 2004 onwards : Member, Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Finance
* June 1998 – Feb. 2004 and Aug. 2004 – Aug. 2006 : Member, Committee on Finance
* 1999–2001 : Member, Committee on Provision of Computers to Members of Rajya Sabha
* 1999 : Member, Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas Member, Informal Consultative Committee for Northern Railway Zone
* April 2001 – Dec.2002 : Member, Joint Parliamentary Committee on Stock Market Scam and matters relating thereto
* March 2002 – Nov. 2002 : Member, Committee on Petitions
* Nov. 2002 : Re-elected to Rajya Sabha
* June 2003 – Aug. 2004 : Member, Committee of Privileges
* Aug. 2004 – May 2009 and Aug.2009 onwards : Chairman, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare
* Aug. 2004 onwards : Member, General Purposes Committee
* Sept. 2006 onwards : Member, Business Advisory Committee
* May 2008 – Nov. 2008 : Member, Committee on Public Undertakings
* Nov. 2008 : Re-elected to Rajya Sabha
* Jan. 2010 onwards : Member, Parliamentary Forum on Population and Public Health.{{citation needed|date=May 2011}}
* 2016 : Elected to Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh as an independent member by support of Samajwadi Party

==Controversies==
On 22 July 2008, he accused [[List of Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh|Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister]] [[Mayawati]] of kidnapping six [[Member of Parliament (India)|MPs]] of his party from [[Uttar Pradesh]] and holding them captive in Uttar Pradesh Bhavan, [[New Delhi]].<ref name="rd1">{{cite news|url=http://specials.rediff.com/news/2008/jul/22video7.htm|title=SP's googly before trust vote|publisher=rediff|access-date=6 April 2009}}</ref> Later, [[Samajwadi Party]] expelled the six MPs for defying the party directive during the confidence motion voting.<ref name="ndtv6">{{cite news|url=http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080058679&|title=SP expels six MPs for voting against govt|date= 25 July 2008|publisher=Press Trust of India|access-date=6 April 2009}}</ref>

He also courted controversy by asking for a probe in the Jamia Nagar [[Batla House encounter case|Batla house encounter case]]. First he gave ₹10 lakh cheque to the family of [[Mohan Chand Sharma]], a police officer who died in the encounter, which bounced when checked for its validity. Later he asked for a judicial enquiry into the firing incidence suggesting that the encounter may have been fake. [[Mohan Chand Sharma]]'s family criticized him and returned his money.<ref name="ol">{{cite news|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?gid=266&id=617026|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130104072753/http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?gid=266&id=617026|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 January 2013|title=Sharma's family rejects SP offer|publisher=Outlook India|access-date=20 March 2009}}</ref><ref name="ie3">{{cite news|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/family-of-slain-delhi-cop-rejects-amar-singhs-cheque/370042/|title=Family of slain Delhi cop rejects Amar Singh's cheque|work=The Indian Express|access-date=6 April 2009}}</ref>

Amar Singh has been chargesheeted for offering bribes to three parliament members of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] in 2008 under the [[Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988|Prevention of Corruption Act]] by the Delhi Police on 24 August 2011.<ref name="ndtvaug2011">{{cite news|url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/amar-singh-chargesheeted-in-cash-for-votes-scam-128665|title=Amar Singh chargesheeted in cash-for-votes scam|date= 24 August 2011|publisher=NDTV|access-date=24 August 2011}}</ref> Amar Singh has pleaded health grounds for not appearing before the courts where the chargesheet was being heard.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=Hindustan Times |title=Amar Singh arrested, sent to Tihar jail in cash-for-votes scam |date=6 September 2011 |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/Amar-Singh-unwell-skips-court-hearing-adjourned/Article1-742156.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110906155226/http://www.hindustantimes.com/Amar-Singh-unwell-skips-court-hearing-adjourned/Article1-742156.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 September 2011 |access-date=7 September 2011}}</ref> However, distressed by adverse media reports, Singh has appeared before the courts to dispel allegations that he is running away from the process of law. After hearing his personal pleas, the Court has sent Singh to judicial custody till 19 September 2011, in Delhi's [[Tihar Jail|Tihar jail]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiavision.com/news/article/topnews/226359/amar-singh-sent-to-tihar-jail-for-13-days-in-cashforvotes-scam/|title=Amar Singh sent to Tihar Jail for 13 days in cash-for-votes scam|date=6 September 2011|publisher=Indiavision news|access-date=6 September 2011|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120909074255/http://www.indiavision.com/news/article/topnews/226359/amar-singh-sent-to-tihar-jail-for-13-days-in-cashforvotes-scam/|archive-date=9 September 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> But the money trail in this scandal was not traced to Amar Singh's account as per [[Supreme Court of India|Supreme Court]] order and nor concrete evidence could be found against him.

=== 2011 tapes controversy ===
Amar Singh had filed a petition in 2006 after some of his telephone conversations were illegally tapped and were in circulation. A man named Anurag Singh was arrested in the case.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Sharma|first=Aman|title=Phone tapping controversy: Anurag Singh from spy to a convict|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/phone-tapping-controversy-anurag-singh-from-spy-to-a-convict/articleshow/18783740.cms|access-date=2020-08-11}}</ref> The leader had moved the apex court and got a restraint order against their publication in the media. In May 2011, the [[Supreme Court of India]] removed the stay on publishing the taped conversations with Bollywood star including [[Bipasha Basu]].

===''Clinton Cash''===
In reference to the book ''[[Clinton Cash]]'', the ''[[New York Post]]'' questioned Singh's $5 million contribution to the [[Clinton Foundation]], writing "Singh’s donation was treated with suspicion and amusement in India."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Earle|first1=Geoff|last2=Campanile|first2=Carl|title='Clinton Cash' questions India politician's $5M donation|url=https://nypost.com/2015/04/28/clinton-cash-questions-india-politicians-5m-donation/|access-date=28 August 2015|work=New York Post|date=28 April 2015}}</ref>

==Films==

Amar Singh acted in many films including a small role in ''[[Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai]]'' and the role of a politician in the film ''[[JD (film)|JD]].''<ref>{{Cite web|date=2010-02-09|title=Meet actor Amar Singh|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/meet-actor-amar-singh/story-Oa5hBUPjPZqFW5EagLmBtM.html|access-date=2020-08-11|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-10-07|title=Politician Amar Singh to act in a film|url=https://www.mid-day.com/articles/politician-amar-singh-to-act-in-a-film/16589162|access-date=2020-08-11|website=mid-day|language=en}}</ref> He also acted in a Malayalam-language film [[Bombay Mittayi]] in 2011.<ref>{{Cite web|title=When Amar Singh starred with Dimple Kapadia in Malayalam film Bombay Mittayi|url=https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/opinion/the-informer/when-amar-singh-starred-with-dimple-kapadia-in-malayalam-film-bombay-mittayi/articleshow/77342534.cms|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029075007/https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/opinion/the-informer/when-amar-singh-starred-with-dimple-kapadia-in-malayalam-film-bombay-mittayi/articleshow/77342534.cms|archive-date=2020-10-29|access-date=2020-08-11|website=Mumbai Mirror|language=en}}</ref>

== Death ==
Amar Singh died on 1 August 2020 at the age of 64 in Singapore due to kidney failure.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 Aug 2020 |title=Amar Singh, Rajya Sabha member and former SP leader, passes away - India News|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/amar-singh-rajya-sabha-member-and-former-sp-leader-passes-away/articleshow/77302320.cms|access-date=2020-08-01|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==

*{{IMDb name|id=0802078|name=Thakur Amar Singh}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060104084902/http://164.100.24.167:8080/members/website/Mainweb.asp?mpcode=73 Member's Website - Shri Amar Singh]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Amar}}
[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:2020 deaths]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian politicians]]
[[Category:Deaths from kidney failure]]
[[Category:Indian Hindus]]
[[Category:Inmates of Tihar Jail]]
[[Category:People from Azamgarh]]
[[Category:People from Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Rajya Sabha members from Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Politicians from Azamgarh district]]
[[Category:University of Calcutta alumni]]
[[Category:Rashtriya Lok Dal politicians]]
[[Category:Samajwadi Party politicians]]
[[Category:United Progressive Alliance candidates in the 2014 Indian general election]]

Amar Singh politician - Revision history

CleanupBot II at 16:33, 14 August 2023