Jagdish Mahto

Jagdish Mahto was born in Ekwaari village. He was a member of Koeri community. [2] Mahto established a newspaper called "Harijanistan" (Dalit land) in order to voice support for the rights of the Dalits.[3] Shri Bhagwan Singh Kushwaha, a former Minister in Government of Bihar is son-in-law of Master Jagdish Mahto. [4]

Prior to his involvement in the Naxalite movement, he was teaching science at HD Jain College, Arrah.[5] In the later part of his life he had some political connection and he became inspired by the writing of Karl Marx. Later he was became an Ambedkarite when he came across the philosophy of B. R. Ambedkar. Mahto was a staunch supporter of the rights of the Dalits. He was also against the privileges that the upper castes enjoyed, which was ascribed to their birth as "twice born"(dvija). In 1967, when Bengal and Punjab witnessed Dalit upsurge and popular movements, Bihar was quiet and there was no reaction from the oppressed sections of the society. Scholars ascribe the prevalent landlordism and dominance of upper castes as the reason behind fear of lower castes to rise their voices.The first spark of Naxalism evolved in "Mushari", but it was soon extinguished by the feudalistic forces.[3]

In the 1967 election, Mahto was supporting one of his friend who was contesting on the ticket of CPI and was pitted against a candidate supported by local Bhumihars. When Mahto went to the polling booth a Bhumihar youth was not letting anyone cast their vote. Mahto resented and was beaten badly by other Bhumihars. He was admitted to the hospital where he had to remain for several months. After being discharged, Mahto decided to initiate the movement once again which was extinguished in 1930 without any result. During this period, Mahto came in contact of Charu Mazumdar who had led a communist uprising in Bengal and had travelled to Bhojpur delivering a powerful speech to crush the enemy, i.e. the landlords.[3][5]

In the meantime, Mahto formed an alliance with the other like minded youths like Ramnaresh Ram and Rameswar Ahir and they assembled their supporters under the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation.[6] They began organising murders of landlords and their henchmen. By the end of 1970s a large number of landlords were killed. The question was not only of economic reforms i.e. the "banihari"(unpaid labour), which Dalits did to their masters but was also of honour or the "ijjat" as there used to be unrestricted and arrogant access of the Dalit women to the landlords. The Dalits who were mostly landless labourers were fighting under Jagdish Mahto for their honour.[3]

Mahto was killed after beaten up to death by a Musahar mob who confused him to be a "Dacoit"(bandit).[7] Before dying Mahto is said to have spoken to one of his comrades that though he was dying but the upper caste landlords won't dare to touch Dalit women in future.

According to Arun Sinha, Mahto was never given the respect due to him by the upper castes. Even his wife was defamed as a prostitute and the pro capitalist administration tried to negate the issues at naxalbari hiding it from the rest of the country.[3]

In an interview with the media outlets in Delhi, Ramnaresh Ram, the associate of Mahto reiterated the conflict that was taking place for many decades in Bhojpur between landed gentry and the subordinate tenants.[6] The caste strife came to an end in later years owing to the killings of the core naxal leaders and retirement of their subordinates.[5]

A commemorative stone of Jagdish Master at Ekwari village.

Jagdish Mahto became a notable figure among people of Ekwaari and several books were written to commemorate his struggle against the landlords for the cause of poor and the deprived. Some of the biographical accounts of Mahto are, Bhojpur Mein Naxalvadi Andolan’ (Kalyan Mukherjee and Rajendra Yadav), ‘Master Saab’ (Mahashweta Devi), ‘Raktim Tara’ (Suresh Kantak), and ‘Arjun Zinda Hai’ (Madhukar Singh).[8]

• Brahmeshwar Singh
• Ashok Mahto gang