Anti-Bihari sentiment

The uneven economic development in India has resulted in mass migration of Bihari workers, and middle class professionals, to seek work in more developed states of India like Maharashtra, the North East region, Delhi, Western Uttar Pradesh (Noida), and Punjab. The free movement of Indians to settle and work anywhere inside the Indian Union has been guaranteed by the constitution of India.. Bihari settler communities living in other states have been subjected to a growing degree of xenophobia , racial discrimination, prejudice and violence. Biharis are often looked down upon. and their accent is ridiculed. In 2000 and 2003, anti-Bihari violence led to the deaths of up to 200 people and created 10,000 internal refugees. Again in 2008, anti-Bihari violence in Maharashtra, notably in Nashik, Mumbai, and Pune, created a record 40,000 to 60,000 internal refugees.

Historical Background

1857-1858 Civil War in the East India Company Empire

File:Indigo cultivators.JPG

Indigo cultivators in Bihar in late 19th century

In 1857, the East India Company territories of Bihar and the United Provinces rebelled against the government in Calcutta, resulting in a civil war. Mangal Pandey was thought to have sparked the civil war, which many Indians today also call India's First War of Independence. The central area of disruption to Company administration took place in the region that later became the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. After 1858, the British instituted reforms in the government, however, there was a cultural dislike amongst the British of the people and cultures of Bihar, Eastern UP, and northern India in general. The dislike arose from the deaths of innocent British civilians during the civil war, notably in Lucknow. During the war, Bengal, Punjab, Kashmir, Hyderabad State, Rajputana, and the Madras Presidency either remained loyal to the Empire or observed neutrality. After the conflict, many regions saw Biharis as having sided with the disliked Mughal dynasty in Delhi. Notably, Bengalis of the urban regions, in the erstwhile Bengal province which included Bihar, saw Biharis with contempt and disdain. One of the earlier instance of stereotyping of the Biharis is observed in one of the works of Rabindranath Tagore - Binodini.

According to Dr Shaibal Gupta from Asian Development Research Institute(ADRI), Patna

Being the main area of the upsurge of 1857, it invited the bloodiest reprisal and retribution and subsequently the deliberate negligence and indifference from the side of colonial rulers. Despite the political linkage of Bihar with Bengal, linguistically and culturally she was more connected with Hindi Heartland. This lack of cultural affinity restrained the Bengali settlers in Bihar to identify with local population. In addition, the former developed supercilious attitude of cultural superiority as a result of their dominance as subordinate partner in the administrative professional set-up in the colonial rule. The movement in Bihar, for a separate state, mainly revolved round the discrimination against Biharis in the matter of education and jobs."

Indian journalist, M J Akbar, commented

The European treated the Bihari with unconcealed contempt. The Indian converted him into an unconcealed caricature. Caricature too is a form of hatred. The joke that folds you into the embrace of laughter also lacerates the victim, particularly if he is required to join in the fun out of a “sense of humor”. When the joke becomes part of the mass idiom, a staple of Hindi cinema, and a cornerstone of advertising, then it has become more than a joke. It is now a stereotype.

Origins of Bihari Migration

Historic

The colonial government used migrants to work in the colonies after the abolotion of slavery in 1833 by the British Empire. The recruiters selected so-called hill coolies, who were generally employed as labourers on indigo plantations. During the low season, they came into the towns to seek work. From 1844, certain towns in the northern provinces - Delhi, Bihar, Oudh and Bengal - were recognised as magnets for potential recruits.

Political Criminalisation and Corruption

Main article: Economy of Bihar

The failure of Bihari politicans, since the late 1980's, have been blamed for the rise in migration of workers seeking a better life in other states of India. Many in Bihar blame poor political vision, under-investments in the key sectors of agriculture, infrastructure and education. Observers believe that a combination of poor governance, caste based politics, caste based society, and rampant corruption by politicians & bureaucrats were the main causes for the lack of development. In 2005, Bihar was rated as the most corrupt State, according to a study by Transparency International India and the Centre for Media Studies.

Lalu Prasad's support of social justice has ensured that Bihar politics was dominated by Mandal dynamics and caste rather than development in the 1990's. Also, the criminalistion of politics during this period created a business unfriendly climate and contributed to the economic collapse.. The biggest crisis business faced was with organised kidnapping, which the local BJP leaders claimed was linked to the ruling RJD.. The resulting crisis led to a flight of capital, middle class professionals, and business leaders to other parts of India. The the flight of business and capital increased unemployment and this led to the mass migration of Bihari farmers and unemployed youth to more developed states of India.

As a consequence, the state has a per capita income of $148 a year against India's average of $997 and 30.6% of the state's population lives below the poverty line against India's average of 22.15%. The level of urbanisation (10.5%) is below the national average (27.78%); and behind states like Maharastra (42.4%). Urban poverty in Bihar (32.91%) is above the national average of 23.62%. Also using per capita water supply as a surrogate variable, Bihar (61 litres per day) is below the national average (142 litres per day) and that of Maharastra(175 litres per day) in civic amenities.

However, Bihar's GSDP grew by 18% over the period 2006-2007, which was higher then in the past 10 years, and one of the highest recorded by the Indian government..

Causes of xenophobia and prejudice towards Biharis

Indian journalist, Vir Sanghvi, says

The roots of Raj Thackeray's attack on the Bhaiyyas lie in India's economic transformation. Through a combination of poor planning and worse politics, Bihar and UP have been left out of the economic revolution. When people from those states travel outside to find work, those who have benefited from the recent prosperity treat them with the kind of snobbery and disdain with which the British treated Indians when we went to England to find employment in the 1950s. Then, we were seen as losers from a place that would never manage to prosper. But, of course, Indians ignored the racism and rose to the top of the economic pyramid.

Social & Cultural

Almost 58 per cent of Biharis are below 25 years age, which is the highest in India. In years to come, with higher than average birth rates, Bihar is believed to become one of the most over populated states inside India. There is a perception in states with smaller populations that Bihari culture could dominate local languages and customs as migration of poor workers continue from those states. This feeling that local customs would be overwhelmed by migrants was a key feature of the MNS campaign in Maharashtra and feelings of resentment in Punjab.. The migrant population in Punjab, according to state researchers, is nearing three million out of a total population of over nearly 30 million. One third of the migrants, nearly one million, live in and around Ludhiana..

After the attacks on Uttar Pradeshi's and Biharis in October 2008, a Punjabi group called the Dal Khalsa, carried banners and placards that read “Punjab for Punjabis” and “Return migrants, Save Punjab”. Dal Khalsa president H.S. Dhami urged the Punjab government to frame rules and evolve a strict migration policy to curb immigration. "We chose this occasion of 42nd anniversary of Punjab Day as we thought it was an appropriate day to air our resentment against the heavy influx of migrants. The migration from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in large numbers is unwelcome and unacceptable,” Dhami suggested that states should issue permits to curb unchecked influx of migrants.

This fear is amply personified by the rise of Bhojpuri cinema in non-Bhojpuri speaking states. Bhojpuri cinema has become very successful in Punjab and Maharashtra due to the large Bihari and Uttar Pradeshi migrant populations in those states. Punjabi comedian Jaspal Bhatti, who has produced three Punjabi films, said instead of assimilating with the culture of the state, the migrant population was seeking to decimate Punjabi culture and cinema. Bhatti also blamed Punjabi film producers for not coming up with healthy films. He said this was a worst phase ever for Punjabi cinema as producers were incurring heavy losses.

In Mumbai, Raj Thackeray had also complained to theatre owners for their reluctance to exhibit Marathi movies. Producers of Marathi movies complained that it is becoming difficult to hire theatres in Mumbai to release their productions. In the early 1990's, the Maharashtra government made it compulsory for theatres to show Marathi movies for at least 180 days a year. In Maharashtra, due falling audience for Marathi movies, exhibitors preferred to show Bhojpuri language movies. In March 2008, Bhojpuri filmmakers in Mumbai expressed disappointment that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) removed the exemption from Bhojpuri movies for the payment of Entertainment Tax (ET). The BMC decided to give ET exemption only to Marathi and Gujarati movies in Mumbai.

Economic

Lower Local Wages

Bihar has a per capita income of $148 a year against India's average of $997. Given this income dispartity, migrant workers moved to better paid locations and offered to work at lower rates. For example, in Tamil Nadu inter-state migrant construction workers are paid about Rs.60 to Rs.70 a day against the minimum of Rs.130 per day. After thousands of migrant workers left Nashik, industries were worried that their costs would increase through more expensive local workers.

Impact on Urban Infrastructure

In an interview with the Times of India, Raj Thackeray, leader of the MNS said;

"The city (Mumbai) cannot take the burden anymore. Look at our roads, our trains and parks. On the pipes that bring water to Mumbai are 40,000 huts. It is a security hazard. The footpaths too have been taken over by migrants. The message has to go to UP and Bihar that there is no space left in Mumbai for you. After destroying the city, the migrants will go back to their villages. But where will we go then?"

The strain to Mumbai's infrastructure through migration has also been commented by mainstream secular politicians. The Chief Minister, Vilasrao Deshmukh felt that unchecked migration had placed a strain on the basic infrastructure of the state. However, he has maintained and urged migrant Bihari workers to remain in Maharashtra, even during the height of the anti North Indian agitation.

Sheila Dikshit, the Chief Minister of Delhi, said that because of people migrating from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, Delhi's infrastructure was overburdened. She said, that "these people come to Delhi from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh but don't ever go back causing burden on Delhi's infrastructure."

Anti-Bihari violence

Attacks on railway recruitment examinees in Maharashtra in 2003 & 2008

Main article: 19 October 2008 All-India Railway Recruitment Board examination attack

2003

In 2003, the Shiv Sena alleged that of the 500 Maharashtrian candidates, only ten of them successful in the Railways exams. 90 per cent of the successful candidates were alleged to be from Bihar. Activists from the Shiv Sena ransacked a railway recruitment office in protest against non-Marathi's being among the 650,000 candidates set to compete for 2,200 railway jobs in the state. Eventually, after attacks on Biharis heading towards Mumbai for exams, the central government delayed the exams.

2008

Bihar students preparing for the railway entrance exam were attacked by Raj Thackeray's MNS supporters in Mumbai on the 20th October 2008. Vice President, MNS Student's Wing Ashish Jadhav said, “Raj sahab ne bola hai assi pratishat marathi bhashik har jagah uske liye vacancy mangta hai, tho woh hisaab se hona chahiye..agar woh nahin hota hai to hum aandolan ki tayyari mein hain (Raj Thackeray has said that there has to be 80 per cent reservation for Maharashtrians. If that doesn't happen we'll protest).” There was one casualty in the violence. Four persons were killed and another seriously injured in the violence that broke out in a village near Kalyan following the arrest of MNS chief Raj Thackeray.

Political parties condemned the attack by MNS activists on north Indian candidates who had come to appear in railway board exam in the city. "Strict action should be taken on MNS activists for the attack," said Bihari origin Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam. Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said his government will not tolerate Raj Thackeray's party. NCP spokesperson Gurunath Kulkarni also demanded harsh action against the activists. "I condemned the attack by MNS activists. They are not doing any good for Marathi people but spoiling the name of Maharashtra," Kulkarni said.

Despite the MNS leaders arrest and release on bail, a north Indian vegetable seller in Bhandup region in Mumbai died in clashes with MNS workers. The victim is reported to have refused to shut shop when MNS workers tried forced closure of shops in Bhandup to protest against their leader's arrest. In another attack, a senior journalist from Uttar Pradesh was on Thursday beaten by supporters of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar demanded action against the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena activists and full security to students. Nitish Kumar requested Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh intervention. Kumar directed the additional director general of police to contact senior police officials in Maharashtra and compile a report on Sunday's incident and asked the home commissioner to hold talks with the Maharashtra home secretary to seek protection for people from Bihar.

I expect the Maharashtra government to act tough and protect our students.

— Nitish Kumar, Chief Minister of Bihar,

BJP was responsible for the entrenchment of Shiv Sena and its chief Bal Thackeray as well as Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and its chief Raj Thackeray in the affairs of Maharashtra, even as they believed in and practised narrow politics based on caste, religion, regionalism and chauvinistic ambitions. BJP entered into an opportunistic alliance with Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and also helped in paving the way for the rule of this party on Maharashtra.

— Anil Kumar Sharma, Bihar state Congress chief,

The Congress party has a mastery in creating 'bhasmasurs' (self destructing demons). Earlier they created Bhindranwale in Punjab, which killed a Congress Prime Minister. Even this Raj Thackeray is ultimately going to damage Congress

— Shivananda Tiwari, Rajya Sabha MP and JD-U national general secretary,

The Congress is Raj Thackeray's event management company and it is trying to project Raj's arrest as an event instead of making any serious effort to check the violent campaign of MNS against north Indians. There is match-fixing between Raj and the Maharashtra government. The state government deliberately books him under small sections and he gets bail.

— Shahnawaz Hussain, BJP MP,

On Diwali, on board the Khopoli-Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus train Dharamdev Ramnarain Rai was killed by a gang of 10 MNS workers. The police said that the MNS workers waited only to find out whether he and his friends were Uttar Pradesh before assaulting them.

Vilasrao Deshmukh announced a probe by the chief secretary in to the death, whilst Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil announced Rs 2 lakh for the family. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati also announced a similar cash compensation and said: "It is high time the Central Government rose to the occasion and took appropriate action against the growing confrontation between the people of Maharashtra and north Indians living in that state." Four security guards were on the train on Tuesday night when Dharamdev, who worked in a steel manufacturing unit in Khopoli, 120 km from Mumbai, was killed.

What can I do? I wrote a most strongly worded letter after the all-party delegation from Bihar met me. I also spoke to the Maharashtra Chief Minister.

— Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India,

2008 attacks on people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh

Main article: 2008 attacks on North Indians in Maharashtra

The 2008 attacks on North Indians in Maharashtra began on February 3, 2008 after violent clashes between workers of two political parties—Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Samajwadi Party (SP)—at Dadar in Mumbai, capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. The clashes took place when workers of MNS, a splinter faction formed out of the Shiv Sena (a major political party of Maharashtra), tried to attack workers of SP, the regional party based in Uttar Pradesh, who were proceeding to attend a rally organised by the United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA). Defending his party’s stand, MNS chief Raj Thackeray explained that the attack was a reaction to the "provocative and unnecessary show of strength" and "uncontrolled political and cultural Dadagiri (bullying) of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar migrants and their leaders".

On February 13, 2008, the state government, which was accused of reluctance to take immediate action, ultimately arrested Raj Thackeray and Abu Asim Azmi (a local SP leader) on charges of instigation of violence and causing communal disturbance. Although released that same day, a gag order was imposed on both leaders to prevent them from making further inflammatory remarks. Meanwhile, tensions in Maharashtra rose as the news of Raj's possible arrest, and his subsequent actual arrest, angered his supporters. Incidences of violence against North Indians and their property by MNS workers were reported in Mumbai, Pune, Aurangabad, Beed, Nashik, Amravati, Jalna and Latur. Nearly 25,000 North Indian workers fled Pune, and another 15,000 fled Nashik in the wake of the attacks. The exodus of workers caused an acute labour shortage, affecting local industries. Analysts estimated financial losses of Rs. 500 – 700 crore. Although the violence receded after the arrests of the two leaders, sporadic attacks were reported until May 2008.

Attack on Biharis in North East Indian States

Biharis have sought work in many states that form part of North East India. There were significant communities in Assam, Nagaland, and Manipur. As with all migrations in history, this has created tensions with the local population, which has resulted in large scale violence. In 2000 and 2003, anti-Bihari violence led to the deaths of up to 200 people, and created 10,000 internal refugees.</ref>. Similar violent incidents have also taken place recently in Manipur and Assam. According to K P S Gill waves of xenophobic violence have swept across Assam repeatedly since 1979, targeting Bangladeshis, Bengalis, Biharis and Marwaris.

Punjab

Ludhiana Bomb Attack

In early 2008, bombs exploded in Ludhiana which killed six people and injured a further 30 in a blast in one of the three cinema halls in a multiplex. The halls were frequented by migrant workers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. NDTV reported that not many in Ludhiana were surprised that militants targeted a local theatre showing a Bhojpuri film given the growing Punjabi resentment to Bihari-Bhojpuri migrant workers. NDTV added that even local journalists displayed a total lack of sympathy, and an SMS started doing the rounds that "this is what happens when they think they can form a mini Bihar here".

Jammu & Kashmir

370 recruits of the Bihar Military Police had joined two training centres at Udhampur and Jagnoo on June one for a 40-week-long training course. The BMP trainees had alleged that one of the recruits was called by an instructor to his room on June 20 and an attempt to sexually harass him was made. When the recruit raised an alarm, his colleagues rushed there and rescued him. The BSF strongly denied the allegation and maintained that the recruits, part of a 370-strong group, had left the course as they were unable to sustain the tough training course at Udhampur.

Notable incidents of Prejudice

Derisive use of BIMARU term

Dr Ashish Bose, a Bengali retired govt servant coined the epithet BIMARU. Even official planning commission records use this term. BIMARU resembles the Hindi word for illness, Bimar. The BI in BIMARU stands for Bihar. Ther other Hindi-speaking states that are included in BIMARU are Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Bihar, and other North Indian states, have also been held accountable for holding India's GDP ranking below the double digit number.

Comments by Home Minister of Goa

The Home Minister of Goa, Ravi Naik who belongs to the Indian National Congress, remarked that should a rail line open between Patna and Panjim, Goa's capital, then the state would have an influx of beggars and criminals. However, Mr.Naik denied the allegations later and claimed that his words have been misunderstood by the media and that he never insulted Biharis.

Andhra Pradesh Judge's Comments

High court judges of Andhra High court used Bihar's name in a scam even though the case had nothing to do with Bihar itself.

Comments by Lieutenant Governor of Delhi

Lieutenant Governor Tejender Khanna, an almnus of Patna University and of Punjabi origin, said that people of North and North-West India took pride in violating the law, especially traffic rules. Khanna said that “In this region, the situation is such that commonly it is a matter of pride to violate the law. The behaviour pattern in South India is such that the people naturally stay within the limits of the law" and he added that “It is a specialty of North and North-West India that the people feel a sense of honour and pride in violating law and boasting that no action has been taken against them,”. The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati demanded that Khanna be removed from his post.

Comment by Indian Health Minister

The Indian Health Minister from Pondicherry (South India), Anbumani Ramadoss, stated that it was a doctor from Bihar was the reason why UK derecognized Indian medical degrees in the 1970s. Ramadoss said senior doctors told him that Britain unilaterally revoked recognition to the medical degrees issued by India because a doctor from Bihar practicing in the UK did not know where the spleen was. Ramadoss later aplologised for his remarks.

Editorial by Bal Thackeray

Shiv Sena leader, Bal Thackeray, commented in the Shiv Sena newspaper, Samnna on why Biharis are disliked outside Hindi-speaking North India. He quoted part of a text message as the title of his article. The message suggests that Biharis bring diseses, violence, job insecurity, and domination, whereever they go. The text message says, "Ek Bihari,Sau Bimari. Do Bihari Ladai ki taiyari,Teen Bihari train hamari and paanch Bihari to sarkar hamaari".

Nitish kumar, the chief minister of Bihar, and the union railway minister, Lalu Prasad Yadav, protested against the remark, demanding official condemnation of Bal Thackeray. Kumar, during a press report at Patna Airport, said, "If Manmohan Singh fails to intervene in what is happening in Maharashtra, it would mean only one thing – he is not interested in resolving the issue and that would not be good for the leader of the nation". Angered by Thackeray's insulting remark against the Bihari community, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) activists burnt the effigy of the Shiv Sena chief at Kargil Chowk in Patna and said that the senior Thackeray had completely lost his marbles and needed to be immediately committed in a mental asylum.

MV Kamath's Comments on Bihar

MV Kamath of Karanatka, editor of the Illustrated Weekly of India, wrote an essay saying Biharis are not fit to rule Bihar. He even went on to say that Bihar needs to be kept under the tutelage of outsiders till they become capable to handle their affairs themselves, even though data from NCRB shows that in several parameters of crime, such as murder, rape, dacoity and dowry harassment, Bihar is nowhere near the top. It is only in kidnapping that Bihar was ranked top since 2000 to 2005.

Sheila Dikshit's comment on Bihar

Sheila Dikshit, the Congress leader and Delhi Chief Minister while laying a foundation stone for a new flyover in south Delhi on May, 2007 said she wished there was a way to stop migration from other states particularly from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Raj Thackeray's Comment on Chhath Puja

Chhath the festival of Bihar is not about celebrations but a ritual carried down since time immemorial. Chhat is a most popular and unique festival of Bihar. MNS leader Raj Thackeray compared the popular chhath festival to a natak.Hundreds of angry protestors across Bihar burnt effigies of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray and condemned his remarks against North Indians and the Chhath festival.

Consequences

Bihari responses have varied, and have depended upon the nature of the expression against Biharis in a particular state.

Protests in Bihar against October 2008 MNS attack in Maharashtra

Angry students in various parts of Bihar damaged railway property and disrupted train traffic, as protests continued against assaults on north Indians by MNS activists in Mumbai. The police said the protesters targeted Patna, Jehanabad, Barh, Khusrupur, Sasaram and Purnia railway stations in the morning. The protesting students reportedly set afire two AC bogies of an express train at Barh railway station. They ransacked Jehanabad, Barh, Purnia and Sasaram railway stations. According to the railway police, at least 10 students were detained in the morning and extra security was deployed to control the situation.

Noted Physician Dr Diwakar Tejaswi observed a day-long fast in Patna to protest against repeated violence by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Raj Thackeray and his goons against the north Indians.

Various student organisations gave a call for Bihar shutdown on Oct 25, 2008 to protest attacks on north Indian candidates by Maharashtra Navnirnam Sena activists during a Railway recruitment examination in Mumbai.

Shivananda Tiwari, Rajya Sabha MP and JD-U national general secretary, blaming the Bihar state government for the reactionary violence in Bihar by the agitated youths and said,

This reaction is out of frustration and is totally spontaneous. People are very angry at the treatment meted out to the state youths in Maharashtra.

Various cases were filed in Bihar and Jharkhand against Raj Thackeray for assaulting the students.A murder case was also filed by Jagdish Prasad, father of Pawan Kumar, who was allegedly killed by MNS activists in Mumbai. Mumbai police, however, claimed it to be a case of accident. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced a compensation of Rs 1,50,000 to Pawan's family.

Bihar state Congress chief, Anil Kumar Sharma, has demanded enactment of an Act by Parliament for closing opportunities to any political party or organisation that indulge in obscurantism and raise such narrow, chauvinistic issues based on caste, religion and regionalism to capture power.

A murder case was also lodged against Raj Thackeray and 15 others in a court in Jharkhand on 1st November 2008 following the death of a train passenger last month in Maharashtra. According to the Dhanbad police, their Mumbai counterparts termed Sakaldeo's death as an accident.

According to social scientist Dr. Shaibal Gupta, the beating of students from Bihar has consolidated Bihari sub-nationalism.

Rahul Raj

Rahul Raj, from Patna, was shot dead aboard a bus in Mumbai by the police on the 28 October. Rahul was 23 years old. The Mumbai police alledged that he wanted to assassinate Raj Thackeray.. Nitish Kumar questioned the police action, but R R Patil justified it, and restored Raj Thackeray`s security.. It was alleged that Rahul was protesting against the attacks on Bihari and Uttar Pradeshi candidates appearing for railway examinations. Mumbai crime branch is looking in to the incident.

During Rahul's funeral slogans of "Raj Thackeray murdabad" and "Rahul Raj amar rahe" were heard. Despite Mumbai police's allegations, there was high level government representation at the funeral. Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi and PHED minister Ashwini Kumar Chaubey represented the state government at the cremation which was also attended by Patna MP Ram Kripal Yadav. The bier was carried by Rahul's friends even as the district administration had arranged a flower-bedecked truck for the purpose.

Rahul's relative Ajay Kumar Singh, who had gone to Mumbai along with IG (CID) Rajesh Ranjan to bring the body, alleged that Rahul's body bore several blue marks which, he felt, suggested that he was severely beaten before he was shot dead.

Growing Anti-Marathi Violence & Prejudice

Jharkhand

After the October 2008 anti-Bihari attacks in Maharashtra, members of the Bharatiya Bhojpuri Sangh (BBS) vandalised the official residence of Tata Motors Jamshedpur plant head S.B. Borwankar, a Maharashtrian. Armed with lathis and hockey sticks, more than 100 BBS members trooped to Borwankar’s Nildih Road bungalow around 3.30pm. Shouting anti-MNS slogans, they smashed windowpanes and broke flowerpots. BBS president Anand Bihari Dubey called the attack on Borwankar’s residence unfortunate, and said that he knew BBS members were angry after the attack in Maharashtra on Biharis, but did not expect a reaction. Fear of further violence gripped the 4,000-odd Maharashtrians settlers living in and around the city. The Mandal office remained closed today because two bike-borne youths had threatened officials last evening.

Uttar Pradesh

A group of 25 people pelted stones on the Maharashtra Bhawan in Khalasi Line, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Constructed in 1928, the building is owned by the lone trust run by Marathis in Kanpur. Over the years, it has served as an important venue for prominent festivals, including Ganesh Utsav and Krishna Janmastami.

Bihar

Two airconditioned bogies of the train Vikramshila Express – reportedly with Maharashtrian passengers on board – were set on fire in Barh area of Bihar. Hundreds of slogan-shouting students descended surrounded Barh railway station in rural Patna demanding that MNS leader Raj Thackeray be tried for sedition. No one was reported injured and passengers fled soon as the attackers started setting the bogies on fire.

During the anti-MNS agitation a group of 63 tourists of which many were Marathi's, were on a tour of sacred Buddhist sites. The tourists found themselves stranded on the outskirts of Patna as riots broke out. The Marathi's in the group were forced to hide their identity for fear of attacks. The group avoided speaking in Marathi, and woman wore saris in the north Indian rather than the Marathi style. For security, the group had to escorted by 25 policeman to the station. The tourists reached Nagpur safley.

In another indicent, a senior woman government official in Bihar, with the surname Thackeray, was the target of an angry mob that surrounded her office and shouted slogans against her in Purnia district. Ashwini Dattarey Thackeray was the target of a mob of over 200 people. The mob, led by a local leader of the Lok Janashakti Party, surrounded Thackeray’s office in Purnia, about 350 km from here, and shouted slogans like, “Go back Maharashtrians” and “Officer go back, we do not need your services”.

Delhi

A group of 20 youths, from Bihar, attacked Maharashtra Sadan in the capital on 3rd November. The Rashtrawadi Sena has claimed responsibility for the attack. They ransacked the reception of the building and raised slogans against Raj Thackeray.

Cultural, Economic Threats

Bihari leaders have urged a boycott of music CDs of Bollywood singers, movies, clothes and drugs manufactured in Maharashtra. “Why don't Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Lata Mangeshkar or Anna Hazare come out and speak against such attacks on Bihari people? They enjoy greater influence on the society and their words would indeed matter,” asked renowned Bollywood actor Mr Shatrughan Sinha.

Nitish Kumar also threatened to block cash flow to Mumbai, country's financial capital. “If Maharashtra is rich today, it's just because the capital investments from across the country have made there. Does Raj Thackeray know where will Mumbai go if we block fund flow to Mumbai and Maharashtra?” ... "I will pump out air of Mumbai by blocking cash flow if the violence against Biharis does not stop".

The Bharatiya Bhojpuri Sangh also demanded a ban on the import of onions from Maharashtra. The organisation said if the ban is not implemented by the Jharkhand government it will stop the entry of trucks carrying onions from Maharshtra. Jharkhand imports onions from Nashik in Maharashtra. "We will intensify our agitation if north Indians are killed in Maharashtra," said Anad Bihari Dubey.

In Jamshedpur, trucks arriving from Maharashtra were stopped and searched by nationalist groups. The government has declared that firm action will be taken to prevent a breakdown in law and order. "We have come to know that some people want to stop trucks coming from Maharashtra. "We will not allow people to prevent movement of trucks. Police have been alerted," R.K. Agrawal, Deputy Commissioner of East Singhbhum district said to the media.

A mob also attacked a cinema hall in Purnia screening films of Marathi directors.. After the attack the angry mob announced the start of their “non-cooperation” movement against innocent Marathis.

Bhojpuri Film Industry Relocation

The Rs 200-crore Bhojpuri film industry is considering moving out of Mumbai owing to threats from MNS workers, and growing insecurity. With an average output of 75 movies per annum and an over 250 million target audience, the Bhojpuri film industry employs hundreds of unskilled and semi-skilled people from the state in various stage of production and distribution. The industry, which has around 50 registered production houses in Mumbai, has initiated talks with Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. "We have given a proposal to the Uttar Pradesh government through its Culture Minister Subhash Pandey for setting up the industry in Lucknow. Besides, we are also counting on some other options like Delhi, Noida and Patna," Bhojpuri superstar and producer Manoj Tiwari said.

The films have a large market because the Bhojpuri diaspora is spread over countries like Mauritius, Nepal, Dubai, Guyana, West Indies, Fiji, Indonesia, Surinam and the Netherlands. There is a significant wealthy Bihari doctor community in the United Kingdom. 70 per cent of the total production cost of a Bhojpuri film — budgets of which range from Rs 80 lakh to Rs 1.25 crore — is usually spent in Maharashtra, providing direct employment to junior artists, make-up men, spot boys and local studios among others.

Improving Bihar

However, the state government, post 2005, has made an effort to improve the economic condition of the state, and reduce the need for migration.

In 2008, the state government approved over Rs 70,000 crore worth of investment, has had record tax collection, broken the political-criminal nexus, made improvments in power supply to villages, towns and cities.

They have laid greater emphasis on education and learning by appointing more teachers, opened a software park, and a new IIT in Patna.

Ministers who have failed to live up to election commitments have been dismissed.

Bihar's GSDP grew by 18% over the period 2006-2007, which was higher then in the past 10 years and one of the higest recorded by the Government of India for that period.

Other Consequences

Since November 2005, there has been a significant fall in the number of migrant workers in many parts of India. After the early 2008 migrant crisis and bombing of the Bhojpuri cinema hall in Punjab, Biharis have decided to firmly stay away from states of the North East and Punjab. However, other Biharis migrants have found that returning to Maharashtra is still an option for them despite the violent nature of the agitation. Culturally, Biharis appear to have rejected a film based heavily on Punjabi culture. In August 2008, a film called Singh in Kinng starring Akshay Kumar which was a box office superhit in India, floped in Bihar. Bihar has been where Akshay Kumar's films, from Jaanwar to Hey Babyy, have acquired a blockbuster status. In this case, the heavy usage of Punjabi language, culture was said to be the main cause of the movie being rejected by Bihari audiences.

See also

• Marathi Regionalism
• 2008 attacks on North Indians in Maharashtra
• Permanent Settlement