DEVELOPMENT GOES MISSING IN CHANDAWA

DEVELOPMENT GOES MISSING IN CHANDAWA

6-APRIL-ENG 7

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA-----------------------On the birth anniversary of Babu Jagjivan Ram, his village, Chandwa, remains in a dilapidated state, lacking even basic amenities. Villagers have appealed to the government for development.

While the entire nation remembers Babu Jagjivan Ram—the country's former Deputy Prime Minister and a towering leader of the Dalit community—with reverence and respect on his birth anniversary, his ancestral village, Chandwa, remains condemned to a life of deprivation, still lacking basic amenities. It is a cruel irony that the very village of this great leader—who gave a new direction to the nation—is today still awaiting the arrival of development.

The village of Babu Jagjivan Ram—who once played a pivotal role in national politics—is today lamenting its own plight. Villagers allege that while the government has remembered 'Babuji's' contributions, it has completely neglected the development of his village. Even today, many families here are forced to live in dilapidated mud houses (*kaccha* houses) and struggle to meet their daily necessities.

Babu Jagjivan Ram was born on April 5, 1908, in the village of Chandwa (near Arrah) in the Bhojpur district, to Shobha Ram and Basanti Devi. Rising from this very soil, he carved a distinct identity for himself in national politics and dedicated his entire life to the upliftment of the Dalit community.

Babu Jagjivan Ram participated actively and enthusiastically in the freedom struggle. He was a staunch follower of Mahatma Gandhi and played a pivotal role in the 'Quit India Movement,' which commenced on August 9, 1942. He was entrusted with the responsibility of spearheading the movement; however, he was arrested within just ten days of its inception. Despite this setback, his struggle continued unabated, and he remained a steadfast pillar of the freedom movement.

Babu Jagjivan Ram's tenure as the Minister of Agriculture was truly historic. Under his leadership, the nation witnessed the advent of the 'Green Revolution,' which played a crucial role in making India self-reliant in terms of food grain production. The impact of his decisions and policies can still be observed in the country's agricultural landscape today.

Babu Jagjivan Ram's active political career spanned nearly five decades. He holds the record for serving continuously as a Member of Parliament from 1946 to 1986. During this period, he held several key portfolios, serving as the Minister of Labour, Agriculture, Communications, Railways, and Defence. He also served as the country's Deputy Prime Minister from March 23, 1977, to August 22, 1979. He remained a serving Cabinet Minister for 30 years. He passed away in 1986.

Babu Jagjivan Ram passed away in Delhi on July 6, 1986. In accordance with his wishes, his final rites were performed on July 7 in his ancestral village, Chandwa. Every year, his death anniversary is observed in Delhi on July 6, while tribute ceremonies are organized in Chandwa on July 7.

Despite being the ancestral village of such a prominent leader, Chandwa continues to struggle today with basic amenities such as roads, drainage systems, sturdy housing, and employment opportunities. Villager Devi Dayal Ram states that while they take pride in being residents of "Babu Ji's" village, the government has completely forgotten about it. Even today, many families manage to eke out a living solely through manual labour.

"We are proud to hail from Babu Ji's village; however, the government has today forgotten both him and his village. Even now, many Dalit families in the village remain deprived of basic amenities such as sturdy housing, roads, drainage, and employment. People are compelled to live in mud houses and somehow manage to sustain their families through manual labour." — Dayal Ram, Resident of Chandwa

The villagers note that Babu Jagjivan Ram's daughter—and former Speaker of the Lok Sabha—Meira Kumar has also not visited her ancestral village for a long time. This has created an atmosphere of disillusionment among the people, leading them to feel that their village has now been completely neglected. "In light of Babu Jagjivan Ram's historic contributions, his ancestral village, Chandwa, should be included under a special development scheme so that the villagers, too, may enjoy a life of dignity and access to basic amenities." — Devi Dayal Ram, Villager

The residents of the village have urged the government to include their village under a special development scheme, taking into account the historic contributions of Babu Jagjivan Ram. The villagers assert that, if the government so resolves, Chandwa could be transformed into a model village.

On the occasion of Babu Jagjivan Ram's birth anniversary, the question has once again arisen: will the plight of his village ever change? To preserve the legacy of this great leader—who provided direction to the nation—it is imperative that his village undergoes proper development, thereby enabling future generations to view his heritage with pride.