The lost property was returned.
Saptari's Madhupati Ward No. 7 Bechani Devi Mandal, a 62-year-old widow of Kadamaha village, who lives , says that it has been 10 years since my husband Ram Adhin Mandal passed away. But the husband did not have citizenship. Later, citizenship was not created because the sons-in-law should be given share and land instead of being created. Later, the ward presidents did not tell the gavis president, they did things under various pretexts, and they spent thousands of rupees running around Rajbiraj and VDC. In the end, he stayed at home in despair, it was difficult for his children to go to school. Later, his son worked in a small hotel. Two hundred rupees per month as salary started to make a living.
Jan Chetna Dalit Sangam started the land, citizenship, reservation movement. After learning about that movement, I started participating in the programs at Sangam. Fasted for 48 hours, sat down, surrounded, marched. Many times he assisted the city land association, but according to the suggestion of the chief district officer, citizenship is going to be distributed in the village later. When the citizenship team came to Madhupati from 2063.11.4, Ganesh Ram, the representative of Jan Chetna Dalit Sangam and others got their citizenship on the first day. His future son was also made a citizen. Now my lost lands have been returned. I will cooperate in every campaign of the organization.
The Chamar Movement of Saptari and Siraha, 2056 BS
source - Dalit Story
In October 1998, four Dalit Sangam (a Public Organization of the Dalit People) under the guidance of Saraswati Community Development Forum (SCDF), Terhauta, launched and strengthened the community program in four Village Development Committee of Saptari district, namely Hardiya, Daulatpur, Madhupatti and Kushaha.
After its formation, the Dalit communities were awaked about the “Role of the People’s Organizations in Civil Society” and the ‘Present Condition of the Dalit community in the Society”. These activities led to their strong unity and extension of the organization.
Between 1998 and mid- 1999, four strong people’s organizations were formed in four Village Development Committee which struggled on different issues of the oppression of the Dalits and started taking decisions about making internal reforms for caste and class upliftment.
Primary Phase of the Movement Against Throwing Carcasses
In July 1999, an animal of Kishan Kalwar of Madhupatti died. As practiced traditionally, he asked Dhodhai Ram to throw the carcass. When Dhodhai Ram refused, the owner had to throw the carcass himself. But the villagers threatened to boycott Dhodhai Ram for his refusal to throw it and boycotted him for a couple of days. Later, the Dalit organizations of 5 Village Development Committee joined together and supported Dhodhai Ram and protested against the boycott. The event was given due coverage in Chhalphal Saptahik (a Nepali weekly) dated 15th August, 1999. The news was copied and distributed among the other Dalit Sangams. The boycott could not prolong due to the unity of the Dalit Sangams. Instead, the movement against throwing the carcasses got momentum.
Expansion of the Movement
Another event occurred at Daulatpur in November 1999 after the event at Madhupatti. Some cattle of Harilal Chaudhari, Shreedev Chaudhari and Bhutai Chaudhari of Ward No. 5 of Daulatpur Village Development Committee died. The cattle owners asked the Chamars to throw the carcasses as per the existing tradition. However, none of the about 600 Chamars living in that village agreed to do so. Accordingly, they revolted against the Chamars from 1st December 1999. They prevented the Chamars from taking any loans, using pipes, wells or ponds, working in somebody’s field, or as a labourer and also from buying goods from any shop. The defiant would-be fined NPR. 50. The Chamars of Daulatpur had a tough time for about a fortnight. The event was given a wide coverage in national daily newspapers like Himalaya Times, Kantipur and The Kathmandu Post.
Launching the Movement Against Throwing Carcasses in Lahan
After declaring to launch the movement against throwing carcasses during the Human Rights Day 10 December 1999, the President of Janachetana Dalit Sangam, Baldev Ram, reached Lahan with some copies of the Kantipur news on Daulatpur blockade. He related the December 1999 events of Daulatpur to the social leaders of Chamars and general people of Lahan. Moreover, Baldev Ram decided to launch a movement against throwing carcasses through a small meeting of the Chamars in Lahan. Thus, the Movement against throwing Carcasses had started from Lahan, Siraha in December 1999.
Impact of the Movement Against Throwing Carcasses
The Chamars’ decision against throwing carcasses became a sensation in Lahan. Many welcomed it, as their fundamental rights while others condemned it fearing it would upset the entire social structure. They called it improper and impractical. Meanwhile, a calf of Mr. Surendra Shrestha of Lahan Municipality died in evening. He requested many Chamars to throw the carcass but none agreed. At 8 p.m. he himself threw the carcass on a municipality wheelbarrow brought with the help of his neighbor Parshuram Chaudhari. After throwing the carcass, he said, “We threw the carcass ourselves. Will the society condemn us as untouchable? Never, but the Chamars are called so only on that account.”
Position of Lahan Municipality
Socially speaking, Lahan Municipality· is largely inhabited by Marwaris and Chaudhari who are mostly industrialists, rich and politically powerful. The Marwaris are involved in trade and industry while the Chaudhari are active in trade, industry as well as agriculture and politics.
An analysis of the power centers shows that Laganlal Chaudhari (former mayor) and Padma Narayan Chaudhari (former MP and State Minister for Industry) have been directing all the social, economic and political activities of Lahan. Despite their political or ideological differences, the Chaudharis display great harmony and agreement on many issues due to their old family and caste relations. Padma Narayan Chaudhari’s house still is regarded as Dyodhahi (a palace). He is a property owner. Many Dalits like Chamars and Musahars depend on their land (estate). On this account, the Dalits always dance to the master’s tune and the latter always cashes them as a vote bank (or pocket votes) during the elections.
Nature of Sanction Against the Chamars in Lahan:
On 24th March, 2000, all the Chamars of Lahan Municipality had to face a very inhuman and harsh illegal blockade. On the eve, a group of 5-7 people went around the Lahan market and pressurized each individual and shopkeeper for social boycott and blockade of the Chamars. They also pasted a notice of the same flyers on electric poles. ”The Chamars are not allowed to walk upon others’ land, to use ponds, veils and pipes and to perform daily rituals (purging and pissing) on others’ land”. Early at the morning on 24th March, 2000, two persons were employed by Chamar Boycott Committee to announce the blockade on a microphone. Accordingly, they hired a rickshaw (three-wheeler) and went around Lahan market appealing the shopkeepers not to sell any goods to the Chamars.
Early morning, the Chamar porters were forced out of the local Bus Park and deprived of their daily earning. A group was employed at the bus park under Bhagwati Chaudhari for that purpose. The bus conductor Sanhu Ram was forced out of his regular job. He was also asked to vacate the shop immediately rented at Magain Chaudhary’s house and close his communication centre.
Explosion of the Event
Few days the blockade was imposed on 24th March, 2000, a buffalo belonging to Padma Narayan Chaudhari died. His family members ordered the Chamars to throw the carcass. However, the participants of the “Movement against Throwing Carcass” refused to follow the order. So, the family members of Padman Narayan Chaudhari had to throw it themselves. This enraged Padma Narayan Chaudhari and his elder brother Kisun Lal Chaudhari.
On 23rd March, 2000, a meeting was held at the school located in Ward No. 1 of Lahan Municipality under the chairmanship of Padma Narayan Chaudhari. It resolved that the Chamars were to be barred from the meeting. Other attendees belonged to 11 different castes. Padma Narayan Chaudhari made them all consent about the fact that the Chamars had breached the social tradition and deserved social punishment. Thus, a Chamar Boycott Committee was formed. It was not yet clear as to how many members it consisted. But a local resident, Purna Bahadur Khadka was selected as its chairman. It, however, prevented the Chamars from working as labourers, taking or giving loans, trading upon others’ land, using wells, pipes and ponds, working as porters at the bus park, working as bus conductors and buying goods from any shop. They were also sacked from the houses where they worked as attendants. A severe blockade followed the other day on 24th March, 2000.
Participation of the Dalits in Chamar Boycott Committee
A group of Musahars belonging to the Dalits were actively involved in deciding for and executing the blockade on the Chamars. Later it was found that they had built their houses on Padma Narayan Chaudhari’s land. So, they could not defy the later’s order and support their fellow Chamars. Another reason was that they were likely to be placed as porters at Lahan Bus Park instead of the Chamars.
The Musahars were tempted at the prospect of earning Rs. 200 to 300 as porters so they took part in the forum against the Chamars. Moreover, the Chamars and the Musahars had been claiming superiority between each other as per the so-called social tradition of untouchability. This superstition also led to the Musahars getting involved against the Chamars.
Role of Saraswati Community Development Forum (SCDF) against the Blockade:
A three-day training wa