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style='position:absolute; width:325px; height:220px; left:0px; top:0px; padding:0px; background-image:url(http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/full_story_popup.gif); border:0px solid #B1470D; z-index: 899;'><div style='height:25px;padding-top: 5px; color:#990000;'><div style='float:right; padding:4px;'><a href='#' style='cursor:hand;' onclick='return floatingMenu.hide()'><img src='https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/close.gif' style='border:none;' /></a></div></div><a href='https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927/http://www.magzter.com/IN/Delhi-Press/The-Caravan/News/' target='_blank' style='cursor:hand;'> <div style='height:190px;'></div></a></div>"); } </script> <script> $("#menu-2031-1").addClass("story-active"); $("#menu-2038-1").addClass("story-active"); </script><div class="subhheading"><a href="/web/20150710032927/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/reportage/battle-bihar-jitan-ram-manjhi-caste-politics">Jitan Ram Manjhi and the politics of caste</a></div><div class="authorndate">By <a href="/web/20150710032927/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/profile/9882">PRIYANKA DUBEY</a> | <span class="date-display-single">1 July 2015</span></div><div class="full-image-view"><div class="show-image" style="display:block"><div class="f-image"><a rel="lightbox[lightbox_full_image][After Manjhi resigned as chief minister, most of the 34 decisions taken during his tenure were annulled. Manjhi protested with his new party, the Hindustani Awam Morcha.<br /><br /><a class="lb-credit"> </a>]" title="After Manjhi resigned as chief minister, most of the 34 decisions taken during his tenure were annulled. Manjhi protested with his new party, the Hindustani Awam Morcha." href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/imagecache/lightbox_full_image/the-battle-for-bihar_the-caravan-magazine_july-2015_01.jpg"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927im_/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_carousel/the-battle-for-bihar_the-caravan-magazine_july-2015_01.jpg" alt="" title="" width="657" height="435" class="imagecache imagecache-story_carousel"/></a></div><div class="f-credit"></div><div class="f-caption">After Manjhi resigned as chief minister, most of the 34 decisions taken during his tenure were annulled. Manjhi protested with his new party, the Hindustani Awam Morcha.</div></div><div class="show-image-10496" style="display:none"><div class="f-image"><a rel="lightbox[lightbox_full_image][After Manjhi resigned as chief minister, most of the 34 decisions taken during his tenure were annulled. Manjhi protested with his new party, the Hindustani Awam Morcha.<br /><br /><a class="lb-credit"> </a>]" title="After Manjhi resigned as chief minister, most of the 34 decisions taken during his tenure were annulled. Manjhi protested with his new party, the Hindustani Awam Morcha." href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/imagecache/lightbox_full_image/the-battle-for-bihar_the-caravan-magazine_july-2015_01.jpg"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927im_/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_carousel/the-battle-for-bihar_the-caravan-magazine_july-2015_01.jpg" alt="" title="" width="657" height="435" class="imagecache imagecache-story_carousel"/></a></div><div class="f-credit"></div><div class="f-caption">After Manjhi resigned as chief minister, most of the 34 decisions taken during his tenure were annulled. Manjhi protested with his new party, the Hindustani Awam Morcha.</div></div><div class="show-image-10498" style="display:none"><div class="f-image"><a rel="lightbox[lightbox_full_image][The family of Sai Ram in the room where the 15-year-old was burned to death, allegedly by an upper-caste landowner. <br /><br /><a class="lb-credit"> priyanka dubey</a>]" title="The family of Sai Ram in the room where the 15-year-old was burned to death, allegedly by an upper-caste landowner. " href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/imagecache/lightbox_full_image/the-battle-for-bihar_photo-by-priyanka-dubey_the-caravan-magazine_july-2015_02.jpg"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927im_/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_carousel/the-battle-for-bihar_photo-by-priyanka-dubey_the-caravan-magazine_july-2015_02.jpg" alt="" title="" width="580" height="435" class="imagecache imagecache-story_carousel"/></a></div><div class="f-credit">priyanka dubey</div><div class="f-caption">The family of Sai Ram in the room where the 15-year-old was burned to death, allegedly by an upper-caste landowner. </div></div><div class="show-image-10499" style="display:none"><div class="f-image"><a rel="lightbox[lightbox_full_image][Mahakar, Manjhi’s home village in Gaya district, witnessed a spurt of public projects over the last year, including a health centre, power substation, and a high school. The police post is being replaced with the two-story police station above.<br /><br /><a class="lb-credit"> priyanka dubey</a>]" title="Mahakar, Manjhi’s home village in Gaya district, witnessed a spurt of public projects over the last year, including a health centre, power substation, and a high school. The police post is being replaced with the two-story police station above." href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/imagecache/lightbox_full_image/the-battle-for-bihar_photo-by-priyanka-dubey_the-caravan-magazine_july-2015_03.jpg"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927im_/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_carousel/the-battle-for-bihar_photo-by-priyanka-dubey_the-caravan-magazine_july-2015_03.jpg" alt="" title="" width="580" height="435" class="imagecache imagecache-story_carousel"/></a></div><div class="f-credit">priyanka dubey</div><div class="f-caption">Mahakar, Manjhi’s home village in Gaya district, witnessed a spurt of public projects over the last year, including a health centre, power substation, and a high school. The police post is being replaced with the two-story police station above.</div></div><div class="show-image-10500" style="display:none"><div class="f-image"><a rel="lightbox[lightbox_full_image][During Manjhi’s swearing-in ceremony as chief minister of Bihar on 20 May 2014, the warmth between him and his predecessor Nitish Kumar was evident. <br /><br /><a class="lb-credit"> Santosh Kumar / Hindustan Times / Getty Images</a>]" title="During Manjhi’s swearing-in ceremony as chief minister of Bihar on 20 May 2014, the warmth between him and his predecessor Nitish Kumar was evident. " href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/imagecache/lightbox_full_image/the-battle-for-bihar_the-caravan-magazine_july-2015_04.jpg"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927im_/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_carousel/the-battle-for-bihar_the-caravan-magazine_july-2015_04.jpg" alt="" title="" width="361" height="435" class="imagecache imagecache-story_carousel"/></a></div><div class="f-credit">Santosh Kumar / Hindustan Times / Getty Images</div><div class="f-caption">During Manjhi’s swearing-in ceremony as chief minister of Bihar on 20 May 2014, the warmth between him and his predecessor Nitish Kumar was evident. </div></div><div class="show-image-10501" style="display:none"><div class="f-image"><a rel="lightbox[lightbox_full_image][While medical evidence supported the six Dumaria victims’ testimony, the case only mentioned one 11-year-old victim; the others were treated as witnesses. <br /><br /><a class="lb-credit"> priyanka dubey</a>]" title="While medical evidence supported the six Dumaria victims’ testimony, the case only mentioned one 11-year-old victim; the others were treated as witnesses. " href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/imagecache/lightbox_full_image/the-battle-for-bihar_photo-by-priyanka-dubey_the-caravan-magazine_july-2015_05.jpg"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927im_/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_carousel/the-battle-for-bihar_photo-by-priyanka-dubey_the-caravan-magazine_july-2015_05.jpg" alt="" title="" width="326" height="435" class="imagecache imagecache-story_carousel"/></a></div><div class="f-credit">priyanka dubey</div><div class="f-caption">While medical evidence supported the six Dumaria victims’ testimony, the case only mentioned one 11-year-old victim; the others were treated as witnesses. </div></div><div class="show-image-10502" style="display:none"><div class="f-image"><a rel="lightbox[lightbox_full_image][After a gang rape in Kurmuri village last October, Manjhi directed police to apprehend the accused rapists—including one who had been a leader of an upper-caste militia—within 24 hours. The trial was one of the fastest for a rape case in Bihar. <br /><br /><a class="lb-credit"> Prashant Ravi / Express Photo</a>]" title="After a gang rape in Kurmuri village last October, Manjhi directed police to apprehend the accused rapists—including one who had been a leader of an upper-caste militia—within 24 hours. The trial was one of the fastest for a rape case in Bihar. " href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/imagecache/lightbox_full_image/the-battle-for-bihar_the-caravan-magazine_july-2015_06.jpg"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927im_/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_carousel/the-battle-for-bihar_the-caravan-magazine_july-2015_06.jpg" alt="" title="" width="655" height="435" class="imagecache imagecache-story_carousel"/></a></div><div class="f-credit">Prashant Ravi / Express Photo</div><div class="f-caption">After a gang rape in Kurmuri village last October, Manjhi directed police to apprehend the accused rapists—including one who had been a leader of an upper-caste militia—within 24 hours. The trial was one of the fastest for a rape case in Bihar. </div></div><div class="show-image-10503" style="display:none"><div class="f-image"><a rel="lightbox[lightbox_full_image][After the murder of a man in Pura village, in Gaya district, over 250 Dalit families packed their belongings and left due to fear of retribution by the families of the group of upper-caste men arrested for the crime.<br /><br /><a class="lb-credit"> Prashant Ravi</a>]" title="After the murder of a man in Pura village, in Gaya district, over 250 Dalit families packed their belongings and left due to fear of retribution by the families of the group of upper-caste men arrested for the crime." href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/imagecache/lightbox_full_image/the-battle-for-bihar_photo-by-prashant-ravi_the-caravan-magazine_july-2015_07.jpg"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927im_/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_carousel/the-battle-for-bihar_photo-by-prashant-ravi_the-caravan-magazine_july-2015_07.jpg" alt="" title="" width="680" height="424" class="imagecache imagecache-story_carousel"/></a></div><div class="f-credit">Prashant Ravi</div><div class="f-caption">After the murder of a man in Pura village, in Gaya district, over 250 Dalit families packed their belongings and left due to fear of retribution by the families of the group of upper-caste men arrested for the crime.</div></div><div class="show-image-10504" style="display:none"><div class="f-image"><a rel="lightbox[lightbox_full_image][After months of deliberation and successful collaboration in the by-elections last year, the Janata Dal (United) and Rashtriya Janata Dal came together with other parties to announce the merger of a new “Janata Parivar” on 15 April. <br /><br /><a class="lb-credit"> Sonu Mehta / Hindustan Times / Getty Images</a>]" title="After months of deliberation and successful collaboration in the by-elections last year, the Janata Dal (United) and Rashtriya Janata Dal came together with other parties to announce the merger of a new “Janata Parivar” on 15 April. " href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/imagecache/lightbox_full_image/the-battle-for-bihar_the-caravan-magazine_july-2015_08.jpg"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927im_/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_carousel/the-battle-for-bihar_the-caravan-magazine_july-2015_08.jpg" alt="" title="" width="680" height="415" class="imagecache imagecache-story_carousel"/></a></div><div class="f-credit">Sonu Mehta / Hindustan Times / Getty Images</div><div class="f-caption">After months of deliberation and successful collaboration in the by-elections last year, the Janata Dal (United) and Rashtriya Janata Dal came together with other parties to announce the merger of a new “Janata Parivar” on 15 April. </div></div></div><div class="thumb-image-view thumbnail-list"><a href="javascript:loadmain(10496)"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927im_/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/imagecache/galleria_image_thumbnail/the-battle-for-bihar_the-caravan-magazine_july-2015_01.jpg" alt="" title="" width="65" height="44" class="imagecache imagecache-galleria_image_thumbnail"/></a><a href="javascript:loadmain(10498)"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927im_/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/imagecache/galleria_image_thumbnail/the-battle-for-bihar_photo-by-priyanka-dubey_the-caravan-magazine_july-2015_02.jpg" alt="" title="" width="65" height="44" class="imagecache imagecache-galleria_image_thumbnail"/></a><a href="javascript:loadmain(10499)"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927im_/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/imagecache/galleria_image_thumbnail/the-battle-for-bihar_photo-by-priyanka-dubey_the-caravan-magazine_july-2015_03.jpg" alt="" title="" width="65" height="44" class="imagecache imagecache-galleria_image_thumbnail"/></a><a href="javascript:loadmain(10500)"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927im_/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/imagecache/galleria_image_thumbnail/the-battle-for-bihar_the-caravan-magazine_july-2015_04.jpg" alt="" title="" width="65" height="44" class="imagecache imagecache-galleria_image_thumbnail"/></a><a href="javascript:loadmain(10501)"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927im_/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/imagecache/galleria_image_thumbnail/the-battle-for-bihar_photo-by-priyanka-dubey_the-caravan-magazine_july-2015_05.jpg" alt="" title="" width="65" height="44" class="imagecache imagecache-galleria_image_thumbnail"/></a><a href="javascript:loadmain(10502)"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927im_/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/imagecache/galleria_image_thumbnail/the-battle-for-bihar_the-caravan-magazine_july-2015_06.jpg" alt="" title="" width="65" height="44" class="imagecache imagecache-galleria_image_thumbnail"/></a><a href="javascript:loadmain(10503)"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927im_/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/imagecache/galleria_image_thumbnail/the-battle-for-bihar_photo-by-prashant-ravi_the-caravan-magazine_july-2015_07.jpg" alt="" title="" width="65" height="44" class="imagecache imagecache-galleria_image_thumbnail"/></a><a href="javascript:loadmain(10504)"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927im_/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/sites/default/files/imagecache/galleria_image_thumbnail/the-battle-for-bihar_the-caravan-magazine_july-2015_08.jpg" alt="" title="" width="65" height="44" class="imagecache imagecache-galleria_image_thumbnail"/></a></div> <div class="share-with"> <span class="st_facebook_hcount" displaytext="Facebook"></span> <span class="st_twitter_hcount" displaytext="Tweet"></span>  <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927js_/https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js"></script>  <g:plusone href="http://www.caravanmagazine.in/reportage/battle-bihar-jitan-ram-manjhi-caste-politics"></g:plusone> <div class="print-email"><a href="/web/20150710032927/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/print/5458">Print</a>|<a href="/web/20150710032927/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/printmail/5458">E-Mail</a>|</div><div class="single-paged">Single Page</div></div> <script type="text/javascript">var switchTo5x=false;</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927js_/http://w.sharethis.com/button/buttons.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript">stLight.options({publisher:'8014eb0d-feae-4f08-9056-b8b78a153569'});</script> <div class="fullpage-body"><div class="detailBody"><div class="view view-story-page-views view-id-story_page_views view-display-id-block_1 view-dom-id-1"> <div class="view-content"> <div class="views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first views-row-last"> <div class="views-field-body"> <div class="field-content"><div> <p align="center">| ONE |</p> </div> <p align="center"> </p> <p><strong>OUTSIDE 1 ANNE MARG,</strong> on a foggy morning last December, employees of the Patna Municipal Corporation swept away dry leaves knocked loose by a mild winter storm the night before. I sat inside the official residence of Bihar’s chief minister, in a waiting area with freshly mopped floors that reeked of phenyl, walls decorated with Madhubhani paintings, and posters of the Buddha. The chief public relations officer to Jitan Ram Manjhi, who was then the chief minister, chattered at me about how “the media misinterprets Mr Manjhi’s statements.” I was the day’s first visitor, but in half an hour a handful of political and social callers had joined the queue.</p> <p>Suddenly, a small mouse scurried through the hall. A few men laughed, others suppressed giggles—and everyone present immediately knew why. As the chuckles subsided, the joke was whispered around: when Manjhi—who comes from the Musahar Dalit sub-caste, traditionally associated with rat-catching—took his seat in the state capital, “he must have brought the rats from his village.”</p> <p> </p> <p><span style="color:#666666;">(Subscribe to <em>The Caravan</em> to read the full story. <u><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/digital-subscriptions">Click here</a></u> for a digital subscription or email subscription@delhipress.in for a print subscription.)</span></p> <div>  </div></div> </div> <div class="views-field-phpcode"> <span class="field-content"><div class="shortbioview">Priyanka Dubey is an award-winning independent journalist, born in Bhopal and now based in Delhi. She is currently working on her first non-fiction book, which looks at rape in India. </div></span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div></div><div class="detail-body"><div class="detailBody"><div> <p align="center">| ONE |</p> </div> <p align="center"> </p> <p><strong>OUTSIDE 1 ANNE MARG,</strong> on a foggy morning last December, employees of the Patna Municipal Corporation swept away dry leaves knocked loose by a mild winter storm the night before. I sat inside the official residence of Bihar’s chief minister, in a waiting area with freshly mopped floors that reeked of phenyl, walls decorated with Madhubhani paintings, and posters of the Buddha. The chief public relations officer to Jitan Ram Manjhi, who was then the chief minister, chattered at me about how “the media misinterprets Mr Manjhi’s statements.” I was the day’s first visitor, but in half an hour a handful of political and social callers had joined the queue.</p> <p>Suddenly, a small mouse scurried through the hall. A few men laughed, others suppressed giggles—and everyone present immediately knew why. As the chuckles subsided, the joke was whispered around: when Manjhi—who comes from the Musahar Dalit sub-caste, traditionally associated with rat-catching—took his seat in the state capital, “he must have brought the rats from his village.”</p> <p> </p> <p><span style="color:#666666;">(Subscribe to <em>The Caravan</em> to read the full story. <u><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150710032927/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/digital-subscriptions">Click here</a></u> for a digital subscription or email subscription@delhipress.in for a print subscription.)</span></p> <div>  </div> </div></div><div class="shortbioview">Priyanka Dubey is an award-winning independent journalist, born in Bhopal and now based in Delhi. She is currently working on her first non-fiction book, which looks at rape in India. </div> <div class="paging"></div> <div class="text-size-bottom"> <div class="views-as">View as</div><div class="single-paged">Single Page</div></div> <div class="story-tags"> <div class="story-block1"><div class="view view-story-related-tag view-id-story_related_tag view-display-id-block_1 view-dom-id-2"> <div class="view-header"> <h3 class="subject-heading">More From This Section</h3> </div> <div class="view-content"> <div class="views-row views-row-1 views-row-odd views-row-first"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="/web/20150710032927/http://www.caravanmagazine.in/reportage/holding-line-hockey-sardara-singh">Holding the Line</a></span> </div> </div> <div class="views-row views-row-2 views-row-even"> <div class="views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a 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