Bihar Election: Bhoj Paswan Shastri used to live in a hut and sleep on the ground even after being CM three times, know that his village is still in bad shape
On Saturday, the third phase of voting is going on in Bihar. Splitting of votes in the name of caste is common in Bihar. You would be surprised to know that a Dalit became Chief Minister thrice in the state but today his name is also anonymous. That name is ‘Bhola Paswan Shastri’. In 1968, he became the Chief Minister of Bihar for the first time. Although he remained CM for only three months. After this, he again became the Chief Minister for 13 days in 1969 and 7 months in 1971. The people of his village Bairagachi still take his name with respect. But he also regrets some things in his mind.
Today, the Chief Minister’s chair has become a symbol of wealth and beauty. But you will be surprised to know that Bhola Paswan refused pleasures despite being chief minister thrice. He lived in a hut and slept on the ground. Sagar Paswan, sitting outside Shastri’s house, recalls him, “He was so honest that despite being chief minister three times, he neither did anything for himself nor wrongly favored the village. If he was like the Chief Minister of today, he would have a palace. ‘ Even today, the condition of his village is in poor condition. Yes, there is a board located near Shastri’s father’s house, which reads, ‘Bhola Paswan Shastri Gram.’
Like other backward areas of Bihar, people in Shastri’s village are also facing employment problems. Most of the people of the village work as laborers. Bhola Paswan Shastri had no son or daughter. Other people in his family still work hard. During the lockdown, when the politicians saw the story on TV that the people of Bhola Paswan’s family are struggling with hunger, they ran for financial help but by then their family had gone to Purnia to earn. Sagar Paswan said, “Since then no work has been done in the village. Yes, some roads are built but people do not have work. People go out of Bihar to earn. ‘
In Bairagachi village there is nothing special except government school, community building. Yes, there is definitely a paved road and electricity here. But people need employment to feed. JDU’s Leshi Singh won from here in the last election. Bhola Paswan Shastri was also a Union Minister in the Indira government in 1973. His family lives near the community building in Shastri’s village. There is nothing but a tap, surrounding mud and thatch.