Meesha Bhagat
Bhagat Shahed Amar Nath, who sacrificed his life for a social cause to uplift the deprived section of the society, is always remembered on this day of 1st June which is observed as the “Martyr Day”.
He was distinguished as a great Champion of Dalit rights in Jammu and Kashmir State and further set an example for social justice and equality. He was the first who laid his life for the constitutional rights of the downtrodden by sacrificing his physical being after sitting on the hunger strike till his death.
He fought vigorously for a veritable cause for the deprived section of the society and inculcated in it a sense of dignity and social justice. He played a very pivotal role in giving justice to his brethren in his motherland by providing them a platform for their emancipation.
Indian constitution came into force in 26 November 1950 in which had the provision of the reservation in services for the SCs, STs. But this provision remained illusive in J&K state as long as 1970. Jammu and Kashmir constitution came into force on 26th January 1957 but unfortunately it didn’t adopt any provision of reservation like Indian constitution, for the depressed section of the society despite frequent promises of Sheikh Abdullah to keep the provision of reservation for SCs and STs.
This proved a huge setback to the people of the depressed communities whose faith had been shaken after this betrayal. This led to the great resentment among the Dalits who decided to fight against this injustice. They united together and decided to fight tooth and nail to achieve their goal (right of reservation).
Those who played a very remarkable role for this social cause were Babu Parmanand, Bhagat Chhajju Ram, Mahasha Nahar Singh and Babu Milkhi Ram and among them, the role of Shahed Bhagat Amar Nath was the greatest who laid the foundation of the “Democratic Rights of the Depressed section” which were denied to them historically for centuries.
He struggled for more than twenty years to bring affirmative action in favour of Scheduled Castes in the state. It was on 21st May 1970 when Bhagat Amar Nath seeking implementation of the reservation of SCs, began hunger strike and died on June 1970s.
Subsequently it was in 1974 that the initiatives were taken to implement SCs reservation in the state under the Congress Party Rule. The last procedural act to implement SCs reservation was issued on 22nd March 1976 by the government of Sheikh Abdullah.
The son of soil, Shaheed Bhagat Amarnath (1928 to-1st june1970), was born in 1928 at village Champa near Batote Tehsil, District Ramban in a megh family of Scheduled Caste. Shri Moti Ram and Shrimati Janki Devi were his father and mother respectively. After completing his school education upto Middle standard, he joined state services in the Health department at Batote. He got married to Smt. Shanti Devi at a young age. He was blessed with a son and a daughter. He was very much enthusiastic for the social causes and therefore he resigned from the Govt. job and joined social service.
He joined Congress party and was elected as Congress Block President and subsequently was made the Secretary of this party. He moved to Jammu to contribute for Dalit Samaj and eventually played a pivotal role for the upliftment of the downtrodden. He decided to devote himself for social cause exclusively for down trodden.
He was deeply and highly committed towards the most awful plight of the oppressed and exploited people who were denied basic human rights. He was very much determined to even sacrifice his life for the welfare of marginalized, and neglected section of the society.
It was the lackadaisical approach of the government of his times which induced Shaheed Bhagat Amar Nath to take very serious and comprehensive note on the ill-conceived intention of the state Govt and therefore he intended to intensify his nonstop agitation in the entire Jammu province by leading many processions, demonstrations, public meetings for the expeditious redressal of core issue of reservation.
An ultimatum with deadline was given to state govt. that if the demands were not been conceded, then other drastic steps would be taken into consideration by the community leaders. Observing, that the state government was not taking their statements seriously, he under took hunger strike in front of the secretariat at Jammu on May 21, 1970 to get the major demand of reservation conceeded along with certain other core issues. Indeed , it was the state government’s callous attitude towards their genuine demands which provoked him to take this extreme step of sitting on fast unto death.
In addition to Shaheed Bhagat Amar Nath, the other leaders and members of scheduled caste community who participated in the hunger strike were Pishori Lal, Chaino Ram, Munshi Ram, Simer Das, Mijra Singh, Sant Ram, Sheru Ram and Punnu Ram.
Some efforts were made to convince him to break his hunger strike but he became reluctant and remained adamant on his demand and at last he died on June 1, 1970. After his sacrifice, Reservation was announced in the government services for scheduled caste.
This achievement is being revered and remembered by his Dalit brethren on this day of 1st June which was observed as a “Martyr Day of Bhagat Amar Nath”.
(The author is Research Scholar Political Science Dept., Univ. of Jammu)
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