'Thakur' Poem: Is BJP's Attack on Manoj Jha a Ploy to Deflect Attention from Ramesh Bidhuri?

Patna: Raghavendra Pratap Singh, Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) MLA from Bihar, has threatened to behead Rajya Sabha MP and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader, Manoj Jha, following the latter's use of a poem in his parliament speech which is critical of feudal mindset.

"You [Manoj Jha] are a Brahmin. Don’t forget it. You have forgotten that I am also a Rajput. We will not even think for a second before beheading you," said Singh in a video statement.

However, RJD chief, Lalu Prasad Yadav, came to Jha's defence, warning those making statements against him. "Those opposing Jha for his innocuous quote should stay within their limits. Manoj Jha is an intellectual," said Yadav. Jha is a professor of social work at Delhi University.

During the discussion on the recently passed women's reservation Bill, Jha quoted from Hindi litterateur Omprakash Valmiki's poem, which opens with the following lines: "Kuan Thakur ka, Paani Thakur kaa, Khet Khalihar Thakur ka (The well belongs to Thakur; so do the water and all the farm fields)..." The poem makes an appeal to "kill the Thakur within".

Valmiki uses the term 'Thakur' in the poem symbolically, both to depict the prevailing feudal mindset of his time as well as to call upon people to fight oppression being perpetuated in the name of caste. Jha's use of the poem – particularly during the debate on the women's reservation Bill – was to call upon those wielding power and authority to get rid of that "exploitative Thakur" from their psyche, which resulted in denial of equal opportunities for women.

Jha's comments have set off a barrage of criticism from the leaders of the Thakur community across party lines, with BJP leaders at the forefront of launching the attack on Jha. Several BJP leaders described Jha's comments as "anti-Rajput". Senior BJP leader from Bihar, Sushil Kumar Modi, directed his criticism at the RJD's top leadership, asking Tejashwi Yadav to apologise for his party colleague's remarks.

'Row over Manoj Jha's comments to divert attention from Ramesh Bidhuri'

For the BJP, Jha's remarks have come at a time when it is troubled by Ramesh Bidhuri's episode. Bidhuri's communal slurs at Bahujan Samaj Party's MP, Danish Ali, in the parliament have once presented to the world the hate factory being run by the Hindutva brigade, with the tacit support of the BJP-led Union government. Jha's remarks, RJD and JD (U) believe, will be used by the BJP to deflect the public attention from Bidhuri's comments and train its guns at the opposition, given that Jha's party, RJD, is a constituent member of the INDIA alliance.

Ramesh Bidhuri speaking in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

Advertisement

Both Lalu Prasad Yadav and Bihar chief minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar, according to sources close to them, sensed that the BJP is using Jha’s recitation of Thakur ka Kuan poem to divert attention from Biduri. First, the RJD’s national vice president, Shivanand Tiwary described the interpretation of the poem as anti-Rajput as "foolish and downright stupid".

JDU’s national president, Lalan Singh, strongly followed up on Tiwary's comment, defending Jha. "Manoj Jha did no wrong by quoting Thakur ka Kuan. Why is the question being raised on it after a week of Jha reciting the said poem? Jha has not hurt the sentiment of any community and has done no wrong," Singh said in defence of the leader from RJD, which is in government in Bihar with its alliance partner JD(U)

"With Laluji intervening in the matter and defending Manoj Jha, the RJD and JDU leaders belonging to the Rajput community will read between the lines now and understand the BJP’s game," said a senior RJD leader. "The opposition leaders should be cautious with the BJP which has mastered the art of diverting attention from its failure."

Also read: Ramesh Bidhuri Has Exposed the Real Face of the BJP, Beyond PR Charm Offensives, Studied Silences

Besides BJP leaders, some RJD and JD(U) leaders have also lashed out at Jha. Chetan Anand, RJD MLA, said, "If people, where he lives, get to hear this (poem), they will not let him come there.... I am shocked that people there (Rajya Sabha) listened to it. I would have protested then and there had I been there," Chetan said. Chetan is the son of strongman Anand Mohan Singh, who was recently released from jail after serving a prison term in connection with the murder of an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer in the 1990s. Anand Mohan also hit out at Jha.

Sanjay Singh, JD(U) leader and MLC, also criticised Jha. "Such statements create division in the society. We are with Nitish Kumar who unites people from all religions and castes. Manoj Jha will get a befitting reply for this. This is an indecent statement. He should apologise," said Sanjay Singh, who hails from the Rajput community.

'BJP's trap'

There is criticism that young leaders from RJD and JD(U) are falling into "BJP's trap" on the issue while also reflecting their lack of understanding.

In 1931, Munshi Premchand wrote a short story titled “Thakur ka Kuan”. Through the characters of Gangi and her ailing husband Jokhu – the couple hailing from the untouchable community – the great storyteller commented on the stranglehold of a feudal lord on the means of livelihood in a village. Gangi is unable to draw water from a well belonging to a Thakur and her husband, ailing for long, is compelled to drink contaminated water.

Omprakash Valmiki’s poem, ‘Thakur ka Kuan’ can be said to be a follow-up on Premchand's story on the exploitation of the Dalit communities and disproportionate control of the feudal classes on the means of livelihood in the rural society.

There is a criticism that the current crop of RJD and JD(U) leaders lack the understanding that the second-generation socialist leaders, including Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad Yadav, and Shivanand Tiwary, possess. Nitish was known for his reading habit when he was a student leader. He is said to have read the complete writings of socialist icons Ram Manohar Lohia, Jayaprakash Narayan, among others.

Although Lalu Yadav was not very studious, he gained an immense understanding of society as he was under the tutelage of Lohia, Narayan, Karpoori Thakuri, and others. He also took an active part in the movements at the grassroots level meant to free deprived sections from oppression. Lalu began his political career by taking part in the procession led by Shivanand Tiwary against Shankaracharya’s attack on the Dalits in the late 1960s. Tiwary is known to read and write regularly till today.

In fact, Lalu defended Jha on the sidelines of launching the book, “Sansad se Sadak”, authored by Shivanand Tiwary.

Nalin Verma is a senior journalist, author, media educator, and independent researcher in folklore. 

The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.