In Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district lies a small town called Minapur. Just three kilometers from Minapur Chowk and one kilometer from the Belsand road is Harka Manshahi village. Here stands a modest asbestos-roofed hut, built under the Indira Awas scheme, with a half-finished brick veranda attached. Inside, two families live together, battling poverty and hardship every day.
This is not just any family. They are the descendants of the late Pandit Sahdev Jha, often called the “Gandhi of Minapur.” In the 1940s, this family was among the most prosperous in the region. Today, they struggle for survival. The question arises — how did a family that once owned vast land end up here? And more importantly, when will the government’s neglect toward those who gave everything for the nation finally end?
While the village now has roads, electricity poles, and running wires, a small silent hut by the roadside speaks louder than any development story. It stands as a living reminder of society’s indifference toward its true heroes.
A Life of Sacrifice in the Shadows of History : Descendants Living in Poverty
The third generation of Sahdev Jha’s family now lives in dire financial conditions. Sixty-three-year-old Parmanand Jha, a rural quack, supports his wife Meera Devi, three daughters, and a son. They have never received a freedom fighter’s heir certificate despite repeated visits to government offices.
Parmanand recalls that his grandfather once owned 60 acres of land. Today, less than three acres remain. His younger brother, 50-year-old Devanand Jha, lives with his wife Rina Devi and daughter in the same house. He once worked outside Bihar in the textile industry but returned jobless during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The family lost much during the freedom struggle. Four years ago, they lost their father, Sachidanand Jha, with only an Indira Awas house as government assistance. The eldest brother, Anand Bihari Jha, died prematurely in March 1992, leaving his widow, Anjani Devi, to run a grocery shop in rented accommodation in Sahbazpur. Her younger son, Amarendra Kumar Jha, works as a laborer outside Bihar.
Who Was Sahdev Jha?
In 1942, during the Quit India Movement, Sahdev Jha led the struggle in Minapur police station area. On 16 August 1942, under his leadership, protestors hoisted the tricolor at the police station. British bullets claimed the life of Bangur Sahni and injured more than a dozen, including Sahdev himself.
During this clash, protestors burned alive British officer Louis Waller inside the station. The news reached the British Parliament in London. For this, freedom fighter Jubba Sahni was hanged on 11 March 1944, and over sixty others, including Sahdev Jha, endured harsh imprisonment.
Promoting Communal Harmony After Independence
At midnight on 15 August 1947, India became free. The next day, political prisoners were released. While the nation celebrated, communal riots erupted in many regions. Trains from Pakistan arrived full of corpses, and Punjab, Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Sindh witnessed violence.
Sahdev Jha immediately formed peace groups in Minapur with hundreds of men, including Mangal Singh, Jagannath Singh, Jangbahadur Singh, and others. They patrolled villages and taught the message of peace. This effort ensured that Minapur remained calm and became an example of communal harmony for the entire nation.
Establishing Khadi Stores and Supporting Bhoodan Movement
When Mahatma Gandhi appointed him district convener for the Rowlatt Act protest, Sahdev toured villages to raise awareness. Arrested for the first time, he was released after a week and returned to organizing. He strongly opposed untouchability and led campaigns to educate poor students and promote the national language.
In Sivaipatti, he established a Khadi store to provide employment. He also joined Vinoba Bhave’s Bhoodan Movement, donating land himself and persuading regional rulers to contribute large tracts to the cause.
Leading Anti-Alcohol Movement
In 1930, at Gandhi’s request, he began an anti-liquor campaign in Muzaffarpur. With hundreds of supporters, he staged sit-ins near liquor shops and suffered police lathi charges. While in prison that year, news reached him of the birth of his son. A month after release, he resumed Congress activities, only to be arrested again in 1933 for sedition. He endured six months of jail before being freed on bail.
Fighting for Farmers’ Rights
In 1936, Jawaharlal Nehru tasked leaders like Baba Ramchandra, Vijay Singh Pathik, Swami Sahajanand Saraswati, and N.G. Ranga to organize farmers. Sahdev Jha joined them in sharpening the movement in Muzaffarpur. During this period, his wife, Mahasundari Devi, died of tetanus, an incurable disease then. Leaving his young son with relatives, he continued his public service. He remained committed to society even after independence until his death on 20 December 1982.
A Meeting That Stopped the President’s Convoy
After independence, Jawaharlal Nehru visited Muzaffarpur for a public meeting chaired by Sahdev Jha. In 1954, President Rajendra Prasad was traveling to Sitamarhi when he noticed Sahdev Jha standing by the road, having missed his bus. The President stopped his convoy and invited him along, a gesture that reflected the humility of leaders of that era.
Close Ties with Mahatma Gandhi
In April 1917, when Mahatma Gandhi visited Champaran, Sahdev Jha traveled to meet him and developed close ties. He interacted with Rajkumar Shukla, Shri Krishna Singh, Mazharul Haq, Rajendra Prasad, Anugrah Narayan Singh, and Brajkishore Singh. By 1919, as the Rowlatt Act angered the nation, Sahdev shared a stage with Gandhi during a Satyagraha Sabha meeting, deepening their bond.
Renouncing Royal Clothing
A tall figure of six feet, Sahdev Jha once dressed in regal style. But during a meeting in Gandhi’s presence, he publicly renounced such clothing, auctioning them to fund Kasturba Trust. From then on, he wore only a dhoti for life.
A Life of Simplicity and Service
Born on 20 October 1874 in Harka Manshahi, Sahdev was the eldest of five brothers. His father, Pandit Chetan Narayan Jha, was a devout Shiva devotee and a large landowner. All five brothers eventually joined the freedom struggle, were imprisoned, and lost their government jobs.
Education and Influences
Sahdev’s early education was under his father’s guidance. He studied Sanskrit in Dumri-Katsari, Shivhar district, earning top grades in Shastri. Sent to Kolkata for higher studies, he earned three Acharya degrees before going to Kashi for priestly training. There, he met Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya and joined student movements against British rule. His father later called him back and arranged his marriage to Mahasundari Devi, hoping he would leave activism. Destiny, however, had other plans.