Fruits of development elude rat-eaters
Bihar has about four million Musahars who are among the most deprived and marginalized communities living on the margins of society for centuries.
By Mohd Imran Khan
Patna, Jan 6 (Big Wire) Development is still a dream for Jamsaut Mushari village, not far from Patna’s Circular Road that houses chief minister Nitish Kumar and deputy chief minister Tejaswi Yadav.
Despite several visits by chief ministers, ministers and above all one of the world’s richest persons Bill Gates to the village, nothing has changed for its residents-Mushahars, a community said to be lowest among all dalits and the poorest of the poor in Bihar.
Pic credit: ssvk
Bill Gates and his wife Melinda Gates, who co-chair their international philanthropic Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, visited the village in March 2011.
The foundation focuses on reducing infant and maternal mortality rate, malnutrition, institutional delivery and immunization.
Last year, expectations ran high after their own kinsman Jitam Ram Manjhi became the chief minister of the state, but nothing changed for Jamsaut Mushari.
Bihar has about four million Musahars who are among the most deprived and marginalized communities living on the margins of society for centuries.
Still treated as untouchables, they draw their names from the practice of eating rats to combat hunger. Governments come and go but they have not tasted the fruits of development.
Like any other hamlet of Mushahar community, Jamsaut Mushhari is a poverty-stricken and foul-smelling ghetto of the most deprived and marginalized community.
The primary health centre in Jamsaut Mushahari is not functioning properly. “A lady doctor sometimes visits the centre. But we hardly get free medicines or any other health facility,” Runti Devi said.
Her five-year-old daughter Rani rarely attends the local anganwadi at it has nothing much to offer. Similarly, a government primary school up to class five runs in two room where, she says, teachers never bother to teach the children.
Rani’s elder brother Nitish Kumar is affected by severe malnutrition and regular fever. “We do not have money to provide a square meal to my family, how can we spend on costly medical treatments,” Devi said.
Like Devi and her husband Sajan Manjhi, most of the villagers work as daily wage labourers to eke out a living. Manjhi says it is difficult to get work every day and sometimes they do not get anything to eat.
Big Wire
Recommended for you
Leave a Reply
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
