Dehradun, Former Congress MP and freedom fighter Paripoornanand Painuli (94) passed away here on Saturday after prolonged illness.
Born in Tehri district, Painuli joined India’s freedom struggle during the Quit India Movement in 1942. Later he was jailed in connection with the Meerut bomb blast case.
After he was released from the Meerut jail, Painuli went to Tehri where he launched a movement against the Tehri Kingdom. He was again jailed but escaped from the prison shortly.
After his escape, Painuli met top Indian leaders such as Govind Ballabh Pant, who advised him to fight for democracy against the Tehri royalty. He was again arrested in 1947 but was released before the merger of Tehri Garhwal into the Union of India in 1949.
In 1971, Painuli won the Lok Sabha elections on Congress ticket from Tehri, defeating the late Maharaja Manvendra Shah. Painuli was also associated with a few national dailies as a journalist.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat expressed his grief over Painuli’s demise and would visit his home at Vasant Vihar here on Sunday.
