Monday, July 31, 2017

Chiewelou Thele of Nagaland First Poster Girl of Delhi Police

Chiewelou Thele of Nagaland First Poster Girl of Delhi Police



Delhi Police has been using stock photos of commandos for its promotional activities for years. But now Delhi Police has used its own commando in its posters for the first time.



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Courtesy: Delhi Police 




And the lucky commando is Chiewelou Thele  from Nagaland. She was chosen because she was the best in her batch, and represented the diversity of force.



It is to be noted that Delhi has inducted more than 433 constables including 134 women from the eight sister states  of the Northeast India  to probe cases including crime against women and burglaries.




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Image courtesy: timesofindia.indiatimes.com



They have been trained  in police science, criminology,  cyber crime, computer application, law, and human rights with emphasis on discipline, good behaviour and professionalism. They have been specially trained to deal with accident, hurt, burglary, rape and murder cases.






Even women constables had also to undergo commando training including handling latest weapons, vehicle driving, firing practice and hand -to- hand combat. They underwent police training to handle cases of crimes against people of Northeast India.

A women constable Chiewelou Thele from Nagaland received "All-round Best Trophy". It was the major recruitment from outside Delhi after nearly three decades.

Chiewelou Thele has been a national level archer also. 







Friday, July 28, 2017

From the Eyes of Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha :Tharuhat of West Champaran in 2017



From the Eyes of Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha :
Tharuhat of West Champaran in 2017





(All the images are subject to IPR)




The sub Himalayan foothill of  Someshwar Range in the backdrop
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha



Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha






Singha River of Tharuhat in June 2017
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha




Medicine Shop of Ramchandra Khatait a Tharu (Schedule Tribe)  in Bakhari Baazar
Opened from More than over Three Decades
 on Ramnagar-Gobardhana Road
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha









Girls Bicycling Their Way Towards School in Tharuhat
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha









Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha





Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha









Ramnagar - Gobardhana Road
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha









Tharuhat Village
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha







Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha





Tharuhat Village
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha








Tharus in Their "Bari "
\Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha





Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha









Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha








Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha






Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha





Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha amidst Tharus in Tharuhat
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

A Canal in Tharuhat
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha





Tharuhat Agricultural Field
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha



Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha





Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha





Bridge Construction  as a part of Laying Down of Border Roads in Tharuhat
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha





Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha in  Ramchandra Khatait's (Tharu Schedule Tribe) Medicine Shop
Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

FROM PASTURIZATION OF THARUHAT TO THE PAUPERIZATION OF THE THARUS



FROM PASTURIZATION OF THARUHAT TO THE PAUPERIZATION OF THE THARUS
(Case of Tharus of West Champaran)

  
                                      DR. AJAY KUMAR (OJHA)




The article is on a tribe which is found in the Tarai region of Indo-Nepal border. This tribe has been totally neglected but mostly exploited whether they reside in India or Nepal. They have been looked down upon, grossly misunderstood and crowned with the title such as ‘Bagad’, ‘Junglee’ i.e fool and uncivilized. They have been living in utmost inhospitable condition in the densely forested region where ray of development is also scared to dawn.

                          After Independence of India the same tribe living in Uttar Pradesh was included in the VIIIth Schedule of constitution thus enjoying the benefits of Scheduled Tribe while their brethren in Champaran district of Bihar remained unscheduled and fell prey to the outsiders. This tribe, of now West Champaran district, has become the major tribe of Bihar after carving out of Jharkhand. After continuous peaceful struggle this tribe became Scheduled Tribe in 2003. But damage done to them for decades can never be undone or compensated.

                       This article zooms in on the tribe which is known as Tharu who live in West Champaran. The purpose is to highlight the social organization and culture along with pattern of social change taking place amongst the till now little known, perhaps unknown and unhighlighted tribe of Bihar. Hardly do we find any detail, in-depth study and research work on this tribe. Before the wind of change should blow away their rich and unique social organization and culture they need to be properly documented. “Documentation of various facets of tribal society is very much essential before they are totally eclipsed by the rapid process of globalization.” (Pfeffer & Behra: 2002) They are required to be intensely and extensively researched, their pattern of change minutely analyzed not with ethnocentric but cultural relativist approach.



It can be convincingly and forcefully said that the Tharus of West Champaran are not ‘Bagad’ or fool devoid of any culture of their own. They are till today very simple, innocent and hospitable community. And also they are not uncultured or uncivilized but they have their own unique and matchless culture with peculiar kind of tenacity and vitality not to be found among other tribes.  Now it can also be said with firm conviction that they are the original inhabitants of the Tarai and living there since time immemorial. The Tharus, especially their women are believed to be notorious for their sorcery and witchcraft, this belief too does not find any base or support in the society and it appears to be the figment of imagination of the neighbouring people to humiliate them.

In spite of the comparative isolation and seclusion in which the Tharus of West Champaran have been living due to their peculiar contact situation, they have not escaped infiltration from outside and have come in contact with heterogeneous peoples. People from across the border i.e Nepal and from plains have been visiting the Tharuhat (the area inhabited by the Tharus in West Champaran) in different roles of traders, moneylenders, merchants, contractors, administrative officials and exerted their influence considerably. The influence of commercial contacts through bi-weekly markets and fairs is also considerably felt among the Tharus as it helps in facilitating the transmission of new ideas along with import of new goods and articles. Election of Member of Parliament (MP) or that of Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) through democratic process   or introduction of Panchayati Raj has made them politically active, aware and conscious of their origin and rights.  As a result of these contacts we can observe perceptible change in the structure of the Tharu society, in its institutions or in the rules by which these institutions are governed, and also change in ideas, values and beliefs.


Child marriage and pre-puberty marriage are quite common among the Tharus of West Champaran. But now the younger generation is going through a transitional phase and they are marrying later than what was   existent earlier. A slow but certain trend is perceptible. The number of males marrying below fourteen years of age is gradually on decrease. A similar trend is visible in the case of marriage of females also. However, the age at marriage among females, normally does not cross nineteen years. Rarely does it break the barrier of twenty but not all above twenty five years of age. But even today child marriage and infant marriage especially among the females are very much prevalent.



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Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar (Ojha)

                                            


It is remarkable that marriage negotiations among the Tharus are normally initiated from the side of the bridegroom. There is tradition called Kaniauti also. As per this custom groomside gives some money to the  brideside, amount to be decided by mutual consent of both the parties either in cash or in kind. If  Kaniauti is accepted, it means that the girl is released from her father. If brideside is not inclined to accept the Kaniauti, it is not binding upon the groomeside to offer. But if asked by brideside, there can be no denial. The tradition of Kaniauti has been abolished by the Tharus of West Champaran in the new marriage regulation.

Earlier there was no limit on the number of persons from brideside, visiting groom’s house for Sagun or Barpujai. Since the formation of the Tharu Sangh, number of persons visiting the groomside has been restricted to only five. This has been done to save the family of groom from unnecessary harassment and embarrassment, and also from useless and unwanted expenses.

The tradition of Pathawan was also very burdensome and hence, in the marriage regulation of Tharu Sangh, it has now been abolished. A small but sensible change was brought about in the sense that only the groom will go to the village of bride along with two- three of his friends and take the bride along with him to his village. Unfortunately this tradition is still in vogue among the Tharus of West Champaran. But the trend has set in and some conscious and progressive among them have begun disowning this tradition.

Dowry system is almost non-existent in the Tharu society of West Champaran.  This evil of adjoining Hindu society is slowly making dent into the Tharu society. This trend appears to be disturbing for thepeople who are trying to eradicate such social evils. Demand of educated and well-placed grooms is increasing and thereby stray cases related to dowry are being reported in the some villages of the Tharuhat. Earlier the family of groom used to go to see girl but now the situation is changing diametrically opposed to the previous one. Family of bride is going in for search of the groom. Like in the society of the Bajis, it has become difficult and troublesome for the father of a girl to get the marriage of his daughter fixed.

Polygamy is permitted but only in the form of polygyny and not polyandry. There appears to be no definite rule limiting the number of wives a man may have. Earlier there were many cases of polygynous marriages, but now surprisingly, most of the Tharus prefer monogamous marriage. Thanks may be due to resource constraints. Only few cases of polygynous marriages are reported in the area.

Traditionally, marriage is solemnized in the same sub-caste, meaning thereby there cannot be marriage between persons of two different sub-castes. If a girl of one sub-caste elopes with a boy of another sub-caste, a fine is imposed to discourage any such effort. This is a matter of great concern in the Tharu society because it leads to unnecessary tension among different sub-castes of the Tharus of West Champaran.  Bharatiya Tharu  Kalyan  Mahasangh, established  with the prime objective of social, economic, moral , cultural and spiritual development of the Tharu society, introduced an important rule in this regard. According to the new rule there will be all kinds of interaction at all levels and marriage will be allowed among different sub-castes. This was a historical and path- breaking development and will have a far-reaching impact on the interaction among different sub-castes, paving the way for a new phase in the life of the Tharus of West Champaran. The introduction of the new rule has undoubtedly and indubitably brought about remarkable change in the Tharu society. The spectrum of marriage has now widened, choice of grooms and brides has tremendously increased and tension, to a great extent has been brought under control thus leading to harmony, cohesiveness and spirit of unity in the Tharu samaj, and consciousness of pan –Tharu identity.

In the social organization of the Tharus the family and not individual is regarded as the primary unit. The Tharu had families of very big size. There were several Joint families having more than one hundred members and all the members of the family were leading a very peaceful, comfortable and satisfactory life. Now it is evident that size of the family is on decrease substantially and also Nuclear families are predominant in the Tharu society. According to the trend it is most likely that most of the Transitional type of families would be transformed into Nuclear instead of Joint type. Majority of the Tharus expressed their firm opinion against break-up and they accepted the sad but inevitable story of disintegration of the Joint family. The prestige of the head in the family is also demonstrating a downward trend. Population growth, resource constraint, individualistic attitudes, process of modernization through films and conflict among the womenfolk stand as the major causes of disintegration of the Joint family.

In such cases where the parents are dead, the eldest brother of the sibling takes up the authority. But now cases like these are few and far between. The younger brother has started suspecting the very intention of the elder brother or the eldest brother as the case may be, on the ground that he might appropriate the resources and the landed property to his advantage. When two or three brothers live together it generally results in the partition of the property and the house. Due to infiltration of the outsiders (Baji), the harmony of the family and of the village of the Tharus has been completely disturbed and disrupted.


Earlier there were some sub-castes of the Tharus who did not invite Brahmin at any function. Guro(village priest) was earlier a very respectable person in the village and a Brhamin did not command respect in this community. The Tharus used to call a Brahmin by derogatory term “Re Babhanava”. But now the situation is changing. Brahmins are being respected and they are being invited to perform marriage ceremony or puja. After the formation of the Tharu Sangh, it has been decided that all the sub-castes will invite Brahmin at every ceremony and he alone will solemnize marriage. Feeling of untouchability was there but it never prevailed in its cruel or ugly form. Now- a – days social distance has shortened and there is good deal of interaction at every front but interdining is not encouraged.

 There is one very remarkable specialty found in the Tharu society. A friend enjoys a higher and more esteemed position than their kith and kin.




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Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar (Ojha)



But today this bond is breaking. Simple and innocent Tharus have been deceived and exploited in the name of friendship by the non-Tharus. Even their women have become prey to these people. The Tharu is now scared of making friendship.

Dominant position of the Tharu women is rooted in the culture of the Tharu society. The position of women in the Tharu society is not that of a family drudge as one may find in the societies of the Bajis. They have considerable freedom and wield great influence in the domestic sphere. Customs and conventions of the Tharu society have not been properly understood, they have been misconceived, misrepresented and misinterpreted. Customs are the integral part of the Tharu culture and here lies the reason for their dominant role in the society.

 But now we can perceive some changes taking place in the status of women of Tharu society. Interaction with the Bajis has mainly been responsible for the downgrading the status of Tharu women. Since now the Tharus have started looking for educated and settled groom for their girl, earlier existing process of marriage negotiation has completely got reversed. 

Institution of Lagania Baba is on wane and now brideside has to take initiative and look out for the groom. Bride price is now being replaced by the demand of dowry. Pomp and show, exhibition of wealth is becoming status symbol. Though Tharu Sangh has prohibited the menace of dowry, which is eating into the vitals of Tharu society and polluting its unique and matchless culture, some neo-rich of the area refuse to oblige. Now some of the families who have become a little affluent and their status enhanced due to various factors like getting a good job or becoming politically or otherwise powerful do not allow their women to go outside the home. Now some of the young Tharus , who have come to stay in the village after getting some education from outside Tharuhat, have begun dictating terms on their wives. This attitude of theirs has developed during their interaction with the Bajis while attending a school or college or by watching Hindi films. It would be unfortunate, if society like that of Tharus allow downgrading the status of women in their society. Dominant position of the women, good high status of women is the hallmark of the Tharu society of West Champaran and it should be preserved at all costs.

          With the influence of the non-Tharus, specially, the Hindus, the Hindu culture is slowly influencing the religious domain of the Tharus of West Champaran. They flock to fairs in thousands to worship the Hindu gods, such as Lord Shiva and mythical hero Rama. Their folk songs are woven around the stories of Ramayana and Mahabharata. Shivratri is celebrated with immense fervor and enthusiasm. Most of the Tharus go to Shiv Mandir  on the occasion of Shivratri. Though there is an absence of the idea of a definite pantheon of the Tharus as such, it is clear that there is a tendency growing among them to absorb the deities of Hindu religion on a large scale and to respect their Rishis and Saints. However, in time to come, this process of assimilation is to some extent weakening their faith in their old tribal religion -    spiritism or animism.

There was predominant impact of Muslim culture on all aspects of the life of the Tharus. It is traced even before the British period. Keeping of Tazia and worshipping it, had become a cultural aspect of the Tharu society of West Champaran. But the Tharus are scared of the Muslims because of their tyrannical nature, as some of the Tharus of the area report. They practiced theft, dacoity, kidnapping, snatching and other various kinds of anti-social activities.  The Tharus started distancing themselves from the Muslims due to their bad activities. Even today the Tharus are scared of the Muslims. Due to the acts of some people of the community the whole community has been defamed. The Muslims have also occupied and established many farms in the region.

Earlier there was a sub-caste of the Tharu called Kanfatta Yogi. Dead was given Samadhi among them. There was no shradha karma or shaving of the head. But now all the sub-castes practice the same rituals at the time of death of a Tharu. Rituals associated with the death of a person resemble that of the neighbouring Hindus.

Tharu society is a superstition–ridden society. This has brought many disadvantages to the village or community. Whenever anybody is killed or anything is stolen, some fictitious character like Choraha Bhut is held responsible and thus real culprit relapses into background. Bajis too, might have exploited this belief prevalent in the Tharu society to their advantage. But now such incidents are becoming things of the past thanks to the selfless and tireless effort of some of the aware people of the Tharu community who are fearlessly fighting against the ills of their society.

The Tharus of West Champaran owned a large amount of land. Land was not a problem for them. They were having very large joint families even then they led their lives very smoothly and satisfactorily. Process of decrease in their landholding started even before Independence but it was slow. After Independence, land alienation process became very fast. It is due to the fast process of land alienation that we find large number of big farms prospering in the Tharuhat.

Although the infiltration of the non-Tharus has always been there but it caught momentum since Independence. With the arrival of many government officials, including forest and police a large number of Bajis started making inroads in the Tharuhat. Simplicity and innocence of the Tharus became the vulnerable point to be exploited by the outsiders. These non-Tharus who are called Bajis by the Tharus played all sorts of tricks for grabbing the land of the Tharus. The Tharus have been reportedly tortured, physically and mentally, and also beaten up. Sometimes even beaten to death to create fear among them. They are even given the threat of court. Police officers of the locality also use to favour the powerful and influential Bajis who have great networks. Simple, innocent and even uneducated Tharus remain helpless.

But one thing is becoming crystal clear. Slowly but surely the Tharus are becoming conscious and aware of their rights. They have now at least begun to fight for their cause and raise their voice against any injustice meted out to them. It has been observed that where the Tharus have stood up, gathered courage and fought they have won their case. This good and positive trend appears to be very slow and negligible.

Oppression of the Tharus is confounded by the fact that corrupt minor officials frustrate the intention of the government. They fail to carry out the clear-cut instructions of the superior officers. Partiality of the local police officers is also very much evident who almost invariably side with the local powerful non- Tharus.

We cannot find a village in the Tharuhat, which is populated by Baji and the Tharus living there. That is why there are instances where the Tharus of a village have to leave their own village when they have been outnumbered by non-Tharus or Baji. These uprooted Tharus have settled somewhere else under compulsion. But non – Tharus are living in a Tharu village and even settling there without any problem or difficulty. The Tharuhat land is supposed to be very fertile even more than that of Punjab and these people have an eye on the land of the Tharus. In this way most of them have been able to develop their farm by slowly and gradually grabbing the land of the Tharus by hook or by crook.





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Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar (Ojha)




Many farms have cropped up in the Tharuhat area. Looking at the large number of farms, the Tharuhat of West Champaran has come to be known as ‘Land of Farms’. Most of the farms are the result of the gradual but steady alienation of the land of the Tharus on a large scale by the cruel, cunning, selfish and so called “cultured” non-Tharus (Bajis in local parlance) who have infiltrated into the Tharuhat for new and easily available pastures. Institution of Sarkar which is a kind of parallel government is neo-colonization of the Tharus. This has led to a situation in which the Tharus have virtually become the slave of the farm malik or Sarkar. Farm is also known as kachahari (court). Kachahari is named after the name of the owner of the farm who acts like a ‘magistrate’ and enjoys ‘the power of justice’. Poor Tharus thrown off from their own land, are now in the trap of and at the mercy of farm owner who invariably intimidates and terrorizes them so that they may not muster courage to raise any voice or revolt. So much is the intensity of terror that the Tharus dare not speak anything against the might of Sarkar. The Kachahari has become a very powerful institution and so pervading is the influence among the Tharus that they have become very scared of raising any voice against the highhandedness and atrocities of the farm might. The Tharus who were once upon a time leading a very peaceful and prosperous life and were the owner of sufficient land have become landless; have become alien in their own homeland. They have become paupers. The process of pasturization of the Tharuhat region has led to pauperization of the Tharus. 

Over a period of time the terror of farm malik has started decreasing but it is still prevalent. There appears to be a change in the culture of the farms and also the attitude of the Tharus towards the owners of the farms. Ray of awareness is very much visible upon their faces and scare of Sarkar and Kachahari is melting away but definitely no substantial change so as to alter the existing social structure.

Though the main occupation of the Tharus has been agriculture as they owned vast stretches of land, mostly afforested near Someswar hills. There was no  dearth of labour as it was easily available in the big joint family. But now the situation has changed. Self-sufficient Tharu family has been disintegrated due to various reasons and their dependence on agriculture has been eroded. Members of the most of the Tharu families are turning into landless labourers.This is really a disturbing trend as their economy in shambles. They have been alienated from their land and there is no alternative source of employment. Bajis, in the form of big farms, have devoured much of their land. Forest based industries would have been very advantageous for them but due to apathy from the government and policy makers no initiative appears to have been taken so far. The Tharus still shirk from establishing any business because of technical and procedural complexities associated with it. There are a few educated youths in the village but there are no employment opportunities available in the Tharuhat and they do not wish to leave their village. Non – inclusion of the Tharus of West Champaran in the Schedule of constitution for over more than five decades has substantially contributed to their pitiable and deplorable condition.

Alienation of the land of the Tharus and their exploitation from various sections have accelerated the process of pauperization and with this emerges the need to take loan for making both ends meet.  Tharus avoid taking loan from cooperative banks because of the clumsy and complex procedure. Illiterate Tharus are scared of the process and more so the employees of Cooperative Banks demand bribe for giving loan. They are more comfortable with the system of Mahajan or Panchania Baba as the loan is easily available through known persons. But none of these systems has been helpful in ameliorating the condition of the poor Tharus. The lives of the Tharus have become all the more miserable because of the village loan-sharks like Mahajans or Panchania Babas who offer loans at high interest rates. However, banks are not interested in giving loans to poor people and they consider the poor to be bad borrowers.











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Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar (Ojha)
       

                                           
The Tharus of West Champaran like other tribes are attached to their own land, own culture and own community. They do not go outside of their locale. But now they have started moving out of their village and Tharuhat(Once infested by Dacoits & called as “Mini Chambal”) in the search of employment forced by circumstances since their survival itself is at stake. Landholdings has decreased due to alienation of land by the non-Tharus and thus making most of them landless labour. There is lack of rural employment opportunities. Tribal youth are even being implicated in false cases by the police. Terror of Lal Salam is troubling them and the Tharuhat has become vulnerable to Maoists influence due to proximity and porousness of Indo-Nepal border. Above all, this area has now been directly connected through rail with almost all parts of the country and thus making it easy for the Tharus to move out. Centripetal forces, which have integrated the Tharus of West Champaran and attached them to their soil for ages, are weakening or disintegrating due to various obvious reasons and centrifugal forces are compelling them to move out of the area for rojgar(employment) and survival. Thus it can be perceived that migration and movement of the Tharus of West Champaran have started, though the pace may be slow and with this the process of change in their behaviour, outlook attitude, and also conditions of living.

After the influx of non- Tharus the institution of Gumasta also started weakening. Outside interference and support led to slow but sure disintegration of the age old system. Emergence of a number of farms brought along with a different system altogether for settling of disputes in the Tharu society. Each farm began to function, nay still functions as kachaheri (court) where most of the disputes get decided. Cohesiveness of the Tharu samaj got disturbed and the age old traditional system of settling their disputes among themselves without the interference of outsiders, that too peacefully and amicably, got a severe jolt. The prestige of Gumasta is declining and new panchayat system introduced by the government is playing a leading role. The head of Gram Panchayat earlier used to give some respect to Gumasta of the village and consult the Gumasta of different villages when faced with any problem or difficulty. Gumasta’s help and assistance was sought usually while solving any problem or introducing any developmental project. But these days the role of Gumasta has weakened to a great extent. No one goes to Gumasta for any consultation and advice. He is now not held in high esteem, regard or respect. During election also his role has become negligible. May be somewhere in some village where the Tharus are more organized and united and are a cohesive unit , the office and esteem of Gumasta, the age old institution of the Tharus of West Champaran, have remained unaffected , undiluted and unchanged.

Inclusion  of the Tharus of West Champaran in the list of Scheduled tribes would have led to more development , more attention by the government, more attention by press and media, more literacy , more awareness of their rights , more opening of the area to the outer world. But any move in this direction has been opposed by non-Tharus including higher castes, powerful backward castes, even Muslims. They are all having farms in the Tharuhat. But effort for inclusion did not die down. The Tharus slowly and gradually started thinking about themselves, about their welfare and about their identity. They did not lose heart and they established Tharu Kalyan Sangh.This was done not only with the objective of finding out their roots but also for removing the social evils from their samaj and  most importantly bringing the Tharus on one platform. They started interacting with each other at regular intervals.

Is not it the irony of the situation that in fifties when there was a move to include the Tharus in the list of Scheduled Tribe it was opposed on the ground that since they are not educated they would not be able to manage their constituency? But this logic was not applied in the case of other tribes of India when they were being included in the list of Scheduled Tribe. Not even in the case of the Tharus of Uttar Pradesh who belong to the same community as that of West Champaran.

Such developments in the Tharuhat clearly demystify the prevailing situation that every thing looks good, every thing is natural, every thing is without any disturbance, everything is proper, and everything is without injustice and exploitation. But when outer lid is removed, when outer surface is peeled off, when one goes deep into the social order and reality, the real, actual situation is witnessed.

It is purely the cheapest and the cruelest kind of manipulation designed by the so called educated, cultured and advance people who claim themselves to be successful politicians and who boast of doing public service in the Parliament or the Legislative Assembly. Just to serve their own petty interest all the groups who have the common objective to exploit the Tharuhat and the simple, peace-loving people, came together and opposed the inclusion of the Tharus of West Champaran in the list of Scheduled  Tribes.

Due to the cheap politics lives of lakhs of Tharus have become hell. Most of them have become homeless, shelter-less and landless on their own land. But their fight and struggle for being given Scheduled Tribe status continued in a peaceful manner perhaps taking the example of Mahatma Gandhi who fought for the just causes of Indigo Planters on the same land  against the unjust and barbaric rule of the British with his weapon of satyagraha and non- violence . Unjust and barbaric rule still continues but this time the rulers are not the foreigners but the people from their own country, own state, own district nay own locality. The Tharus of West Champaran , has become the major tribe of Bihar after carving out of Jharkhand and after continuous peaceful struggle this tribe got the Scheduled Tribe status in 2003.

Now what does “civilized” mean? Does it mean exploitation of the weak by the powerful? Does it mean doing inhuman thing and justify it also in one’s favour? Does it give the powerful right to suppress and oppress the weak? Perhaps yes. This appears to be true at the micro level as well as macro level. Non-Tharus settling in the Tharuhat area and now owner of big farms call the simple and gentle Tharus as Bagad /Murkh ie. fool just because they are having transparent personality , just because they are having humanitarian outlook, just because  they are peace-loving community. At the Macro level we can see America(China in the case of Tibet and now Doklam Bhutan) behaving like a thanedar, doing moral policing on the country like Iraq and even attacking the country and justifying its action. Just because America is powerful it can do anything and can get away with it, just because China is powerful it can encroach the territory of any vulnerable country and get away with it.

                                 Whether at Macro level or Micro level the dictum “MIGHT IS RIGHT” has been true in the past, is true in thepresent and will continue to be true in the future also and true meaning and spirit of “Civilized” and “Cultured” has always lost its significance under the influence of “MIGHT IS RIGHT”. Can we be sanguine that one day true meaning and spirit of the these two words be achieved? This is a question which will remain a question only with, possibly nay definitely, “no answer”. 





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Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar (Ojha)





REFERENCES

1. Kumar, Ajay. 2006. “Development through Communitization” YOJANA: A Development Monthly: December, 74-75
                                 2006. “Tharus of West Champaran: A Tribe Unhighlighted.” YOJANA: A Development Monthly: August, 88-90
                                2010. Pattern of Social Change among the Tharus of West Champaran in Bihar. PhD Thesis: JNU

2. Kannan, N. 2008. Rural Development and Social Change. Delhi: Abhijeet Publication.

3. Longkumer,J. 2009.Change and Continuity in Tribal Villages: A Sociological Study. New Delhi: Akansha

7. Pathak,Avijit. 2006. Modernity, Globalization and Identity: Towards a Reflexive Quest. New Delhi: Aakar Books

4. Sharma, K.L.   2007. Indian Social Structure and Change. New Delhi: Rawat Publications

5. Singh, Ramanand Prasad Singh.1988. The Real Story of the Tharus. Katmandu: The Tharu Sanskriti

6. Srivastava, S.K. 1958. The Tharus: A Study in Culture Dynamics. Agra: Agra University Press

8. Ojha, Rabindra Nath. 2000. Shivam Sundaram. Bettiah (West Champaran): Pragnya Parijat Prakashan