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Living with the Caste: Everyday Life & Politics in Bihar

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  I was in my native village in East Champaran, near the Indo-Nepal border. One day, I travelled to Bettiah and Bagaha to learn about a social venture initiated by our friend. I will write more about that mission later, but for now, I want to share something else. My friend sent a car for me to reach his place; this journey took over two hours. During the trip, I asked the driver his name. He politely shared his name (Mohan) & proudly mentioned his caste identity, Bania.   This led to an endless conversation about caste, party politics and social justice in everyday life while our wheels were moving towards the destination.  When I proposed the subject of caste with him to share his thoughts, he keenly stated, "Sir, before Lalu Yadav's government in Bihar, our caste faced enormous challenges as a lower caste." He went on without stopping, and I was extremely fascinated by his perspective and understanding of the social justice efforts undertaken by Lalu Prasad Yad