Lok Sewak Sangh

LSS had been set up as a local social movement in Manbhum, by leaders like Nibaranchandra Dasgupta and Bibhuti Dasgupta, who had been released from jail in the early 1930s.^[4] LSS was a Gandhian movement working for Swaraj and social reform.^[4] They challenged caste hierarchies, preaching to Adivasis and Dalits to participate in social and political life on equal terms with upper caste Hindus.^[4] The organization sought to fight against discrimination against lepers.^[4]

LSS was constituted as a political party by former leaders of the Indian National Congress, who had played a leading role in the Quit India movement in Purulia District.^[3][5] Notable members of this group included Bibhuti Dasgupta and Arun Ghosh.^[3] Through forming LSS they wanted to promote use of Bengali language in Bengali-dominated areas in southern Bihar state.^[5] They labelled the imposition of Hindi language as 'linguistic imperialism'.^[6] After breaking with the Indian National Congress its elected officials resigned and were re-elected on LSS tickets.^[6] The party adhered to Gandhian socialism.^[1]

The party contested the 1951–1952 parliamentary elections as well as the first assembly elections, being able to defeat Congress candidates in some constituencies.^[5] In the election to the Lok Sabha (Lower House of the Parliament of India), LSS won the Manbhum South-cum-Dhalbum constituency, which elected two parliamentarians.^[7] The LSS parliamentarians were Bhajahari Mahaton and Chaitan Manjhi.^[7] LSS had fielded 4 candidates, won together mustered 309,940 votes (0.29% of the national vote).^[7]

In the 1952 Bihar Legislative Assembly election, LSS fielded 12 candidates out of whom 7 were victorious.^[8] The LSS elected legislators were Sirish Chandra Banerjee (Baghmundi), Dimo Charmahar (Purulia-cum-Hura), Samarendra Nath Ojha (Purulia-cum-Hura), Nitai Singh Sardar (Manbazar-cum-Patamda), Satya Kinkar Mahata (Manbazar-cum-Patamda), Bhim Chandra Mahato (Barabazar-cum-Chandil) and Atul Chandra Singh Bhuiya (Barabazar cum Chandil).^[8] In total the 12 LSS candidates mustered 148,921 votes (1.56% of the statewide vote).^[8]

Ahead of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, LSS organised a movement in 1955 to secure the transfer of Bengali-speaking areas of Bihar into West Bengal.^[3] The party organized a march of satyagrahis by foot from Pakbirah village (Manbhum District) to Calcutta, a 480 km walk.^[9] The march lasted 16 days, gathering some 1,000 participants.^[9] When reaching the vicinity of the West Bengal government headquarters, the march was broken up by police and participants arrested.^[9] Some were jailed.^[9]

After the reorganisation of the states of India in 1956, most of the areas where LSS was active became part of West Bengal.^[5] As of 1956 the leader of the party was Sirish Chandra Banerjee, who became of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly in 1956.^[5] In the 1957 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election LSS fielded candidates in all 11 assembly seats in Purulia District.^[10]

LSS contested the 1962 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, fielding 11 candidates. LSS obtained 68,583 votes (0.72% of the statewide vote), winning 4 seats.^[11]

Ahead of the 1967 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election LSS entered into a seat-sharing agreement with both the People's United Left Front and the United Left Front.^[12][13] After the election Bibhuti Dasgupta of LSS was named Minister for Panchayats and Social Welfare in the first United Front government.^[14][15]

LSS fielded 6 candidates in the 1969 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, winning 4 seats.^[16] The party obtained 99,844 (0.74%).^[16] After the election LSS politician Bibhuti Dasgupta was named Panchayat Minister in the second United Front cabinet.^[17]

The LSS dominance over Purulia politics was broken after the fall of the United Front.^[3] In the 1971 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election LSS fielded 11 candidates, but none was elected.^[18] The party obtained 52,980 votes (0.41% of the statewide vote).^[18]

The party went into rapid decline.^[19] Most of its erstwhile supporters joined the Communist Party of India (Marxist).^[19]

In line with Gandhian principles, LSS ran relief activities in during food scarcities, floods and other calamities.^[6] It ran an auxiliary organization, Muktiyuddho Sewak Sangh, to help former freedom fighters.^[6]

LSS published Mukti ('Liberation') as its weekly organ during many years.^[20][6][21] The publication had been founded during the independence struggle.^[22] Bibhuti Dasgupta, the general secretary of the party, edited Mukti.^[23]

As of the early 1980s, it was issued in 1,000 copies and edited by Arun Chandra Ghosh.^[20]