Is Bihar Changing?

by Indra

March 30, 2006

Three significant happenings in last few weeks in Bihar must have drawn the attention of all wishing a change for improvement in condition of the people of Bihar and its poor perception in the countrymen in general.

Firstly, I understand all the ministers and perhaps all those who matter in society in capital city Patna were attending Guru Ramdev's yoga classes last week. The CM has decided to start yoga classes in schools. I don’t know if the CM is talking about the VIP schools in urban areas or the government schools in rural Bihar.

I doubt if the schools, very lately, are having the PT (physical training) teacher in the government schools. Perhaps, the physical training and sports has been the most neglected aspect of our education. The perception percolated down the line that ‘padhoge likhohge hoge nawaab, kheloge kudoge hoge Kharab’ has done the maximum harm. The students as they grow, show the least interest in games and sports requiring physical exercises, disciplined workouts and practices. And the institutions hardly encourage it except for holding an annual sports function, a prize distribution followed by a celebrity’s speech.

I wish CM would request Ramdev to inspire some of his disciples to become trainers and go to every village of Bihar and explain to the people there the necessity of Yoga as preventive treatment for various ailments and then train them in basics. Today, the people in villages totally neglect their health care. People in villages have abandoned all the traditional routines of physical exercises. There are hardly any Akhara where young men of villages used to exercise and practice wrestling to keep themselves fit. Even the annual festivals when the contests in long and high jump, chikka, kabaddi and ‘dangal’ (wrestling)- were organized, has been discontinued. The villagers are also fast changing their life style and food habits. With richer food, Yoga practice or exercises are a necessity to avoid serious ailments, and to maintain physical fitness. Again, hardly some villages are fortunate enough to have doctors to advise the residents for the preventive action or treatment.

Can the government take guru Ramdev help to provide this facility to Bihar's villages? Bihar itself has its own famous school of Yoga in Munger or in some place that I am forgetting this moment. The services of that school must be sought to popularise yoga in rural Bihar.

However, I wish guru’s yoga lessons would make the ministers, police officers, and bureaucrats more agile, efficient and hard working to face the challenging task of bringing back Bihar to its past glory.

And now I heard, the state government has decided to appoint Guru Ramdev as the brand ambassador of Bihar and Nitish has said, “I have requested Swami Ramdev to become Bihar’s brand ambassador and he has not turned down my request.”

Will Yoga Guru Swami Ramdev’s efforts inspire and arouse within Biharis the urge to attain total fitness including character and human values?

On Baba’s part, Baba wishes and plans to open a yoga center in Bihar. As reported, he said, "The government has promised to provide me 100 acres of land to open a yoga center but that would take some time. In the meantime, I will open several centers at community halls and large houses so those interested in learning more about yoga techniques could start the training without much wait.”

In another unusual endeavor, the Bihar government has started a scheme of bringing the hardcore criminals in the main stream of the society and to make them lead a honourable life.
It is a novel idea. Vinobaji and even Jai Prakash Narayan tried it many years ago for hardcore criminals of Chambal ravines. However, this time the government announcement is quite comprehensive: cash compensation for the weapons; a sum of Rs 10,000 in cash to the gangster at the time of surrender; Rs 3,000 to his family till his name is included in the list of beneficiaries of the rehabilitation scheme; rehabilitation in a place of his choice, keeping in mind the security issue; and free legal help for those who wish to become law-abiding citizens in fast track courts. Further, a person with no house or land, will be allotted housing units under the Indira Awaas Yojna, or will be given housing loans from financing agencies like banks or Hudco. And again, education up to matriculation level will be provided free of cost to two of the criminal's children.
As per one estimate, a criminal who surrenders will get benefits up to Rs 2 lakh. The government will give 25 per cent on its own, while the remaining 75 per cent will be loan.

Did Nitish get his inspiration from the story of Angulimal in his school book or from Shantaram’s President’s Award winning movie- 'Do Ankhen Barah Haath'? But I don’t understand if persons like Shahabuddin, Surajbhan Singh, or Sunil Pandey are part of the rehabilitations. I can’t feel bad on his way of handling the problem and wish him success for the sake of my dear Bihar. But I still think Bihar required a ‘Chanakya’ of ‘Arthshatra’ fame at this moment.

Thirdly, Bihar also got a special invitee- our Great President Kalam. He laid down his prescriptions to all the legislators. I don’t know how many of them followed what he talked, and how many will do something about what he suggested. I wish they did.

Return to previous Page