Isolated Villages of Bengali Refugees in Bijnore

Friday, October 2, 2009

Isolated Villages of Bengali Refugees in Bijnore
Indian Holocaust My Father`s Life and Time- One Hundred and SEVENTEEN
Palash Biswas
Thanks to Cell phone, we are in touch with our families and relations. I get daily updates from Dineshpur. Sabita keeps her in touch with dharmanagri as well. Her mother is doing very well a the age over Eighty Five. She eats everything NOn Veg and digests well. She is not UNWELL or Ailing as sabita was afraid of. The old lady is suffering from Old age only. but we had to visit Bijnore in the first half of september as my sister in law, the wife of sabita`s eldest Brother Satya Gopal, SHOBHA Boudi informed us on phone that her condition was Critical. Thanks to the Cell Phone , Sabita had a good Family get Together after a long time. She also met her niece after almost two decades. Nimmi is married in Hastinapur. sabita had to cross the ganges on Motorbike only!
Dharmveer, the Ex Governor is no more. His younger brother Satyaveer has also departed. The Princely family is represented by Kuwanr Udayan and his wife is the the district Board chairman. I Never knew the couple. But I never missed an opportunity to meet Dharmveer and Satyaveer. I had been working  in Meerut for SIX years as chief sub Editor in dainik jaagaran during 1984 to 89.I had felt all the heat of the Hot Waves of Hindutva in Riot Torn Meerut and later in Bareilly while the Mosque was attacked by Kar Sevaks for the first time. When the Babri Mosque was Demolished ultimately, I had already shifted in Kolkata! I wrote some short stories on those experiences in Burning Cities in the Cow belt. Ande Sente LOG, the Egg Hatching people, a short story collection was published in 1997. 
I also wrote a NOVELLETTE on the theme of communal harmony and some personal experiences inand around Bijnore itself,named US Shahar Kaa Naam Batao Jahan Dange Nahee Hote, NAME The city which is Never Riot Torn!
 
Being in Meerut, i was able to note the Minutes of Hindutva resurrection and the COMMUNILISATION of Indian Masses! I also noted the socil changes in Uttar pradesh, Bihar and entire Cow belt. I was witness to the RISE of Mayawati, Lau Prasad, Mulayam, Paswan and Meira Kumar and the string of jat leaders. I also watched the Tikait version of Peasant Uprising and the Kham Politics reminiscent of Chandal Movement and peasant and tribal insurrections in colonial India.
I intervied Kuwnwar Dharmveer and got some important lessons on Bengal before finally landing in Bengal! I visted Hastinapur,Nainital and Bijnore even at drop of a Pin during the period. Mobilised the Mhatosh Resistance in Hills and Plains!But i had to leave Meerut most unwillingly as I had serious differences with the management. But now when I have been wanting to eject out myself from Kolkata and return Home, I have no escape route and Home lies Thousand Mile away!

Our People have been scattered all over India. Almost all of them had been banished  in dense forests as in all over Dandakaranya, Nainital and Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri and Baharaich, Andaman and Nicobar!These are the refugees who migrated from east Bengal as partition victim since their Home Land in Hindu Majority districts Jassore, khulna, Barishal and faridpur were gifted to Pakistan to eject out the Militant dalit castes who had been leading dalit and Peasant Insurrections since the EAST India Rule.Some people from Noakhali have been also resettled as in Kendrapara, Orissa. Premanand Mahajan, the present MLA from Pantnagar in udhamsingh Nagar family belongs to a family, the only one in Dineshpur who came from Chittagang.Most of the Comilla and Chittagang and some of Dhaka district refugees along with Silhat migrated to Assam, tripura and all over North East. Kushthia, Pabna and majority of Jassore refugees exchanged properties in West Bengal as most of our kith and kin resettled in North 24 Parganas, Malda and Nadia districts. Some people from Khulna crossed river Icchamati and settled in Sundervana area!
Only today I visited TAHERPUR where FORTY Thousand families who refused to go out of Bengal were FORCIBLY REHABILITED. They got nothing for livelihood but only Five KATTA piece of land for each family for residential purpose and a ten shed to take shelter ad hoc!I would write the report in details very soon.
Namoshudra, Paundra Kshtriya and Rajbanshi were the most militant castes in West bengal which controlled the Dalit Muslim Politics in Bengal. After partition, Rajbanshies chose to settle in West Bengal but most of Namoshudras and Paundra Kshtriyas with other sc castes and their out caste Brahmin Preists had been thrown out of bengali geopolitics. I have written it time and again.

But the refugees coming a little late around 1960, were resettled in former  princely states and Big farms and zamindaries as the landlords handed over the extra land to avoid Ceiling! Some land were also acquired from Vinoba`s Bhudan Ygya! It happened in bihar and uttar Pradesh. In UP, the Bengali refugees were settled in the state of Raja Jwala prasad and they lived and have been living as the loyal subject of the former Princes! Dharmveer, the former Governor of West Bengal, Kunwar Satyaveer, former minister have been the chief Patrons for these colonies! In rampur District, Swarg Farm land and in Nainital shakti farm land had been allotted to the refugees. Later,five colonies adjacent to shaktifarm were rehabiliated in open air jail Jail camp in Nainital district. Two more villages in Bijnore in Chowk Manirampur were established on farmland!
As it was the case of the refugees settled in baharaich District, in Bijnore also the Bengali Refugees had to cultivate in flooded fields as the land would often be inundated by the Ganges, following very near! In eighties, the scenerio changed with the construction of ganges barrage! Now all the four colonies Dharma Nagari,Ghasiala, Chandpurand Hemraj are well connected with Meerut, New delhi, dehradoon and Nainital. They had a tough connetivity problem earlier as our people used to travle by Trucks on khatema Panipath route.
These four colonies were branded as STARVING all the year Round. Nainital People hated them as they were affluent comparatively and used to call them as BHATE MARA, the people who have no food. The Bijnore refugees would exchange Metromonial Relations amongst them. Later, while HASTINAPUR refugee transit camp was established in Meerut District in the Ancient Pandab capital to co opt the refugees in the Sick cotton mill MADAN Mill , which was eventually locked out, Bijnore people got grooms for their daughters and brides across Ganges!
My father used to vist his people in Bijnore very often. Enroute to and from Delhi he would land in the villages but the Subject of the former Princely state would not respond in any attempt of Mass Mobilisation for any Refugee movement. They could not violet Loyality to the saviour Princely Family! But they loved my father and respected him very much. These people would come over in nainital for seasonal Farming Jobs. The educated boys would come to get training from dineshpur ITI. Some of them wer musicians and Folk singers who would sing Ramayan. They earned Bread and Butter from nainital terai. They were Never in any Position to demand anything as the Kunwar sahib had to decide everything in their day to day life! But my Father was never DISAPPOINTED and always kept in touch with his people!
All of a sudden he selected a BRIDE for me from Dharmanagari Village and fixed the date of marriage without consulting me as my fatherin law late Satish Mandal as a refugee leader had been his friend! He had served as a technitian in ram ganga Project in kalagarh. The girl was fair and educated , an M. A. in Economics. My In laws were not acquainted to me. But as I had been an youth ICON amongst Bengali Refugees all over they needed not to see me at all.At that time I was working as a sub Editor in dainik Awaz, Dhanbad. Meanwhile I was engaged to a Kolkat Girl. However, the relation could not sustain itself as the girl was insisting me to make a career as most of her family and relations had! My father was very worried and knew well that I was not interested in marriage. He strategically, fixed my sister Renu`s marriage in Dharmanagari at the same date. he just sent me the Photo and  a message consisting the date of the marriage. I was in SMABAY Boarding House with slaes and Medical representatives and was RELUCTANT not to marry! But my friends in Dhanbad convinced me on the ground of family prestige and belatedly I landed in dharma Nagari! 
I am skipping the details hoping to write it down some time else! I just want to highlight how our People have been DISPERSED in such a way that we may not defend them anywhere until local COMMUNITIES support them and someone like the Princes in dharmanagari, ND  Tiwari and KC Pant in Nainital decide to use them as MOBILE Vote Bank. since our people are scattered in such a way , they may not lead and are predestined to follow. In Bengal, they could have changed the Demography and Vote Bank Equation , hence they have been BANISHED in such a random merciless way and have been left with the Option to extinct away losing their IDENTITY and Citizenship, Civil and human rights!
It's preposterous!  When Rahul Gandhi travels by train, the media rants and raves over the money saved. And when he breaks bread with Dalits and spends night in their homes, Mayawati fumes, his party sulks!
BIJNOR, or BIJNAUR, a town and district of India in the Bareilly division of the India. The town is about 7 m. from the left bank of the Ganges. Bijnor, the most western district distt. of U.P. is situated just 12 Km from either both way from pious Ganga on Meerut road or from Ganj a great saint Vidur's home where he spent his rest of life after dispute with Duryodhan. "Duryodhan ki meva tyagi saag Vidur ghar Khayoji" these popular lines generated where Lord KRISHNA visited beloved bhakt "Vidur" at his residence (Ganj). Our country's name BHARAT comes out from the name of great Chakraverty King Bharat who spent his childhood at Bijnor.
The DISTRICT OF BIJNOR has an area of 1791 sq. m. The aspect of the country is generally a level plain, but the northern part of it rises towards the Himalayas, the greatest ele cation being 1342 ft. above the sea-level. The Koh and Ramganga are the principal rivers that flow through the district, and the Ganges forms its western boundary. In 1901 the population was 779451, showing a decrease of 2% in the decade. The country is watered in most parts by streams from the hills, but a series of small canals has been constructed. Sugar is largely exported. A line of the Oudh & Rohilkhand railway from Moradabad to Saharanpur runs through the district.

Little is known of the early history of Bijnor. In the time of Mughal emperor Akbar, Bijnor formed part of the Delhi empire. However, in the early part of the 18th century, the Rohilla Pashtuns established their independence in the country called by them Rohilkhand; and about 1748 the Rohilla chief Ali Muhammad made his first annexations in Bijnor, the rest of which soon fell under the Rohilla domination. The northern districts were granted by Ali Muhammad to Najib Khan, who gradually extended his influence west of the Ganges and at Delhi, receiving the title of Najib-ud-daula and becoming paymaster of the royal forces. His success, however, raised up powerful enemies against him, and at their instigation the Marathas invaded Bijnor. This was the beginning of a feud which continued for years. Najib, indeed, held his own, and for the part played by him in the victory of Panipat was made vizier of the empire. After his death in 1770, however, his son Zabita Khan was defeated by the Mahrattas, who overran all Rohilkhand.
In Najibabad, there was a fort of great Daqait Sultana. The fort is still situated in Najibabad and it has been said that the vehicles can easily be run on the width of the fort.
In 1772 the Nawab of Oudh made a treaty with the Rohillas, covenanting to expel the Marathas in return for a money payment. He carried out his part of the bargain; but the Rohilla chieftains refused to pay. In 1774 the Nawab concluded with the East India Company government of Calcutta a treaty of alliance, and he now called upon the British, in accordance with its terms, to supply a brigade to assist him in enforcing his claims against the Rohillas. This was done; in the Rohilla War, the Rohillas were driven beyond the Ganges, and Bijnor was incorporated in the territories of the nawab, who in 1774 ceded it to the British East India Company. From this time the history of Bijnor is uneventful until the Mutiny of 1857, when (on the 1st of June) it was occupied by the nawab of Najibabad, a grandson of Zabita Khan. In spite of fighting between the Hindus and the Muslim Pashtuns the Nawab succeeded in maintaining his position until the 21st of April 1858, when he was defeated by the British at Nagina; whereupon British authority was restored.
NIC -District Unit Bijnor was setup in Nov, 1988. Naturally all work incuding site allotment from District Administration, its preparation, installation of Micro Earth Station and systems etc was really a challanging and creative job to accomplish in short possible time for NIC officers and that came in existence in operation condition in 1989. Then it was another milestone to trained the manpower of the users, mainly district official, who were unaware of computer,  to acquaint with the new culture of computerization of their work. But with our dedicated efforts we got succeed to do all excellantly. A number of training program were organised to develop thier interest. 
 
                           
Inauguration of Land Record Computerisation  
Of course, initailly it was very tough job for District Informatics Officer to tackle all type of projects sponsored by district officers, state and central sponsored project at the same including envisaging the usage and potential of NICNET. A number of state level projects sponsored by NIC UP State Unit with the help of respective state    directorate was having generation of reports used for local help and their data transmission through NICNET to NIC UP state unit for state level report generation which eliminiated all type compilation with the help computer and some project are still running since then. Infect NICNET was heavily used and still is being used. Best use of NICNET was demonstrated during  round wise data transmission of 1991 parliamentry election result throught INDIA as actually a compiled report statewise result/position/leading etc of all MP or any individual could be seen at any moment.   Doordarshan had been one of the best user of this  data for onward transmission to its National Channel. 
Since inception of this district centre, it have been going on providing a number of decision and support  to the district admin in thier no of challanging activites like deployment of personnel during elections through randomization including counting, repolling etc, conducting exam for local recruitment and thier result declaration including thier tabulation etc with the help of computer. This is one the Ist district in U.P. when election duties were generated through  computer in 1996 parliamentry election. 
NIC, National Informatics Centre, functioning under M/o Information Technology, in collectorate Bijnor has undertaken a number of projects sponsored by district level officer, we study their functioning in detail and their requirement etc and provide the best decision and higly analised report to full their complete requirement in brief and as much large as possible. There are some projects sponsored by state and central level which we simply implement, as we get ready made s/w, here with the concerned department, if directed we transmitted their data at state/central level, and generate report locally, we also modify the s/w provided us to meet out the local requirement as far as possible. 
This district centre remain Ist in UP to implement a number of projects like conducting exam for local recruitment, deployment of personnel in parliamentry election 1996, proposal of district plan fund allocation, Court Information System. Some other successful projects undertaken by this centre are Indira Awas Monitoring System, Scholarship Distribution Monitoring System, Revenue Recovring Monitoring System, Allotment of 10th Financial fund for Distt Panchyat Office, Public Greviences, Monthly Monitoring Reports used by Distt Magistrate and Commisners and others. BSA payrolls and pensions and several others projects are the best running projects. At crucial time NIC is also used like during UPSEB strike etc. grading of lekhpal,amin and peon of all tehsils etc.    Technical supports are being provided to DRDA also. In treasury we are proving full support in their TISNIC implemenation for all computerization of their account and computerized cheque printig pension distribution, We are also providing technical support to distt admin and others officers in their work of computerization and its expension as and when required.
VEERA COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING offers 4 years bachelor's degree courses in Electrical & Electronics, Computer Science . Admission to these courses is made through a merit list prepared on the basis of the score of the candidates in the Uttar Pradesh Technical University, (SEE-UPTU). In these courses the reservation available to different reserved categories like SC, ST and OBC is as per the Government of India norms.

Domicile Requirements - 
Uttar Pradesh
SEE-UPTU
Admissions are open to students who or whose parents are domicile of UP State only except for NRI/Foreign National/PIO. There is no age limit for admission to Colleges/Institutions affiliated to UP Technical University, Lucknow.
There is NRI quota in B.Tech & B.Arch courses, where seats are reserved for NRIs, their sons/daughters and real brother/sisters in Govt. aided institutions. The children of real brother/sister and son/daughter of NRI who have obtained minimum 50% marks in PCM...
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VEERA COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING offers 4 years bachelor's degree courses in Electrical & Electronics, Computer Science . Admission to these courses is made through a merit list prepared on the basis of the score of the candidates in the Uttar Pradesh Technical University, (SEE-UPTU). In these courses the reservation available to different reserved categories like SC, ST and OBC is as per the Government of India norms.
Domicile Requirements -
Uttar Pradesh
SEE-UPTU
Admissions are open to students who or whose parents are domicile of UP State only except for NRI/Foreign National/PIO. There is no age limit for admission to Colleges/Institutions affiliated to UP Technical University, Lucknow.There is NRI quota in B.Tech & B.Arch courses, where seats are reserved for NRIs, their sons/daughters and real brother/sisters in Govt. aided institutions. The children of real brother/sister and son/daughter of NRI who have obtained minimum 50% marks in PCM subjects in Intermediate or equivalent examination, may also be considered for admission in Govt. aided institutions, if the seats remain vacant.5% of the total seats in State funded/Private Engineering Colleges/Institutions are reserved for NRI candidates. Such candidates need not appear at the Entrance Examination.One seat is available in each Technical Institution/Professional Institution in above programmes, affiliated to UPTU for sons and daughters of Kashmiri Migrants who have secured at least 50% marks in qualifying subjects at 10+2 level or equivalent examination. Direct admission to Kashmiri Migrants is made as per the latest instructions of AICTE and orders from UP Govt.Domiciled candidates have to meet the following criteria:Candidates who have passed the qualifying exam from an institution located in the State of U.P. and who do not claim for reserved category, are eligible for admission to all the courses at all the institutions against available general (unreserved) seats.Candidates who have passed the qualifying exam from an institution located in the State of U.P., are domicile in U.P. and belong to SC/ST/OBC of UP, are eligible for admission to all the courses at all the institutions against available reserved seats of their category.Candidates who have passed the qualifying exam from an institution located outside the State of U.P., whose parents are domicile of UP and who have not claimed for reserved category, are also eligible for admission to courses affiliated to UP Technical Univ., Lucknow.Candidates who have passed the qualifying exam from an institution located outside U.P., whose parents are domicile of UP and who belong to SC/ST/OBC of UP, are also eligible for admission to courses offered at institutions affiliated to UP Tech. Univ., Lucknow against reserved seats of their category. Relaxation is given to domicile requirements of parents in cases of:Defence Personnel settled in UP on the date of Admission test, after retirement/being disabled in action. It is also applicable to Defence Personnel killed in action, and the dependents settled in UP on the date of Entrance examination. The advantage of horizontal reservation available in Armed Force sub-category is also admissible to the sons/daughters of such defence personnel.Defence personnel who are not domicile of UP but are posted in UP on the date of Admission test. However, the advantage of horizontal reservation in Armed Force sub-category is not admissible to the children of employee belonging to UP cadre. At Kamla Nehru Institute of Technology, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University, there is a provision for 5% seats for Non-Resident Indians/NRI sponsored students. At B.S.A. College of Engineering & Technology, there is a provision for reservation of 5% seats for NRI/NRI sponsored students.At DIT School of Engineering, special reservation is available for Kashmiri Migrants.At Institute of Technology & Management, the admission is made through SEE-UPTU entrance exam in State quota.At Meerut Institute of Engineering & Technology, there is a provision for 5% reservation for NRIs/NRI sponsored candidates.At Shivdan Singh Institute of Technology & Management, 5% seats are reserved for NRI/NRI sponsored students. 
RAJA JWALA PRASAD

Note: This is not done by me - the author is unknown.

Raja Jwala Prasad was born in the year 1872 in a middle class Zamindar family of Mandawar town in the Bijnor district of UP. From the very beginning he showed great proficiency in studies and in due course became one of the most brilliant students of the Allahbad University. After taking his B.Sc. and Bachelor of Arts from Allahabad, he joined the Thompson Civil Engineering College at Roorkes. This was the leading civil engineering college at that time and the top students at the college were ensured of service in the Imperial Engineering Service in India. Admission to the college was by a system of competition in which Raja Jwala Prasad stood first and was thereafter duly admitted. He passed out from the Thompson Civil Engineering standing first in the college and receiving all the top medals and certificates at that time which had existed before his time. After passing out from the Thompson College, he joined the Imperial Engineering Service in the then United Province. After a couple of years in the U.P. he was sent on deputation under the late Sir Ganga Ram to Delhi at the Delhi Darbar which was to be held to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria's regime. The friendship and understanding which he developed with Sir Ganga Ram during the time that he worked with him in Delhi continued throughout their respective lives. After a few years subsequent to the Delhi Darbar, Sir Ganga Ram got him on deputation to the Patiala State in Punjab as the State Engineer, where Sir Ganga Ram was at that time, after retirement from the government, working as the Chief Engineer to the State. In Patiala, Raja Jwala Prasad was responsible for the construction of a number of buildings., including the palace which is now the centre of all the sports activities in India and a water works for the supply of water to Patiala.

At that time, the most advance Hindus were greatly attracted to the Arya Samaj, a branch of the Hindu Society, which was intended to free the Hindus from the evils of the caste system, rigid beliefs in superstitions and customs that had no connection with the Vedic Hindu culture and love of the country which at that time was under the subjugation and rule of the British.
 
 
It was the last part of the Arya Samaj teachings that attracted the disapproving attention of the British rulers at that time. The Inspector General of Police in Patiala suspected the movement of sedition and working against the continuance of the British rule in India. The Inspector General worked on the then ruler of Patiala against the Arya Samaj movement and after obtaining his approval started criminal actions against the Arya Samajists in Patiala including against Raja Jwala Prasad who was at that time the President of the of the Arya Samaj movement in Patiala. He was accused of seditionist activities against the British rule of India and of harbouring war against the Queen Empress of India. This persecution of the Arya Samaj attracted India wide attention and important lawyers and others in the country such as the late Pt. Madan Mohan Malviya, Sir Sunder Lal, Pt. Moti Lal Nehru, Late Lala Lajpat Rai and others stood up to fight the prosecution against Raja Jwala Prasad. The enquiries of the case went on for a period of two years, which, was a period of great anxiety to Raja Jwala Prasad and all the members of his family and friends. However, ultimately, the case was withdrawn having been found to be without any substance and Raja Jwala Prasad was restored to his position in the Imperial Engineering Service in the United Provinces. That was about the year 1910/11.

Thereafter, he worked in various capacities in the Irrigation Department of the United Province and in the year 1916 was sent on deputation to Banaras to help in the construction of the Banaras Hindu University under the guidance of Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya. Sir Ganga Ram was functioning as the Honorary Chief Engineer of the Banaras Hindu University at that time, but the actual work had to be done by Shri Jwala Prasad. The magnificent buildings in the Banaras Hindu University, it's colleges, hostels, laboratories, the temple and the general layout are all standing testimonies to the engineering skill and knowledge of Shri Jwala Prasad. The main work in the University was completed by 1921 and Shri Jwala Prasad reverted to the UP government as a Superintending Engineer in the Irrigation Department. After functioning for a few years as Supdt. Engineer he was elevated to the post of Chief Engineer, Irrigation in the UP in 1924 and continued to be so till 1930 when he retired from the service of the government. He was the first Indian in India to be appointed to the post of a Chief Engineer in any state and as such was the fore runner of the start of complete Indianisation of the engineering service in India. During his period as Chief Engineer, he was responsible for evolving life irrigation and for generating power from the falls in the canals in the UP. After completion of his term as the Chief Engineer, the British Government conferred on him the title of a Raja. This was presumably because after retirement he decided to get into agriculture like his esteemed friend, Sir Ganga Ram. In addition he continued to function as Honorary Chief Engineer of the Banaras Hindu University and also was for a number of years it's Pro-Vice Chancellor.
 
 
Throughout his life, Raja Jwala Prasad was greatly interested not only in the Arya Samaj, but also in all sectors of social development and education. He was an ardent Arya Samajist and there are many buildings of Arya Samaj all over UP and Punjab which were constructed with his advice and help. In his own community, for the help of needy students, he started the Arya Vidya Sabha and also worked actively for abolition of dowry and reduction and unnecessary heavy expenditure on marriages and other social functions. Even after retirement he continued to take active interest not only in engineering but also in the working of the Banaras Hindu University, in educational enterprises and in works of social development all over the country. In the year 1944, he unfortunately passed away at the early age of 72 because of a heart attack, leaving behind a wife, three daughter and three sons.