BIA president K P S Kesri said that local MSMEs would have to stand on their own feet by availing the facilities provided in the new industrial policy and some other policies of the state government, and quality manpower management. But the state government, being a large purchaser, would have to bring out an effective purchase preference policy for the local MSMEs to provide them level playing field, he said.

Kesri said the BIA is identifying 100 industrial units for their extension and capacity addition. The BIA would submit a proposal to the state government to give impetus to their growth The new industrial policy of the state government, which became effective from July 1, 2011, provides for subsidy on purchase of machinery needed for extension of the existing industries.

Industrial Development Commissioner C K Mishra had recently said that subsidies could not be given to industries as they did not demand it. Nevertheless, recently some food processing industries were given subsidy under the Food Processing Policy of the state government for establishing their units, he said.

Asked about measures that should be taken for accelerating the development of manufacturing industries in the state, Kesri emphasized on manpower management for efficient running of industries. For this, the BIA will soon sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a national-level human resource development agency for providing 3-6 months rigorous training in industrial management skill to youths for handling the small and mid-sized industries.

The BIA is also interacting with a national-level private equity fund management agency for managing equity capital for establishment of new industries and extension of the existing ones. One such equity fund management agency had already held a meeting with BIA, he said.

BIA, with the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad, recently organized a workshop on product design for local entrepreneurs. NID will continue its product design training to local entrepreneurs under the national manufacturing competitive programme of the Union ministry of MSME, he added.

Former BIA president K P Jhunjhunwala said that investment climate in Bihar had improved, but in the new year government’s initiative for industrial development would be crucial.

Courtesy: TNN

Presiding over the Congress function, party spokesman Vinod Sharma recalled that Sahay, as revenue minister, had played a key role in the implementation of Zamindari Abolition Act and Land Reforms Act. He had proved himself as an able administrator both as minister and chief minister.

Several Congress leaders including Harkhu Jha, Jagannath Pathak, Shrikant Satyadarshi and Madhurendra Singh were present on the occasion.

State Youth Congress president Lalan Kumar, at the YC function, said born in a common family, Sahay had risen to the post of chief minister with his grit, sharp intellect and hard work. Today, Bihar needed an administrator like him.

The two organizations also observed the 31st death anniversary of noted freedom fighter and former legislator Syed Fida Hussain. Former MLC Vijay Shankar Mishra and Lalan Kumar presided over the functions of their respective bodiess.

Sahay was remembered at a function organized by Sri Chitragupta Puja Samiti at Bansi Kunj in Kadamkuan. Speakers included late CM’s daughter Meena Verma, son-in law and former DGP of UP A K Sharan, Amitabh Rituraj and Suman Kumar who highlighted great qualities of Sahay and his role in freedom struggle.

Courtesy: TNN

30th December 2011 would be remembered for decades in Kishanganj and the educational field of Bihar. It is also a memorable day for AMU vice chancellor Dr. PK Abdul Azis as he was quite eager to get the land issue cleared before his retirement.

There were many agitations for the land acquisition for this campus in and out of Bihar. Last October thousands of demonstrators blocking railway and road transport.

The Kishanganj Campus of AMU has to face stiff resistance from forces like the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) the student wing of BJP which is the alliance partner of Nitish Kumar led Bihar government.

It is expected that the session would start from next July though it would take ten years to build the needed infrastructure there. The AMU VC has requested the state government to provide a building on rent to start the session.

AMU VC Dr. Azis says that they hope to start some courses by July 2012. Mr. Azis says this Campus of AMU is more ambitious. AMU is expected to spend Rs. 1300 crores and Rs. 100 crores in Murshidabad and Mallepuram Campus respectivle towards build up of the infrastructure. It is expected that similar amount would be spent in Kishanganj opening the doors of jobs for locals.

Mr. Azis promises that the Kishanganj centre would be a state of the art centre for higher education with international facilities and tech support.

The district magistrate of Kishanganj Sandeep Kumar R Pudukalkatti and AMU registrarDr. Abdul Jalil signed the land transfer agreement. Though AMU required 250 acres of land, it got 224.02 acres I ub Mauza Chakala and Gobindpur villages under Kishanganj circle. Earlier the government was providing land in three different blocks but the AMU authorities insisted to provide a single and contiguous block of land which finally it got though it is minus 26 acres.

The deal was signed in the presence of energy minister and in charge of Kishanganj district Vijendra Prasad Yadav as the HRD minister Mr. PK Sahi was away who had quite a bad spat with the AMU authorities. Although the principal secretary Mr. Anjani Kumar Singh was present on this occasion.

DM, Kishanganj Sandeep Kumar informed that now the expert committee of AMU would have send the detailed project report to Union HRD ministry and a detailed finance report to finance ministry. AMU would also seek the President cum Visitor’s nod to launch the academic session.

Courtesy:  NVONews

“The Nitish Kumar led Bihar Government is denying CBI enquiry into the killings because it fears that such an enquiry will not only bring the truth behind the firing but also expose the corruption in Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority (BIADA)” alleged Dr. Shakeel Ahmad, National Spokesperson of Congress Party, while addressing the protestors.

He said that the state government ignored the notice by Supreme Court regarding CBI inquiry which was issued after hearing a PIL.

He questioned the secular credibility of the Nitish Kumar by asking “On one hand, he refused to share dais with Narendra Modi and on the other hand he runs the government with Sushil Kumar Modi” he added.

Dr. Ahmad assured the victims that he and his party will be fighting until justice is delivered to them.

On June 3, 2011, four members of the Muslim community were brutally killed by Police in Bhajanpur village under Forbesganj block in Araria district of Bihar while they were protesting against blockade of their road by a company named Auro Sundaram International Private Limited.

Notably, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi was blamed that Bhajanpur Police firing was done on his direction as he has close relationship with BJP MLC Ashok Kumar Agrawal whose son Saurabh Kumar is a member of the board of directors of Auro Sundaram International Private Limited.

Criticizing Bihar Government, Congress leader and organizer of the protest, Dr. Shakeel Ahmad Khan said: “”When a non-Muslim businessman is killed here, the Police inspector is suspended but the killer of Muslims is given promotion. SP Garima Malik who ordered the Bhajanpur firing was made senior SP of Darbhanga instead of being suspended.”

He said that judicial inquiry into the incident is only a formality. “The inquiry commission is yet to take any important step but the victims have been terrorized in several ways” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, local MLA Afaq Alam alleged that Bihar Government is working on the direction of communal forces and Forbesganj firing has been an example for that.

On the occasion, several other people also put their views and expressed their feelings. The victims also narrated their horrible stories. Each of those victim’s families were given Rs. 25000/ by a well-wisher.

Courtesy: TCN

The Transfer of documents along with the certificate for delivery of possession was initiated by Revenue and Land Reforms Department, Government of Bihar. The Principal Secretary, Human Resource Department, Government of Bihar, Patna was the authority to undertake the delivery of possession and Mr. Sandeep Kumar, R. Pudakalkatti, District Magistrate and Collector respectively of Kishanganj, Bihar; had delivered the possession as per the authorization of Bihar government.

The land falls under the Kishanganj circle, Mauza Chakla, Khata no. 384 and Mauza Govindpur, Khata No. 40, together totaling 224.02 acres. The land has been transferred over to the Registrar, Aligarh Muslim University by the District Magistrate and Collector of Kishanganj District, free from any encumbrances for setting up a Centre of the Aligarh Muslim University.

The Minister Incharge of Kishanganj and Araria districts, Mr. Brijendra Prasad Yadav; Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Energy, Registration and Excise, Mr. Anjani Kumar Singh; Principal Secretary, Human Resource Development Department, Government of Bihar, Mr. Brijesh Mahrotra; Commissioner, Purnea, Mr. Rahman Balyavi, representing the Government of Bihar, were present during the transfer ceremony along with Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis, Vice Chancellor, Aligarh Muslim University; Prof. V. K. Abdul Jaleel, Registrar, AMU; Mrs. Yasmeen Jalal Beg, Finance Officer and Member in charge, Property; Prof. H. S. A. Yahya, OSD, Nodal Office for AMU Centres; Prof. N. A. K. Durrani, Media Advisor; Prof. Javaid Akhtar, former Dean, Faculty of Management Studies and Research and Prof. Ekram Husain, Principal, Zakir Husain College of Engineering and Technology, representing Aligarh Muslim University.

The Minister, Mr. Brijendra Prasad Yadav has assured all possible support in providing the necessary infrastructure required including the construction of a 30 meter wide road, 30 KV electricity substation dedicated to AMU Centre as well as water supplies to the campus will be provided. Besides he assured to build a fence to make the land encumbrance-free.

Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis, Vice Chancellor, Aligarh Muslim University assured that AMU Kishanganj matter will be put on fast track and within a couple of days a consultant will be appointed with instruction to submit DFR and DPR within a month’s time so that the University can submit a suitable proposal for funding of the project and for getting approval from the Visitor under Section 12(2) of the AMU Act 1981. In the meantime, the matter will be brought before the Academic Council, Executive Council and University Court for undertaking necessary amendments. He said that the project for the Kishanganj centre will be prepared similar to that of the AMU Malappuram Centre and Murshidabad Centre in terms of facilities and long-term plans and the AMU Kishanganj Centre will be a state-of-the-art centre of higher education with world class facilities and technological support.

The Vice Chancellor also assured that if the State government provides temporary accommodation, the University hopes to launch some of its programme in the next academic session itself.

The visiting AMU team inspected the land along with the District Revenue Officer. AMU Vice Chancellor, Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis observed that before fencing the land, all temporary settlements should be shifted taking in to consideration all humanitarian principles, while evacuating. Prof. Azis said that if necessary, around 2-3 acres can be parted away from the land given to AMU in order to resolve the temporary settlement issue in an amicable way. The district officials said that the land transfer has been made after the decision of the state cabinet.

Prof. Azis expressed gratitude to the people who organized a movement for the identification and transfer of land for the AMU Kishanganj Centre and congratulated them telling that their dream had finally come true.

Maulana Asrarul Haq Qasmi, Member of Parliament from Kishanganj, was present for the meeting, he expressed extreme happiness for the helps provided by the State government, Central government and the initiative taken by AMU Vice Chancellor, as his dream of bringing a modern education centre to Kishanganj has come true now. He hoped that in the near and distant future it is going to change the fate and face of this underdeveloped region of the country.

Mr. Akhtarul Iman, MLA, who played an active role in the identification of the land, and a number of distinguished people of the area were all present for the programme.

Courtesy: TCN

Jayprakash Narayan was born in a Kayastha Family in Sitabdiara Siwan, Bihar. When he was a child, he had many pets. One day, his pigeon died and he did not eat food for two days afterward. His father Harsudayal was a junior official in the canal department of the State government and was often touring the region. Jayaprakash, called Baul affectionately, was left with his grandmother to study in Sitabdiara. There was no high school in the village, so Jayaprakash was sent to Patna to study in the Collegiate School. He excelled in school. His essay, “The present state of Hindi in Bihar”, won a best essay award. He entered the Patna College on a Government scholarship.Jayaprakash Narayan joined “Bihar Vidyapeeth” founded by Dr. Rajendra Prasad for motivating young meritorious youths and was among the first students of eminent Gandhian Dr. Anugrah Narayan Sinha , a close colleague of M. K. Gandhi who later became first Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar.

Though JP was practically a committed Marxist, he was convinced that the communists in India must join the main stream of the struggle for National Liberation even if it was under the hegemony of the so-called bourgeoisie. On his way back to India, he had met Clemenus Dutt, brother of Rajani Palme Dutt and other communist leaders in London and discussed with them the issue of India’s freedom & revolution. JP, who had read Lenin’s famous “Colonial thesis” calling upon the communists in the “Slave” countries to take active part in the national freedom struggle, was not convinced of Dutt’s argument. Later when JP joined the nationalist freedom movement, he was surprised to find that Indian communists were following the line which Clemenus Dutt advocated. JP could not understand the rationality of the fight against the Indian National Congress which was fighting for the freedom of the country.

After returning to India, Narayan joined the Indian National Congress on the invitation of Jawaharlal Nehru in 1929; Mahatma Gandhi became his mentor in the Congress. He shared the same house at kadam kuan in Patna with his close friend and nationalist Ganga Sharan Sinha (Shrivastava). with whom he shared the most cordial and lasting friendship. During the Indian independence movement he was arrested, jailed, and tortured several times by the British. He won particular fame during the Quit India movement.

After being jailed in 1932 for civil disobedience against British rule, Narayan was imprisoned in Nasik Jail, where he met Ram Manohar Lohia, Minoo Masani, Achyut Patwardhan, Ashok Mehta, Yusuf Desai and other national leaders. After his release, the Congress Socialist Party, or (CSP), a left-wing group within the Congress, was formed with Acharya Narendra Deva as President and Narayan as General secretary.

During the Quit India Movement of 1942, when senior Congress leaders were arrested in the early stages, JP, Lohia and Basawon Singh (Sinha) were at the forefront of the agitations. Leaders such as Jayaprakash Narayan and Aruna Asaf Ali were described as “the political children of Gandhi but recent students of Karl Marx.” He was also a great advocate of corelation ”SAHJEEVAN”

Initially a defender of physical force, Narayan was won over to Gandhi’s position on nonviolence and advocated the use of satyagrahas to achieve the ideals of democratic socialism. Furthermore, he became deeply disillusioned with the practical experience of socialism in Nehru’s India.

After independence and the death of Mahatma Gandhi, Narayan, Acharya Narendra Dev and Basawon Singh (Sinha) led the CSP out of Congress to become the opposition Socialist Party, which later took the name Praja Socialist Party. Basawon Singh (Sinha) became the first leader of the opposition in the state and assembly of Bihar and Acharya Narendra Deva became the first leader of opposition in the state and assembly of U.P. His party is the first national party who distributed tickets on caste line. This was the point where Jayaprakash Narayan disagreed with the party principles and pursued Sarvodey and Lokniti.

On April 19, 1954, Narayan announced in Gaya that he was dedicating his life (Jeevandan) to Vinoba Bhave’s Sarvodaya movement and its Bhoodan campaign, which promoted distributing land to Harijans (untouchables). He gave up his land, set up an ashram in Hazaribagh, and worked towards uplifting the village.

In 1957, Narayan formally broke with the Praja Socialist Party in order to pursue lokniti [Polity of the people], as opposed to rajniti [Polity of the state]. By this time, Narayan had become convinced that lokniti should be non-partisan in order to build a consensus-based, classless, participatory democracy which he termed Sarvodaya. Narayan became an important figure in the India-wide network of Gandhian Sarvodaya workers.

In 1964, Narayan was vilified across the political spectrum for arguing in an article in the Hindustan Times that India had a responsibility to keep its promise to allow self-determination to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. He hit back at critics in a second article, dismissing the Indian version of the “domino theory” which held that the rest of India’s states would disintegrate if Kashmir were allowed its promised freedom. In his graceful if old-fashioned style, Narayan ridiculed the premise that “the states of India are held together by force and not by the sentiment of a common nationality. It is an assumption that makes a mockery of the Indian Nation and a tyrant of the Indian State”.

Narayan returned to prominence in State politics in the late 1960s. In 1974, he led the student’s movement in the state of Bihar which gradually developed into a popular people’s movement known as the Bihar movement. It was during this movement that JP gave a call for peaceful Total Revolution Together with V. M. Tarkunde, he founded the Citizens for Democracy in 1974 and the People’s Union for Civil Liberties in 1976, both NGOs, to uphold and defend civil liberties.

When Indira Gandhi was found guilty of violating electoral laws by the Allahabad High Court, Narayan called for Indira to resign, and advocated a program of social transformation which he termedSampoorna kraanti [Total Revolution]. Instead she proclaimed a national Emergency on the midnight of June 25, 1975, immediately after Narayan had called for the PM’s resignation and had asked the military and the police to disregard unconstitutional and immoral orders; JP, opposition leaders, and dissenting members of her own party (the ‘Young Turks’) were arrested on that day.

Jayaprakash Narayan attracted a gathering of 100,000 people at the Ramlila Grounds and thunderously recited Rashtrakavi Ramdhari Singh ‘Dinkar”s wonderfully evocative poetry: Singhasan Khaali Karo Ke Janata Aaati Hai.

Narayan was kept as detenu at Chandigarh even after he had asked for a month’s parole for mobilising relief in areas of Bihar gravely affected by flood. His health suddenly deteriorated on October 24, and he was released on November 12; diagnosis at Jaslok Hospital, Bombay, revealed kidney failure; he would be on dialysis for the rest of his life.

“Free JP” campaign was launched in UK by Surur Hoda and chaired by Nobel Peace Prize winner Noel- Baker for the release of Jayaprakash Narayan.

After Indira revoked the emergency on January 18, 1977 and announced elections, it was under JP’s guidance that the Janata Party (a vehicle for the broad spectrum of the anti-Indira Gandhi opposition) was formed. The Janata Party was voted into power, and became the first non-Congress party to form a government at the Centre. On the call of Narayan many youngesters joined the J P movement.

Jayaprakash Narayan died on 8 October 1979 due to effects of diabetes and heart ailments; but a few months before that, in March 1979, his death was erroneously announced by the Indian prime minister to the parliament as he lay fighting for his life in Jaslok Hospital, causing a brief wave of national mourning, including the suspension of parliament and regular radio broadcasting, and closure of schools and shops. When he was told about the gaffe a few weeks later, he smiled.

The qualities that gave Dr Anugrah Narayan Sinha a place among the eminent nationalists of his time were moral as well as intellectual.His genuineness, intensity, abhorrence of sham trickery and imposture and his dauntless determination to arrive at facts gave his action a ring of truth.

He was born to Visveshwar Dayal Singh on 18 June 1887 in a family of Poiwan village of the erstwhile Gaya district (today known as Aurangabad) of Bihar.As a lad his patriotic virtues were visible.A brilliant student from the beginning of his academic career, Dr. Anugrah Narayan Sinha obtained his initial education in the village school.From Junior school till graduation he topped the lists at every examination, obtaining an M.A. (History) in 1914 from the prestigious University of Calcutta.He became the Secretary of the Bihar Students Conference founded by Rajendra Prasad and the Chanakya Society of the Patna College.He served as a volunteer in the Patna Congress,With fever on he feverishly worked for its success.In 1915,he was appointed Professor of History at the T.N.B. college in Bhagalpur where he remained, known as an ideal professor, until 1916.He organised relief work when Bhagalpur was raved by floods.He began successfully practising law at Patna High Court.

In 1917, heeding the call of Mahatma Gandhi to the nation, he left his flourishing law practice to join theChamparan Satyagraha movement. The Champaran experiment formed a vital chapter in the development of the Gandhian method in India and he was catapulted to the national stage.He served as a teacher in “Bihar Vidyapeeth” founded by Dr. Rajendra Prasad for motivating young meritorious youths.Among his first students was young Jayprakash Narayan. In 1922 he successfully organized the Gaya Congress.In the following year he became one of the General Secretaries of the All India Congress Committee (AICC).When Rajendra Prasad was elected Chairman of Patna Municipality,Dr. Anugraha Narayan Sinha was elected Vice-Chairman.As he was soon elected Chairman of the Gaya District Board,he resigned.He was the pivotal force behind the Civil Disobedience Movement led by M K Gandhi,in the year 1930 which is considered an important milestone in the history of Indian Nationalism.His patriotism earned him 15 months of rigorous imprisonment in 1933–34.When a massive earthquake affected Bihar on 15 January 1934,Bihar Central Relief Committee was set up on 17 January 1934,under the Presidentship of Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Dr. Anugraha Narayan Sinha became its Vice-President.He took the task of raising funds to help the people and the relief and rehabilitation work was organised in an elaborate and efficient manner.He was elected as a member of the Central Council in 1935 from Sahabad-cum-Patna Constituency with a massive margin.He became a member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly in 1936. In the provincial autonomy granted by British, under the Government of India Act of 1935, the first Congress ministry was sworn in on 20 July 1937 and he became the Deputy Premier cum Finance Minister of Bihar province.He and Premier Dr. Sri Krishna Sinha disagreed with the then Governor Maurice Garnier Hallett on the issue of the release of political prisoners and both resigned.The Governor had to give in and they again resumed their offices. But they again resigned in 1939, as did all Congress governments in the country, over the question of involving India in the Second World War without the consent of the Indian people.

He was among the first freedom fighters to respond to Gandhiji’s call for Satyagraha in 1940–41. He was arrested by the British authorities and imprisoned in the Hazaribagh Central Jail in 1942. In 1944 he was released and devoted himself to serving the epidemic ridden people.

After independence he dedicated himself to the all round development of Bihar as Finance Minister and as the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar.

The first Bihar Government, both in 1937 and 1946, was characterised by the values of the Mahatma Gandhi. Its two eminent leaders Sri Babu (Sri Krishna Sinha) and Anugrah Babu (Dr Anugrah Narayan Sinha) were nationalists of unimpeachable integrity and great public spirit. They ran an exemplary government in Bihar. Almost all the development projects needed for the state of Bihar were done by the leadership pair of Sinha and Dr A N Sinha.It included several river valley projects right from Koshi, Aghaur and Sakri to other such river projects.The first five-year plan period was given to the development in rural development works mainly mainly in the agricultural sector. In fact, Bihar became the top state in the country’s first five-year plan and it was announced by Dr A N Sinha in the assembly.The then Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru sent Paul H. Appleby to assess the administration in states and in his famous report,he described Bihar as the best governed state in India mostly due to the excellent leadership of Dr S K Sinha and Dr Anugrah Narayan Sinha.

Since the second five year plan period,Anugrah Babu spearheaded the process of rapid industrialization of Bihar and and bought several industries for the all round development of the state.He served India’s international interests.He successfully led the Indian Food and Agriculture delegation to Nepal and also the Indian delegation to the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Canada and Switzerland. He also actively led a number of Government and voluntary organisations in India and abroad.

During the independence movement, he left his law work and joined the Congress Party, playing a prominent role in the Indian Independence Movement. He served as the president of the Constituent Assembly that drafted the first constitution of the Republic, which lasted from 1948 to 1950. He also became the first Minister of Food and Agriculture in the year 1946 in the Interim national Government.

Rajendra Prasad was the youngest son of Mahavira Sahai, and born in a Kayastha family. He was known as “Rajen” to his family and friends. His father was a scholar of both the Persian language|Persian]] and Sanskrit languages, while his mother, Kamleshwari Devi, was a religious woman.

When Prasad was five years old, his parents placed him under the tutelage of a Moulavi, an accomplished Muslim scholar, to learn the Persian language, Hindi and arithmetic. After the completion of traditional elementary education, Prasad was sent to the Chapra District School and at a small age of 12, he was married to Rajavanshi Devi. He, along with his elder brother Mahendra Prasad, then went to study at T.K. Ghosh’s Academy in Patna for a period of two years.He secured first in the entrance examination to the University of Calcutta and was awarded Rs.30 per month as a scholarship. He joined the Presidency College in 1902, initially as a science student. He passed Intermediate level classes then called as F. A. under Calcutta University in March 1904. Later he decided to focus on the arts and did his M.A. in Economy with First Division from Kolkata University in December 1907. There he lived with his brother in the Eden Hindu Hostel. A devoted student as well as a public activist, he was an active member of The Dawn Society. It was due to his sense of duty towards his family and education that he refused to join Servants of India Society. Prasad was instrumental in the formation of the Bihari Students Conference in 1906 in the hall of the Patna College.It was the first organization of its kind in India and produced some of the eminent leaders of Bihar like Dr. Anugrah Narayan Sinha and Sri Krishna Singh.Dr. Rajendra prasad was a great man of India.

Rajendra Prasad served in various educational institutions as a teacher. After completing his MA in economics, he became a professor of English at the Bhumihar Brahman College (Now Langat Singh College) in Muzaffarpur, Bihar and went on to become the principal. However later on he left the college for his legal studies. In 1909, while pursuing his law studies in Kolkata he also worked as Professor of Economics at Calcutta City College. In 1915, Prasad appeared in the examination of Masters in Law, passed the examination and won a gold medal. He then completed his Doctorate in Law.

In the year 1916, he joined the High Court of Bihar and Orissa. Later in the year 1917, he was appointed as one of the first members of the Senate and Syndicate of the Patna University. He also used to practice law at Bhagalpur, the famous silk-town of Bihar.

Rajendra Prasad and Anugrah Narayan Sinha during Mahatama Gandhi’s 1917 Champaran Satyagraha Prasad had formally joined the Indian National Congress way back in the year 1911. During the Lucknow Session of Indian National Congress held in 1916, he met Mahatma Gandhi. During one of the fact-finding missions at Champaran, Mahatma Gandhi asked him to come with his volunteers. He was so greatly moved by the dedication, courage, and conviction of Mahatma Gandhi that as soon as the motion of Non-Cooperation  was passed by Indian National Congress in 1920, he retired his lucrative career of lawyer as well as his duties in the university to aid the movement.

He also responded to the call by Gandhi to boycott Western educational establishments by asking his son, Mrityunjaya Prasad, to drop out of his studies and enroll himself in Bihar Vidyapeeth, an institution he along with his colleagues founded on the traditional Indian model.

During the course of the independent movement, he interacted with Dr Rahul Sankrityayan, a writer, and polymath. Rahul Sankrityayan was greatly influenced by Prasad’s intellectual prowess, finding him to be a guide and guru. In many of his articles he mentioned about his meeting with Sankrityayan and narrated about their him. He wrote articles for the revolutionary publications Searchlight and the Desh and collected funds for these papers. He toured widely, explaining, lecturing, and exhorting the principles of the independence movement.

He took an active role in helping the affected people during the 1914 floods that struck Bihar and Bengal. When an earthquake affected Bihar on 15 January 1934, Prasad was in jail. During that period, he passed on the relief work to his close colleague Anugrah Narayan Sinha.^[6] He was released two days later and set up Bihar Central Relief Committee on 17 January 1934, and took the task of raising funds to help the people himself. During the May 31, 1935 Quettaearthquake, when he was forbidden to leave the country due to government’s order he set up Quetta Central Relief Committee in Sindh and Punjab under his own presidentship.

He was elected as the President of the Indian National Congress during the Bombay session in October 1934. He again became the president when Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose resigned in 1939. On 8 August 1942, Congress passed the Quit India Resolution in Bombay which led to the arrest of many Indian leaders. He was arrested from Sadaqat Ashram, Patna and sent to Bankipur Jail. After remaining incarcerated for nearly 3 years, he was released on 15 June 1945.

After the formation of Interim Government of 12 nominated ministers under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru on Sep 2 1946, he got the Food and Agriculture department. Later, he was elected the President of Constituent Assembly on 11 December 1946. Again on 17 November 1947 he became Congress President for a third time after Jivatram Kripalani submitted resignation. Two and a half years after independence, on January 26, 1950, the Constitution of independent India was ratified and Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected the nation’s first President.

Prasad acted independently of politics, following the expected role of the president as per the constitution. Following the tussle over the enactment of the Hindu Code Bill, he took a more active role in state affairs. In 1962, after serving twelve years as the president, he announced his decision to retire. After relinquishing the office of the President of India on May 1962, he returned to Patna on 14 May 1962 and preferred to stay in the campus of Bihar Vidyapeeth.^[7] He was subsequently awarded the Bharat Ratna, the nation’s highest civilian award.

He died on 28 February 1963.

His name “aśoka” means “painless, without sorrow” in Sanskrit (the a privativum and śoka ”pain, distress”). In his edicts, he is referred to as Devānāmpriya (Pali Devānaṃpiya or “The Beloved Of The Gods”), and Priyadarśin (Pali Piyadasī or “He who regards everyone with affection”).

Along with the Edicts of Ashoka, his legend is related in the later 2nd century Aśokāvadāna (“Narrative of Asoka“) and Divyāvadāna (“Divine narrative“), and in the Sri Lankan text Mahavamsa (“Great Chronicle“).

Ashoka played a critical role in helping make Buddhism a world religion. As the peace-loving ruler of one of the world’s largest, richest and most powerful multi-ethnic states, he is considered an exemplary ruler, who tried to put into practice a secular state ethic of non-violence. The emblem of the modern Republic of India is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka.

Ashoka was born to the Mauryan emperor Bindusara and his queen, Dharmā [or Dhammā]. Ashokāvadāna states that his mother was a queen named Subhadrangī, the daughter of Champa of Telangana. Queen Subhadrangī was a Brahmin of the Ajivika sect. Sage Pilindavatsa (aias Janasana) was a kalupaga Brahmin of the Ajivika sect had found Subhadrangī as a suitable match for Emperor Bindusara. A palace intrigue kept her away from the king. This eventually ended, and she bore a son. It is from her exclamation “I am now without sorrow”, that Ashoka got his name. The Divyāvadāna tells a similar story, but gives the name of the queen as Janapadakalyānī.

Ashoka had several elder siblings, all of whom were his half-brothers from other wives of Bindusāra.

He had been given the royal military training knowledge. He was a fearsome hunter, and according to a legend, he killed a lion with just a wooden rod. He was very adventurous and a trained fighter, who was known for his skills with the sword. Because of his reputation as a frightening warrior and a heartless general, he was sent to curb the riots in the Avanti province of the Mauryan empire.

The Divyavandana refers to Ashoka putting down a revolt due to activities of wicked ministers. This may have been an incident in Bindusara’s times. Taranatha’s account states that Chanakya, one of Bindusara’s great lords, destroyed the nobles and kings of 16 towns and made himself the master of all territory between the eastern and the western seas. Some historians consider this as an indication of Bindusara’s conquest of the Deccan while others consider it as suppression of a revolt. Following this Ashoka was stationed at Ujjayini as governor.

Bindusara’s death in 273 BC led to a war over succession. According to Divyavandana, Bindusara wanted his son Sushim to succeed him but Ashoka was supported by his father’s ministers. A minister named Radhagupta seems to have played an important role. One of the Ashokavandana states that Ashoka managed to become the king by getting rid of the legitimate heir to the throne, by tricking him into entering a pit filled with live coals. The Dipavansa and Mahavansa refer to Ashoka killing 99 of his brothers, sparing only one, named Tissa. Although there is no clear proof about this incident. The coronation happened in 269 BC, four years after his succession to the throne.

Ashoka is said to have been of a wicked nature and bad temper. He submitted his ministers to a test of loyalty and had 500 of them killed. He also kept a harem of around 500 women. Once when certain lot of these women insulted him, he had the whole lot of them burnt to death. He also built hell on earth, an elaborate and horrific torture chamber. This torture Chamber earned him the name of Chand Ashoka (Sanskrit), meaning Ashoka the Fierce.

Ascending the throne, Ashoka expanded his empire over the next eight years, from the present-day boundaries and regions of Burma–Bangladesh and the state of Assam in India in the east to the territory of present-day Iran / Persia and Afghanistan in the west; from the Pamir Knots in the north almost to the peninsular of southern India (i.e. Tamilnadu / Andhra pradesh).

While the early part of Ashoka’s reign was apparently quite bloodthirsty, he became a follower of the Buddha’s teaching after his conquest of Kalinga on the east coast of India in the present-day states of southern Orissa and north coastal Andhra Pradesh. Kalinga was a state that prided itself on its sovereignty and democracy. With its monarchical parliamentary democracy it was quite an exception in ancient Bharata where there existed the concept of Rajdharma. Rajdharma means the duty of the rulers, which was intrinsically entwined with the concept of bravery and Kshatriya dharma. The Kalinga War happened eight years after his coronation. From his 13th inscription, we come to know that the battle was a massive one and caused the deaths of more than 100,000 soldiers and many civilians who rose up in defense; over 150,000 were deported. When he was walking through the grounds of Kalinga after his conquest, rejoicing in his victory, he was moved by the number of bodies strewn there and the wails of the kith and kin of the dead.

As the legend goes, one day after the war was over, Ashoka ventured out to roam the city and all he could see were burnt houses and scattered corpses. This sight made him sick and he cried the famous monologue:

What have I done? If this is a victory, what’s a defeat then? Is this a victory or a defeat? Is this justice or injustice? Is it gallantry or a rout? Is it valor to kill innocent children and women? Do I do it to widen the empire and for prosperity or to destroy the other’s kingdom and splendor? One has lost her husband, someone else a father, someone a child, someone an unborn infant…. What’s this debris of the corpses? Are these marks of victory or defeat? Are these vultures, crows, eagles the messengers of death or evil?

The brutality of the conquest led him to adopt Buddhism, and he used his position to propagate the relatively new religion to new heights, as far as ancient Rome and Egypt. He made Buddhism his state religion around 260 BC, and propagated it and preached it within his domain and worldwide from about 250 BC. Emperor Ashoka undoubtedly has to be credited with the first serious attempt to develop a Buddhist policy.

Prominent in this cause were his son Venerable Mahindra and daughter Sanghamitra (whose name means “friend of the Sangha”), who established Buddhism in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). He built thousands of Stupas and Viharas for Buddhist followers. The Stupas of Sanchi are world famous and the stupa named Sanchi Stupa was built by Emperor Ashoka. During the remaining portion of Ashoka’s reign, he pursued an official policy of nonviolence (ahimsa). Even the unnecessary slaughter or mutilation of animals was immediately abolished. Everyone became protected by the king’s lawagainst sport hunting and branding. Limited hunting was permitted for consumption reasons but Ashoka also promoted the concept of vegetarianism. Ashoka also showed mercy to those imprisoned, allowing them leave for the outside a day of the year. He attempted to raise the professional ambition of the common man by building universities for study, and water transit and irrigation systems for trade and agriculture. He treated his subjects as equals regardless of their religion, politics and caste. The kingdoms surrounding his, so easily overthrown, were instead made to be well-respected allies.

He is acclaimed for constructing hospitals for animals and renovating major roads throughout India. After this transformation, Ashoka came to be known as Dhammashoka (Sanskrit), meaning Ashoka, the follower of Dharma. Ashoka defined the main principles of dharma (dhamma) as nonviolence, tolerance of all sects and opinions, obedience to parents, respect for the Brahmans and other religious teachers and priests, liberality towards friends, humane treatment of servants, and generosity towards all. These principles suggest a general ethic of behaviour to which no religious or social group could object.

Some critics say that Ashoka was afraid of more wars, but among his neighbors, including the Seleucid Empire and the Greco-Bactrian kingdom established byDiodotus I, none could match his strength. He was a contemporary of both Antiochus I Soter and his successor Antiochus II Theos of the Seleucid dynasty as well as Diodotus I and his son Diodotus II of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom. If his inscriptions and edicts are well studied one finds that he was familiar with the Hellenic world but never edicts, which talk of friendly relations, give the names of both Antiochus of the Seleucid empire and Ptolemy III of Egypt. The fame of the Mauryan empire was widespread from the time that Ashoka’s grandfatherChandragupta Maurya defeated Seleucus Nicator, the founder of the Seleucid Dynasty.

The source of much of our knowledge of Ashoka is the many inscriptions he had carved on pillars and rocks throughout the empire. All his inscriptions have the imperial touch and show compassionate loving. He addressed his people as his “children”. These inscriptions promoted Buddhist morality and encouraged nonviolence and adherence to Dharma (duty or proper behavior), and they talk of his fame and conquered lands as well as the neighboring kingdoms holding up his might. One also gets some primary information about the Kalinga War and Ashoka’s allies plus some useful knowledge on the civil administration. The Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath is the most popular of the relics left by Ashoka. Made of sandstone, this pillar records the visit of the emperor to Sarnath, in the 3rd century BC. It has a four-lion capital (four lions standing back to back) which was adopted as the emblem of the modern Indian republic. The lion symbolizes both Ashoka’s imperial rule and the kingship of the Buddha. In translating these monuments, historians learn the bulk of what is assumed to have been true fact of the Mauryan Empire. It is difficult to determine whether or not some actual events ever happened, but the stone etchings clearly depict how Ashoka wanted to be thought of and remembered.

Ashoka’s own words as known from his Edicts are: “All men are my children. I am like a father to them. As every father desires the good and the happiness of his children, I wish that all men should be happy always.” Edward D’Cruz interprets the Ashokan dharma as a “religion to be used as a symbol of a new imperial unity and a cementing force to weld the diverse and heterogeneous elements of the empire”.

Also, in the Edicts, Ashoka mentions that some of the people living in Hellenic countries as converts to Buddhism, although no Hellenic historical record of this event remain:

Now it is conquest by Dhamma [(which conquest means peaceful conversion, not military conquest)] that Beloved-of-the-Gods considers to be the best conquest. And it (conquest by Dhamma) has been won here, on the borders, even six hundred yojanas away, where the Greek king Antiochos rules, beyond there where the four kings named Ptolemy, Antigonos, Magas and Alexander rule, likewise in the south among the Cholas, the Pandyas, and as far as Tamraparni. Here in the king’s domain among the Greeks, the Kambojas, the Nabhakas, the Nabhapamkits, the Bhojas, the Pitinikas, the Andhras and the Palidas, everywhere people are following Beloved-of-the-Gods’ instructions in Dhamma. Even where Beloved-of-the-Gods’ envoys have not been, these people too, having heard of the practice of Dhamma and the ordinances and instructions in Dhamma given by Beloved-of-the-Gods, are following it and will continue to do so.

—Edicts of Ashoka, Rock Edict (S. Dhammika)

Ashoka also claims that he encouraged the development of herbal medicine, for human and nonhuman animals, in their territories:

Everywhere within Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi’s [Ashoka's] domain, and among the people beyond the borders, the Cholas, the Pandyas, the Satiyaputras, the Keralaputras, as far as Tamraparni and where the Greek king Antiochos rules, and among the kings who are neighbours of Antiochos, everywhere has Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, made provision for two types of medical treatment: medical treatment for humans and medical treatment for animals. Wherever medical herbs suitable for humans or animals are not available, I have had them imported and grown. Wherever medical roots or fruits are not available I have had them imported and grown. Along roads I have had wells dug and trees planted for the benefit of humans and animals.

—Edicts of Ashoka, Rock Edict 2

The Greeks in India even seem to have played an active role in the propagation of Buddhism, as some of the emissaries of Ashoka, such as Dharmaraksita, are described in Pali sources as leading Greek (Yona) Buddhist monks, active in spreading Buddhism (the Mahavamsa, XII).

Ashoka ruled for an estimated forty years. After his death, the Mauryan dynasty lasted just fifty more years. Ashoka had many wives and children, but many of their names are lost to time. Mahindra and Sanghamitra were twins born by his first wife, Devi, in the city of Ujjain. He had entrusted to them the job of making his state religion, Buddhism, more popular across the known and the unknown world. Mahindra and Sanghamitra went into Sri Lanka and converted the King, the Queen and their people to Buddhism. They were naturally not handling state affairs after him.

In his old age, he seems to have come under the spell of his youngest wife Tishyaraksha. It is said that she had got his son Kunala, the regent inTakshashila, blinded by a wily stratagem. The official executioners spared Kunala and he became a wandering singer accompanied by his favourite wife Kanchanmala. In Pataliputra, Ashoka hears Kunala’s song, and realizes that Kunala’s misfortune may have been a punishment for some past sin of the emperor himself and condemns Tishyaraksha to death, restoring Kunala to the court. Kunala was succeeded by his son, Samprati, but his rule did not last long after Ashoka’s death.

The reign of Ashoka Maurya could easily have disappeared into history as the ages passed by, and would have had he not left behind a record of his trials. The testimony of this wise king was discovered in the form of magnificently sculpted pillars and boulders with a variety of actions and teachings he wished to be published etched into the stone. What Ashoka left behind was the first written language in India since the ancient city of Harappa. The language used for inscription was the then current spoken form called Prakrit.

In the year 185 BC, about fifty years after Ashoka’s death, the last Maurya ruler, Brhadrata, was assassinated by the commander-in-chief of the Mauryan armed forces, Pusyamitra Sunga, while he was taking the Guard of Honor of his forces. Pusyamitra Sunga founded the Sunga dynasty (185 BC-78 BC) and ruled just a fragmented part of the Mauryan Empire. Many of the northwestern territories of the Mauryan Empire (modern-day Afghanistan and Northern Pakistan) became the Indo-Greek Kingdom.

In 1992, Ashoka was ranked #53 on Michael H. Hart’s list of the most influential figures in history. In 2001, a semi-fictionalized portrayal of Ashoka’s life was produced as a motion picture under the titleAsoka. King Ashoka, the third monarch of the Indian Mauryan dynasty, has come to be regarded as one of the most exemplary rulers in world history. The British historian H.G. Wells has written: “Amidst the tens of thousands of names of monarchs that crowd the columns of history, their majesties and graciousnesses and serenities and royal highnesses and the like, the name of Asoka shines, and shines, almost alone, a star.”

One of the more enduring legacies of Ashoka Maurya was the model that he provided for the relationship between Buddhism and the state. Throughout Theravada Southeastern Asia, the model of ruler ship embodied by Ashoka replaced the notion of divine kingship that had previously dominated (in the Angkor kingdom, for instance). Under this model of ‘Buddhist kingship’, the king sought to legitimize his rule not through descent from a divine source, but by supporting and earning the approval of the Buddhist sangha. Following Ashoka’s example, kings established monasteries, funded the construction of stupas, and supported the ordination of monks in their kingdom. Many rulers also took an active role in resolving disputes over the status and regulation of the sangha, as Ashoka had in calling a conclave to settle a number of contentious issues during his reign. This development ultimately lead to a close association in many Southeast Asian countries between the monarchy and the religious hierarchy, an association that can still be seen today in the state-supported Buddhism of Thailand and the traditional role of the Thai king as both a religious and secular leader. Ashoka also said that all his courtiers were true to their self and governed the people in a moral manner.

Ashoka, now a Buddhist emperor, believed that Buddhism is beneficial for all human beings as well as animals and plants, so he built 84,000 stupas, Sangharama, viharas, Chaitya, and residences for Buddhist monks all over South Asia and Central Asia. He gave donations to viharas and mathas. He sent his only daughter Sanghamitta and son Mahindra to spread Buddhism in Sri Lanka (ancient name Tamraparni). Ashoka also sent many prominent Buddhist monks (bhikshus) Sthaviras like Madhyamik Sthavira to modern Kashmir and Afghanistan; Maharaskshit Sthavira to Syria, Persia / Iran,Egypt, Greece, Italy and Turkey; Massim Sthavira to Nepal, Bhutan, China and Mongolia; Sohn Uttar Sthavira to modern Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (old name Suvarnabhumi for Burma and Thailand),Thailand and Vietnam; Mahadhhamarakhhita stahvira to Maharashtra (old name Maharatthha); Maharakhhit Sthavira and Yavandhammarakhhita Sthavira to South India. Ashoka also invited Buddhists and non-Buddhists for religious conferences. Ashoka inspired the Buddhist monks to compose the sacred religious texts, and also gave all types of help to that end. Ashoka also helped to develop viharas (intellectual hubs) such as Nalanda and Taxila. Ashoka helped to construct Sanchi and Mahabodhi Temple. Ashoka never tried to harm or to destroy non-Buddhist religions, and indeed gave donations to non-Buddhists. As his reign continued his even-handedness was replaced with special inclination towards Buddhism. Ashoka helped and respected both Sramans (Buddhists monks) and Brahmins (Vedic monks). Ashoka also helped to organize the Third Buddhist council (c. 250 BC) at Pataliputra (today’s Patna). It was conducted by the monk Moggaliputta-Tissa who was the spiritual teacher of the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka.

Ashoka’s military power was so strong that he was able to crush those empires that went to war against him. Still, he was on friendly terms with kingdoms in the South like Cholas, Pandya, Keralputra, the post Alexandrian empire, Tamraparni, and Suvarnabhumi who were strong enough to remain outside his empire and continued to profess Hinduism. According to his edicts we know that he provided humanitarian help including doctors, hospitals,inns, wells, medical herbs and engineers to his neighboring countries. In neighboring countries, Ashoka helped humans as well as animals. Ashoka also planted trees in his empire and his neighboring countries. Ashoka was perhaps the first emperor in human history to ban slavery, hunting, fishing anddeforestation. Ashoka also banned the death sentence and asked the same for the neighboring countries. Ashoka commanded his people to serve the orders of their elders parents and religious monks (shramana and Brahmin). Ashoka also recommended his people study and respect all religions. According to Ashoka, to harm another’s religion is a harm to one’s own religion. Ashoka asserted his people to live with Dharmmacharana. Ashoka asked people to live with harmony, peace, love and tolerance. Ashoka called his people as his children, and they could call him when they need him. He also asked people to save money and not to spend for immoral causes. Ashoka also believed in dharmacharana (dhammacharana) and dharmavijaya (dhammavijaya). According to many European and Asian historians the age of Ashoka was the age of light and delightment. He was the first emperor in human history who has taught the lesson of unity, peace, equality and love. Ashoka’s aim was not to expand the territories but the welfare of all of his subjects (sarvajansukhay). In his vast empire there was no evidence of recognizable mutiny or civil war. Ashoka was the true devotee of nonviolence, peace and love. This made him different from other emperors. Ashoka also helped Buddhism as well as religions like Jainism, Hinduism, Hellenic polytheism and Ajivikas. Ashoka was against any discrimination among humans. He helped students, the poor, orphans and the elderly with social, political and economic help. According to Ashoka, hatred gives birth to hatred and a feeling of love gives birth to love and mercy. According to him the happiness of people is the happiness of the ruler. His opinion was that the sword is not as powerful as love. Ashoka was also kind to prisoners, and respected animal life and tree life. Ashoka allowed females to be educated. He also permitted females to enter religious institutions. He allowed female Buddhist monastics such as Bhikkhuni. He combined in himself the complexity of a king and a simplicity of a buddhist monk. Because of these reasons he is known as the emperor of all ages and thus became a milestone in the History of the world.

According to reports, the name of the arrested agent is Pramod Kushwaha who was the front man of ISI in India.

Kushwaha reportedly operated from Nepal and was a key man used by the ISI to push fake currency into India.

Police have recovered several documents from him that establishes his link with the Pakistan’s intelligence agency.

Police also recovered ten fake passports from him together with six Nepalese sim cards.

Kushwaha is being interrogated by six intelligence officials in Bihar and is likely to reveal key information about the fake Indian currency and other terror activities of the ISI.

Courtesy: Zeenews Bureau