Bihar: Belonging to the Sarbhang caste, Prabha Devi has no documents, the whole family is impelled to beg!

Bihar – On one corner in the side, some women sat talking. It was almost two o'clock in the afternoon. Some of the women had eaten before coming to sit and some were going off to eat. As soon as The Mooknayak arrived, one of the women became a little happy.

'Arre, you came here before too, didn't you, last year!'

I said yes and she took us to her house, the same one. Last year, it had looked exactly as it did today. While yes, previously there had been a little more space next to it, but now someone has made a room there. Outside the same hut-like tent, there were slippers lying scattered, there was the same chulla [stove] made of bricks with a pile of dry wood near it, the same cooking utensils including the same pots blackened by the soot from the chulla, the same half-naked children and the same situation…! Nothing at all had changed.

Watching this scene, once again these few lines written by Adam Gondvi came to mind:

Aaiye Mahsus kijiye Zindagi ke taap ko
Mai Chamaron ki gali me le chalun aapko
jis gali men bhukhmari ki yaatna se ub kar
Mar gai fuliya bechari ek kuyen men doobkar
Aaiye Mahsus kijiye Zindagi ke taap ko…

This Story is about Prabha Devi. Prabha Devi belongs to the Sarbhang caste, which is a sub-caste of the Dalits. Prabha Devi and her nine children live in Bahadurpur village. The village of Bahadurpur lies in the East Champaran district. This is the same Champaran which is also called Mahatma Gandhi's Karma Bhoomi, and it is here that in 1917, Gandhi started the first freedom struggle movement [andolan] for independence, that is, the Neel Satyagraha Andolan.

This was the Sarbhang Tola [small part] of Bahadurpur village. Apart from the Sarbhang caste, some houses here belonged to Muslims. Many more of these families begging to get by. Prabha Devi also begs, but Prabhadevi is a little different from all of them. Prabha Devi said it isn't easy for me to raise these nine children. I don't have any work.

She says, "What else should I do, the father of these children is as good as not being there. If ever in a year he comes, he will beat us and then run away. There are nine children, and I am raising them somehow by begging." The country and the world have been struggling with a pandemic like Covid-19. At the time when people were afraid even to touch anyone else, it was also difficult to step out of the house, to the extent that if one stepped out, the police used to beat them with batons. Even in that time Prabha Devi somehow managed to survive by begging. But now the situation in the country and in the world has improved a little. Most people have had the Covid-19 vaccine, and now the children of the country are being vaccinated. As of March 2022, the official website of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare stated that a total of 1,83,26,35,673 vaccinations had been done.

But the appalling matter is that in these numbers of billions, Prabha Devil's not included. She tells us, "I have not been vaccinated for corona. The vaccination team came to the village but they were asking for Aadhar cards. I did not have this so they refused to vaccinate me."

Prabha Devi, who somehow manages to survive by begging, could not go to beg today. One of her daughters was ill and was asleep in the house (tent). Prabha Devi's situation is so bad that she does not have money for any treatment. In this time of illness, when she can borrow 10-20 rupees from some people nearby to get medicine, only then is she able to give her [daughter] some medicine.

Prabha Devi said there is no such health center nearby where her child would be treated for free. Because neither she nor her children went begging, they did not even have anything to eat that day. It was past three o'clock in the afternoon, and up to then she and her children had remained hungry.

The land on which Prabha Devi lives with her nine children also belongs to someone else. As the land was vacant, she put up a hut-like tent to live with her children. The plastic tent has tears in several places, and even the sunlight filters through. While during heavy rain, hardly anyone in that tent would remain dry! On top of this, the owner of the land repeatedly comes and give threats about vacating the land. But seeing Prabha Devi's pathetic condition, he goes away after giving relief for a few days.

Prabha Devi neither has an Aadhar card, nor a voter ID card, nor a ration card, nor a bank account. Prabha Devi and her children do not have any such papers which can prove that they are residents of that village or of this country. Because of this, her children also haven't got admission to school. Prabha Devi told us that she had tried to send the children to the school but even there everyone asks for the papers that I do not have, without which they will not enroll the children.

To find out why Prabha Devi doesn't have any official documents yet, we went to her ward member (ward no 13) and then to the village headman. The member of ward number 13, Zafir Miyan said that Prabha Devi is the daughter of this village.

Zafir Miyan also discloses that Prabha Devi has no relations with anyone in her in-laws. If the husband ever does come, he comes after drinking and starts beating up Prabha and her children.

After this, we proceeded to visit the village headman's house, which was in the neighboring village. He wasn't to be found there, but his family members said that we would find him in the marketplace.

The village headman, whose name is Sarabh Lal Sah, was sitting in a shop. He said he knew Prabha Devi, who had come to him 15 days ago.

Sah says, "She came to me to ask for help with obtaining the papers. I told her to get her domicile certificate made, and after that, your voter ID card will be generated and then from that, the Aadhar card will also be made."

But Prabha Devi has no house or land of her own, as she had also told The Mooknayak. We asked Sarabh Lal Sah how is it possible to get a domicile certificate in such a situation, without a house or land?

He tells us that as far as I know, she has her own house. But if this is not so, then only the BDO will be able to say what can be done and how.

The BDO, that is, Block Development Officer, oversees a block and many villages come under them. Bahadurpur village is in Ghorasahan block and the name of BDO here is Bindu Kumar. We tried talking to BDO Bindu Kumar, he fixed an appointment time but did not meet us. After several attempts were made to call him, he switched off his phone. Therefore, we were not able to talk to him on this matter.

Next morning Prabha Devi's new ray of hope

Next Day morning, phone rings, there is a voice from there, madam, where are you?

The number was not saved but knew whose call was because the number was well known.

"Yes Shiv, tell me what happened …?"
"Ma'am, many people from the BDO sahib's office are here. Are you coming too? There are so many people, ma'am you come too …"
"Yes, tell them I will reach very shortly, ask them to wait just a little while… and if possible, make a video of whatever they say."
"Yes ma'am, I will try…"

Once again I made the trip to Sarbhang tola in Bahadurpur village. A silent calm prevailed over Prabha Devi's home. No one was there. Then someone told us that all the people were in the school.

It was lunch break when we reached the government primary school, a short distance away. The children were having their midday meal. Seated in two rows to eat, they had been served rice with a dry aloo-gobhisabzi [vegetable curry]. Near the door of a room just there, sat a woman in a faded green sari with her three children. We could see many people in that schoolroom, all of whom had come in regard to Prabha Devi, about whom they had come to know from The Mooknayak. That she is a woman from Bahadurpur village in Bihar who has nine children but who has neither a house nor land and no official documents to prove that she is Indian. Because of this she and her children have to beg to survive.

Anyway, everyone was in that government school room except for Prabha Devi, who was not there. As soon as I reached, all of them sitting in the room, from the officers to the residents of the village recognized me. Very shortly, Prabha Devi, wearing the same shabby sari and with her half-naked children, entered the room. Although there were spare chairs, she appeared a little apprehensive. Just as she was about to sit on the floor with her three-month-old daughter in her lap, she was stopped and asked to sit on a chair.

Present within the four walls of the room were officials representing the BDO (Block Development Officer) and ration distribution system [Bihar Food and Consumer Protection Department], the village mukhiya (headman), ward members, social workers, school staff, and people from the village.

There were many different discussions happening. Questions were being asked about Prabha Devi's situation and who was responsible after all. But nobody wanted to take the blame. Block Cooperative Officer Paras Kumar, who had come on behalf of the BDO, continuously made notes on some paper. There was much discussion as to how to help Prabha Devi now. They were trying to work out how Prabha Devi's documents could be made when there was no other family and no person had any papers. Prabha Devi's case was deemed a special case and assurance was given that it would be sorted at the earliest. When a conversation started about getting Prabha Devisome to work under MNREGA, a suggestion came from among the people sitting there that Prabha Devi should be given a job as a Bhojanmata [lunch lady] in the school. In this way, her children would be able to attend school, they would also be fed, and Prabha Devi would also get a job. After much discussion, it was noted that if Prabha Devi was given this job, it would set an example for the whole world. In the midst of all this, consent was taken from the school staff, who were also in agreement.

Meanwhile, attention was drawn to another case, which was exactly like that of Prabha Devi. In this case, the woman had three children, she also came from the Sarbhang caste and she also did not have a piece of land or a house, or any official documents to show that she was a citizen of India. She was the same woman who had been sitting outside the schoolroom with her three children, and her case was also heard alongside Prabha Devi's.

Then everyone proceeded towards Prabha Devi's tent "house". There they saw her home, where Prabha Devi's belongings were scattered and the tent itself was also in a poor state. All the officials were astonished to see that she was living there with her nine children.

The Block Cooperative Officer (Ghorasahan) Paras Kumar said that BDO sir had informed them about this matter just this morning. He had asked for an investigation regarding whether Prabha Davi didn't have an Aadhar card and Voter card. Now we will start the process of making them.

Regarding the delay in coming to know about the matter, he says, "This matter never came to our notice. It was never reported in the media and neither the block nor the local officials informed us. But now that the matter has come to our attention, we will work towards integrating this family into the mainstream."

Alongside this, social worker Raju Baitha, who is also the mukhiya of another village and was also present there explains that the government has carried out many surveys, like the Indira Awaas Yojana, the census, and the toilet program. Still, despite living here for six years, Prabha Devi was not included in these surveys, and nor had she becomes part of the village community.

Raju Baitha further says we came to know about this matter from the news in The Mooknayak. The government has also appointed Vikas Mitras [development guardians]under the Mahadalit Mission, it has appointed BLOs to add names to the voter list. Similarly, there are many others who are linked to the systems of governance but despite this, Prabha Devi has not been able to become part of the mainstream. For this, we are all responsible – everyone from the ward member to the district administration.

While telling us all this, social worker Raju Baitha also thanked The Mooknayak several times for highlighting the matter. He said that this matter had escaped the notice of all of us who live here and has come to light only because of The Mooknayak. Now support will be provided to the family as far as is possible.

Sarabhlal Sah, mukhiya of Bahadurpur village, said that the case had not been taken to the BDO. We also came to know about it only a few days ago because of The Mooknayak. A domicile certificate first needs to be made for the family, but they do not have any land. This has been discussed with the BDO, and now there has been talking about arranging land for them, after which all their documentation will be completed. There had also been a discussion about ensuring that the family is able to avail of the benefits offered under various government welfare schemes.

However, while talking to The Mooknayak earlier, Sarabhlal Sah had mentioned that Prabha Devi had approached him 15 days ago. He had told her that she needed to get her domicile certificate, and only then could all the other documents be made.

Prabha Devi has neither a house nor any land. Along with her nine children, she goes begging from house to house. She does not have any kind of official documents like the Aadhar card, voter card, ration card, etc. Due to this, she has been denied not only the benefits available under government welfare schemes but also her children were refused admission to the school. Not having a ration card meant that they were even denied the monthly rations being distributed under a government scheme. What the family manages to cook and eat depends entirely on whatever [money] she makes by begging.

Also, present there was Chetna Pandey from the department responsible for formation distribution. She says that she had only recently been appointed, due to which she did not know about Prabha Devi.

When asked whether it had become a matter of shifting the responsibility among each other, she says, "We toured the panchayat, we went around the village, but we didn't come to know about Prabha Devi, that happened only through the medium of The Mooknayak."

"When we inquired about why Prabha Devi's ration card had not been issued, we learned that it was because she didn't have any documentation and therefore didn't fulfill the criteria," Chetna Pandey said, "But the process has been started today itself and soon their ration card will be ready. At the same time, the local PDS [Public Distribution System] has been told to deliver enough food grains, as are necessary for the sustenance of a family, to her home. An effort is being made that by next month, the family will have their own ration card for use.

During the discussion in the schoolroom, Paras Kumar had been making extensive notes. He said that BDO sir had sent him just to find out the actual situation. After Prabha Devi's documents have been issued, provisions will also be made for her employment. When we asked him what kind of employment was being considered, Paras explains that arrangements will be made for employing Prabha Devi under MNREGA. We remarked, however, that there had been a discussion in the schoolroom about giving Prabha Devi a job as a mid-day meal cook [lunch lady]. Answering this question, Paras says that the mid-day meal comes under the BO. It could also be an option, and for which, BO sahib has also given his approval.

Meanwhile, Prabha Devi, who had been standing at the entrance to her tent "house", says that if my children are able to go to school and all my documentation is done, then I will be very thankful to the government. She says, "In this dwelling, during the rainy season we pass whole nights awake and crying. By begging we manage to buy 1–2 kilos of rice every day to survive in some way. On the day when we don't go begging, we remain hungry. Sometimes someone from nearby gives us a handful of grains out of pity, otherwise, my children and I go hungry. If my children are able to study, then my son will leave this place, and my daughter will study to become a doctor or get another job somewhere. If I get employment and the children become educated, then we can also stop begging."

Not having any kind of document like the Aadhar card meant that even during a pandemic like Covid-19, Prabha Devicould survive only by begging. While the government claims that lakhs and crores of vaccines have been administered, Prabha Devi was also denied vaccination because she didn't have an Aadhar card. Indeed, her children had not received any vaccine since birth. Prompt cognizance was taken of this and an emergency camp was organized at the ward member's residence near Prabha Devi's dwelling. Along with Prabha Devi, other people who had not received the vaccine against corona were also vaccinated. Those due for the second dose received the second vaccination, and the healthcare team had made arrangements for both Covaxin and Covishield doses.  Fever medication, vitamins, and ORS pouches were also distributed. Alongside this, children were given information about diseases such as Chamki fever [acute encephalitis syndrome].

A crowd had gathered around the ward member's house, and it looked as if the whole tola was present there. Many women came along with Prabha Devi and said that they also didn't have a job, they also didn't have any form of employment. They were told that the district administration would be arriving shortly and everyone should explain their case to them.

As the work of Covid vaccination ended, officials from the district administration arrived. Rakesh Ranjan from the Labour Superintendent Office, who had come on behalf of the district administration of East Champaran, said that the district officer had told him about this case just that morning. And so they had come for a field visit. They went to Prabha Devi's dwelling and talked to her to understand the whole matter.

He said, "We came to know that she and her children survive by begging from here and there. So first, the district administration sent a team from the health department so that she and her children receive medical support. Next, we are trying to get their Aadhar card made so that the family can be registered with government schemes. Along with this, children younger than six years will be registered at Anganwadi centers. It is also being arranged that they receive PDS rations with immediate effect."

"After the Aadhar card is made, a bank account will be opened for her, a job card will be made and she will be given work under MNREGA. When she starts the work under MNREGA, we will start the process of getting her a labour card from the labour department. Then she will earn a livelihood through her own hard work, and she will not have to depend on anyone. Begging is a curse for society. With employment, she will no longer need to beg. It is a challenge for the district administration that there are people like this too here."Labour Superintendent Ranjan assured them that the documents will be ready in two days or sooner as well as her status as a beneficiary.

He also said that on hearing about such cases in the district, neighbors or the local people's representative should inform the authorities. It is such a big district with so many people, so it's a bit difficult for us to keep track of every single person. In our society, when a girl is married, it is assumed that her home will now be with her in-laws. But Prabha Devi stayed on in her maternal home, and she told them that her husband used to make occasional visits and then go back to Nepal. This area is near the border but marriages are arranged regardless, due to which things can deteriorate. But the local people didn't intervene to raise a case, if they had and we had been alert enough, this wouldn't have happened. We all lacked somewhere in this. But now when the matter has come to the fore, it is our responsibility to do something for this family. The children should get an education and adequate nutrition, they should get employment for their livelihood, and the family should be integrated into the community so that they can all also live with dignity. Thanks to your report and The Mooknayak, this matter came to the notice of the administration.

Accompanying Rakesh Ranjan was Dhiraj Kumar, the Assistant Director of the Social Security Cell. He informed us that he come on the orders of the District Magistrate. At the same time, he said that they had already started working on Prabha Devi's case and it would be completed at the earliest.

After Prabha Devi, many such cases are coming to light. Several women put forward their issues regarding employment to the officials, who said the administration is also looking to conduct a survey here in the future so that they are aware of all such families.