Waiting for another Mahatma — the long story of a village

In 1917, Mahatma Gandhi paid a visit to Jasauli Patti to launch an agitation of indigo farmers, his first attempt at satyagraha after his return from South Africa. The British tried stopping him at the frontiers of this village in East Champaran district of Bihar, but under the Mahatma’s guidance, the farmers led a successful agitation against the policies of the British.

Ninety-eight years later, little has changed.

The villagers of today, most of them farmers and agriculture workers, say the administration does not care for them even now.

“I have about 10 acres of land. This year, the drought was difficult to handle. I lost almost 75 per cent of my crops and I didn’t get even a single rupee as compensation,” says Deenanath Singh, a septuagenarian farmer, sitting in front of his house.

He uses a solar lamp to light his veranda as electricity is yet to reach his side of the village. The lack of irrigation facilities and electricity are the main problems of the village, Singh says.

“Half the village has no power connection. Half of them got it a few days ago,” he added.

Electoral promises Making electricity available is a promise that politicians have been dangling before the people this election season.

“There is a State that has no electricity 4 km from its capital,” a leader of one of the Opposition parties says, tongue-in-cheek. “One of the country’s most illustrious of States – my lips are sealed (due to election code of conduct) – in the 11th plan (2007 to 2012) was expected to electrify 30 lakh households. By August 31, 2015, how many houses got electricity? Only 3.28 lakh.”

Things only got worse in the 12th plan period (2012-2017).

“The Central Government allotted ₹5,000 crore to electrify 54 lakh households and you have electrified less than one per cent. Some 25-35 thousand households have been electrified. There is already a vacuum of 27 lakh from the previous plan,” he says.

Jasauli Patti’s school is named after Mahatma Gandhi. The senior secondary division of the school is now being built. Every year, on April 16, the villagers gather at the school to commemorate Gandhi’s visit to their area. Stories on the plight of their ancestors are told to the younger generation. The elders, however, do not see a bright future. “Gandhi may launch another agitation if he comes to this village again,” says Vikas Kumar Singh, a young teacher.

Caste issues The plight of agriculture workers in the area is worse. Mahadalits and Yadavs form the workforce. They often have serious problems with the land owners. The Lalu Prasad-Nitish Kumar governments, they say, have brought some changes to their lives.

“We have good schools in the vicinity. But road connectivity to this place is in bad shape. We are not in a position to bribe the electricity department officials and that is a reason why we don’t have electricity,” said Subhash, who lives in a Mahadalit colony in the village. Some of his neighbours have gone to other States in search of manual jobs.

The upper caste is solidly backing the BJP.

“We want development and we hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will help us develop this village,” says Virender Singh Byas, another villager.

He says farming has been of no help and the Centre and the State governments should help them find newer job avenues.

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