Shantaram Naik


Shantaram Laxman Naik was an Indian politician from Indian National Congress party and a former Member of the Parliament of India representing Goa in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament. He was the President of the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee and the whip of the Indian National Congress in the Rajya Sabha.

Early life and personal background

Shantaram Naik was born on 12 April 1946 to Laxman and Sita Naik in Cuncolim village in then Portuguese India. He was initiated into politics as a student during the 1967 Assembly elections when he started putting up election campaign posters of the Indian National Congress in public places. He pursued a B.A. degree from the Parvatibai Chowgule College on 11 May 1984. Beena is the sister of eminent public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam. Shantaram and Beena have a son named Archit.

Member of Lok Sabha

Shantaram Naik was elected to the 8th Lok Sabha in the 1984 general election from the North Goa constituency. As a Lok Sabha member, he introduced the highest number of Private member's bills in the 8th Lok Sabha. He also pursued the demand for statehood to Goa. During his term at the 8th Lok Sabha, Naik was a member of the Estimates Committee.

Member of Rajya Sabha

Naik represented Goa in the Rajya Sabha for two terms.

Death

He died on 9 June 2018 in Margao, Goa following a heart attack.

Controversy

After a Russian woman claimed she was raped by a state politician, he suggested that some rape victims invite trouble by socialising with "strangers" and blamed the media for highlighting the issue. Naik was criticised by leaders of opposition parties such as CPI-M, BJP and SP for blaming the rape victim and media.