Life Liberty & Pursuit of Happiness

Siraha municipality is stratified under the marginalized municipality because there is almost 40% of people belong to Dalit and excluded. Present Executive Officer (EO) has made an entire effort to uplift this municipality. As he promises to the general citizen he goes himself on the grass-root to determine the local needs and necessities. Since last month he had started the journey to go through the natural practice of democratic system of plan formulation process from the bottom level. As he has been doing this job since three years himself. At this time, he has shared the job to me to go through the process and accomplish the task for the coming year plan processing. He called me to join the meeting for the process. I associated him in the procedure.

 The day was sunny, about 11:00 o’clock, I sat by the side of EO, he ordered the driver. The vehicle rushed out of the office in the bright sunny day, dust was evaporating like the steam coming out of boiling water. EO signaled me to shut the glass-door beside my seat of the vehicle and I did so. After about 12 to 13 minutes of drive we reached at a school where almost 10/15 people were gathered waiting to us. They greeted the EO, we entered into a classroom which was kept vacant for the meeting. We sat there and wait for the more people. After half an hour the program started on behalf of the Chairmanship of EO of Municipality. He pleaded a short speech about the program and permission granted for the further discussion about the formation of User’s Committee. Just after ten minutes of permission granted for discussion, voices geared up and roar burst out with high-pitch of sound. They were revealing their abuses and corruption made by the previous committee which lasted recent year plan implementation. Having after 1:30 hours of rumbling discussion finally they agreed to make a Committee. Again there was insistence to become the chief of the committee. Eventually at 3:30 clock the meeting was successful. I got the chance to experience their snarling and slang use which was the reflection of innately innocence and deem to be into the deep-rooted superstitious society where there was not sense of freedom, globalization, sophistication and no any glimpse of modern image. The EO made an explicit and tactic speech which obliged them to settle the disputes related to social issues. We closed the program and moved toward our office the day. The EO provided me the task rest to formulate the user’s committee and collect the plan for coming year.

As EO suggested, I started my journey from Ward no. -6 where there was majority of Dalit people. I was accompanied by the journalist of Kantipur, Siraha Dev Kumar. There, to attend the meeting I was facilitated with a vehicle and given a responsibility to the rest of the ward 5, 6, 9 to formulate the UC and plan collection. I had been obsessed of the previous cry-out event of the last meeting although I encouraged myself and signaled the driver to rush towards the destination where there the political representatives and local citizens were gathered waiting. As I dropped myself there, people welcomed in the meeting-hall. Again the meeting was assembled in a primary school which was donated by UNCEF in Dalit community. At this time, the meeting was chaired by  the principal of the same school and I was the person to deliver the speech about the objectives of the meeting and to run it further with specific tactics. I explained the fundamental rules and regulation of forming User’s Committee and pleaded about the demand of plan for coming year. I finished my speech and they were granted permission for the further discussion.

The thing I felt there, the social ignorance, illiteracy and excluded from uplifted group of the people always have generous and innocent desire to receive the facility from government side but some of them who has shadowed to these people always try to snatch the opportunity and leadership too from them. The women from such traditions are even more two-fold suspended from their rights, liberty and pursuit of happiness & the opportunity. They are always squeezed by some of the detrimental superstitions and tradition. I got an amazing view that in comparison of other meetings there was majority of women therefore, I reiterated my speech projected the opportunity to them as per mandatory presence of 33% women in User’s Committee (as per the guidelines). They got encouraged to share their feelings and as such a woman from the group shouted and cried out  for their membership in the committee. As I had pleaded for 33% involvement, the name-list was demanded from them. There was minimum four women who has to be involved into the committee. The reaction was that “Uff! One is enough, why should there be four?” being the woman she has not to be the member, its shameful, and hilarious for us. It’s the matter of prestige for man. They should not be such majority in such committee. what can they do ?”  In reaction from the crowd a women with hoarse sound in aggressive posture replied “yea, we can do everything as you. What is the thing woman can’t do, now women are ministers, doctors, lawyers etc. we should be in the committee. We can perform every task far better than u.”  I felt there was really aggression from both sides. Rumbustious environment in loud-high-pitched-volume broke out with many boisterous behaviors, they were jumping and bumping from both sides. The meeting was about to burst out by the load of heavy crowd and roaring. It continued till half an hour, I gave them time just to express themselves their feelings and anxiety freely. Eventually, after quarter to an hour, I again made a short speech lessoning them about the equal rights and authority of men and women. I acknowledged them the regard of boundaries, customs and analyses the superstitions with lots of examples and proofs, convinced them the identical rights of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. The crowd resolution was fruitful after my speech. The User’s Committee was formed with a major post of Treasure chaired by a woman. I felt respite, and got like an unprecedented flourish in my responsibility which was finally successful in my duty. Then the minute was prepared and signed. The meeting was closed with a short briefing remark by Chairman Mr. Ram Kishun Mahara. As we came out of the hall Mr. Mahara along with other congregate and excused for the roar which has broken out suddenly in the hall. We thanked him and ask for departure from the meeting place. I called my driver, signaled him, he geared up the vehicle with orphic sound of music sung by Udit…  

Rampramod  Yadav, 

Siraha Municipality, Siraha