झारखंड विधान सभा में दिखेगें आठ सपूत

 

नेताजी सुभास चन्द्र बोस की जयंती पर विशेष - ‘जब के.बी. सहाय का विरोध काले झंडे से हुआ’

सविनय अवज्ञा आंदोलन के दौरान स्वतंत्रता संग्राम की पहुंच और प्रभाव को व्यापक बनाने के प्रयास में कृष्ण बल्लभ बाबू ने फैक्ट्री और मिल श्रमिकों को संगठित करना शुरू किया। फलतः यह आंदोलन फैक्ट्री प्रतिष्ठानों तक फैल गया। के. बी. सहाय ने कांग्रेस की ओर से अपील की कि मिल मजदूर अपनी उचित मांगों के लिए दबाव डालते हुए प्रबंधन की अवज्ञा करें। एक घटना जमशेदपुर के टिन प्लेट फैक्ट्री की है जहां मिल मजदूर बेहतर कार्य स्थितियों की मांग करते हुए हड़ताल पर चले गए। विधान सभा और बिहार और उड़ीसा प्रांतीय परिषद के सदस्य यथा श्री जोगिया, राम नारायण सिंह, अब्दुल बारी, जिमतवहन सेन, शशि भूषण राय भी इस आंदोलन में कृष्ण बल्लभ सहाय के साथ जुड़ गए। कृष्ण बल्लभ के निवेदन पर मिल मजदूरों के पक्ष में डॉ राजेंद्र प्रसाद ने सितंबर 1929 के पूर्वार्द्ध में गोलमौरी का दौरा किया। (‘बिहार में स्वतंत्रता आंदोलन का इतिहास खंड-I, डॉ. काली किंकर दत्ता द्वारा, केंद्रीय सचिवालय पुस्तकालय बिहार सरकार द्वारा प्रकाशित, 1957) इस आंदोलन से नेताजी सुभास चन्द्र बोस भी जुड़े थे। गोलमौरी में एक बैठक में, सुभाष चंद्र बोस ने कहा कि जब तक मामले सुलझ नहीं जाते, वह जगह नहीं छोड़ेंगे। उन्होंने जोर देकर कहा कि यदि आवश्यक हुआ तो वह बारडोली सत्याग्रह की तर्ज पर सत्याग्रह अभियान शुरू करेंगे। राम नारायण सिंह ने 27 अगस्त को टिन प्लेट फैक्ट्री के महाप्रबंधक से मुलाकात की और घोषणा की कि विवाद पूंजीपतियों के साथ नहीं बल्कि सरकार के साथ है। 29 अगस्त को, कृष्ण बल्लभ ने ऐलान किया कि कांग्रेस पार्टी ने मजदूरों को सविनय अवज्ञा अभियान से जोड़ने और उनसे हड़ताल पर जाने की अपील इसलिए की क्योंकि सरकार उनकी जायज़ मांगों को सुनने के लिए भी तैयार नहीं थी। (फ़ाइल संख्या: 257/I/1930 गृह विभाग, पहचानकर्ता: PR_000003032598, संग्रह: डिजिटाइज़्ड पब्लिक रिकॉर्ड्स होम/पॉलिटिकल (सौजन्य: राष्ट्रीय अभिलेखागार, नई दिल्ली) हड़ताल अंततः फ़ैक्टरी मज़दूरों के पक्ष में समाप्त हुई।

मार्च 1940 में भविष्य की रणनीति तैयार करने के लिए रामगढ़ (बिहार, अब झारखंड) में कांग्रेस का अधिवेशन बुलाया गया। अनुग्रह नारायण सिन्हा, कृष्ण बल्लभ सहाय, राम नारायण सिंह और अंबिका कांत सिंह जैसे कांग्रेसियों को सफल व्यवस्था का जिम्मा सौंपा गया। दिलचस्प बात यह है इसी समय में रामगढ़ एक अन्य बड़े सम्मेलन का स्थल भी था। ‘समझौता विरोधी सम्मेलन’नेताजी सुभाष चंद्र बोस के दिमाग की उपज थी जो द्वितीय विश्व युद्ध के दरम्यान अंग्रेजों से किसी भी प्रकार के सम्झौता के खिलाफ थे। हालाँकि के.बी. सहाय नेताजी के नेतृत्व का पूरा सम्मान करते थे, लेकिन उनके प्रयास कांग्रेस अधिवेशन के सफल आयोजन की ओर निर्देशित थे। फॉरवर्ड ब्लॉक, जिसे नेताजी ने एक साल पूर्व ही 1939 में भारतीय राष्ट्रीय कांग्रेस के भीतर एक रूप में स्थापित किया था, एवं  कांग्रेस के बीच इस तनातनी का उल्लेख डॉ राजेंद्र प्रसाद ने भी अपनी आत्मकथा में संक्षेप में किया है-‘हालांकि द्वितीय विश्व युद्ध के दरम्यान कांग्रेस कभी भी अंग्रेजों के साथ किसी भी समझौते के पक्ष में नहीं थी, फिर भी यह निराधार आरोप लगाया गया था कि कांग्रेस अंग्रेजों के साथ समझौता करने पर आमादा थी’। (डॉ राजेंद्र प्रसाद की आत्मकथा, (पृष्ठ 501-505) (1957), एशिया पब्लिशिंग हाउस, नई दिल्ली द्वारा प्रकाशित।) कांग्रेस के भीतर इस तरह के विरोधाभासों के कारण प्रतिद्वंद्वी समूहों के अनुयायियों ने विरोध प्रदर्शन किया। इस पृष्ठभूमि में जब कृष्ण बल्लभ सहाय काँग्रेस के रामगढ़ अधिवेशन के लिए काँग्रेस की नीति का प्रचार प्रसार कर स्वयंसेवकों की भर्ती एवं अधिवेशन के लिए चंदा जुटाने के लिए सामने आए तब उन्हें फॉरवर्ड ब्लॉक के ‘समझौता विरोधी समूह’ के विरोध का सामना करना पड़ा। फॉरवर्ड ब्लॉक के कार्यकर्ताओं ने उनका स्वागत काले झंडों के साथ किया था। इन परस्पर विरोधाभासों के बावजूद इस कथन में कोई अतिशयोक्ति नहीं कि ये स्वतन्त्रता के इन मतवालों का एक ही ध्येय था और उनमें परस्पर मलिनता नहीं थी। आज यह देखना वाकई दुखद है कि 1947 में एक राष्ट्र के तौर पर हमने जो हासिल किया, उस पर अब सवाल उठाए जा रहे हैं। इस तरह उन स्वतंत्रता सेनानियों के प्रयासों को नकारा जा रहा है जिन्होंने स्वतंत्र भारत के पवित्र लक्ष्य को हासिल करने के लिए खुद को बलिदान कर दिया। इससे भी ज़्यादा दुखद बात यह है कि अक्सर इन स्वतंत्रता सेनानियों के वंशज भी इस तरह के व्हाट्सअप इतिहास के शिकार हो जाते हैं।

REMEMBERING NETAJI - WHEN K.B. SAHAY FACED BLACK FLAG PROTEST

 

To widen the reach and impact of the Civil Disobedience Movement, K.B. Sahay roped in the support of the factory and mill workers to the noble cause of the freedom struggle. He appealed on behalf of Congress, urging workers to disobey the management civilly while pressing for their just demands. This was followed by a call for a strike in the Tin Plate Factory in Jamshedpur, demanding better working conditions. Other members of the Legislative Assembly and members of the Bihar and Orissa Provincial Council namely Sri Joggiah, Ram Narayan Singh, Abdul Bari, Jimut Bahan Sen, and Sashi Bhushan Ray joined Krishna Ballabh Sahay who also sought the intervention of Dr Rajendra Prasad. Rajendra Prasad was among those who visited Golmouri during the first half of September 1929. (‘History of the Freedom Movement in Bihar Vol-I, by Dr Kali Kinkar Datta, Published by Central Secretariat Library Government of Bihar, 1957) The issue attained greater importance when in a meeting at Golmouri, Subhas Chandra Bose stated that he would not leave the place until matters had been settled. He asserted that, if necessary, he would launch a Satyagraha campaign on the lines of the Bardoli Satyagraha. Ram Narayan Singh met the General Manager of the Tin Plate Factory on 27^th August and announced that the dispute was not with the capitalists but with the government. On the 29^th of August, Krishna Ballabh stated that Congress had identified itself with the dispute only because the government was assisting the Company to crush the strikes. (File Title: Possibility of the Congress Party attempting to associate labour strikes with the Civil disobedience Campaign, File No.: 257/I/1930 Home Department, Identifier: PR_000003032598, Collection: Digitised Public Records Home/Political (Courtesy: National Archives, New Delhi) The strike finally ended in favour of the factory workers and a complete charter detailing working conditions was drawn and accepted by both the parties.

 

In March 1940, the Congress Session was called in Ramgarh (Bihar, now Jharkhand) to prepare for future strategy. Congressmen like Anugrah Narayan Sinha, Krishna Ballabh Sahay, Ram Narayan Singh and Ambika Kant Singh were entrusted with the successful arrangements. Interestingly, Ramgarh was also the venue of another big conference that was convened by Subhas Chandra Bose to oppose India’s participation in World War II which the British had been insisting upon. The 'Anti-Compromise Conference' as it was called was the brain-child of Netaji. K.B. Sahay had all regards to the leadership of Netaji but his efforts were directed towards the successful organization of the Congress Session. The perceived difference between the Congress and the Forward Bloc, which Netaji had established just a year earlier in 1939 as a faction within the Indian National Congress, has been succinctly brought out by Dr Rajendra Prasad in his autobiography. ‘Though Congress was never in favour of any compromise with the British’- writes Dr Rajendra Prasad in his ‘Autobiography’, ‘yet it was alleged that the Congress was bent upon compromise with the British even to the detriment to the country’. (Autobiography’ by Dr Rajendra Prasad, (p 501-505) (1957), Published by Asia Publishing house, New Delhi.) 

Such contradictions within Congress led to protests by the followers of rival groups and Krishna Ballabh Sahay was received with black flags by the Anti-Compromise Group when he visited Ramgarh to explain Congress policy to raise subscriptions and enlist volunteers for the Ramgarh session of the Congress. The story of the freedom struggle of India is replete with such push and pull but there were no inherent differences among these freedom fighters who struggled and strived to achieve the same goal- freedom of the nation. It is indeed painful to note that what we achieved as a nation in 1947 is now being questioned, thus negating the efforts of those freedom fighters who sacrificed themselves to achieve the hallowed goal of an independent India. What is more painful is the fact that often the descendants of these freedom fighters fall prey to such insinuation.

 

 

Brief History of merger of Seraikela and Kharsawan with Bihar - Remembering the sacrifice of Adivasis on January 1, 1948

 

Krishna Ballabh Babu's pledge for martyr

The Martyr's Memorial at Kharsawan

History records that Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel approved the merger of the two princely states namely Seraikela and Kharsawan with Orissa on the plea that they formed parts of the “Orissa State”, even though V.P. Menon did not favour the decision, who favoured a referendum to sort out the issue.

The decision was also opposed by the Raja of Kharsawan, who in a meeting in Cuttack on December 14, 1947, specifically favoured the merger of the State with Bihar.(Correspondence with Dr S. K. Sinha’, File No.: 19-C/48, Col.: I, Dr Rajendra Prasad Private Papers, (Courtesy: National Archives, New Delhi)

As soon as these princely States were merged with Orissa, the civil and police administration was taken over by the Orissa Government which posted three companies of police battalions here. The adivasis on the other hand started mobilising themselves to oppose the decision. Popular tribal leader Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh gave a call for a rally at Kharsawan on January 1, 1948.

On that fateful day, adivasis in large numbers gathered at the Haat Maidan in Kharsawan. Unfortunately, Jaipal Singh could not reach the venue. His presence could have averted any unpleasant situation. Worse still, the Orissa Police placed the Raja of Kharsawan under house arrest.

The Orissa police then resorted to indiscriminate firing on the gathering which led to the death of over a hundred innocent tribal. The firing reminded one of the heinous Jallianwala Bagh massacre and it was deplored by leaders across party lines. Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel who was in Calcutta was particularly severe in his criticism.

The deepening crisis led to an urgent meeting between Hare Krushna Mahtab, Premier of Orissa and Dr S. K. Sinha, the Premier of Bihar, Dr A.N. Sinha, the Finance Minister and K.B. Sahay, the Revenue Minister of Bihar at Patna on March 22, 1948.

In May 1948, the princely states of Seraikela and Kharsawan finally merged with Bihar and became part of the Singhbhum district.

K.B. Sahay did not forget the supreme sacrifice of the tribal. When he became the chief minister of the province fifteen years later, K.B. Sahay built a ‘Martyr’s Memorial’ at the site of the massacre in the year 1965. A library was also established here to commemorate the memory of the martyrs. K.B. Sahay’s government also started a pension scheme for the kin of the 87 tribal who laid down their lives in the shoot-out. Jaipal Singh helped him to prepare the list and the formalities of pension to their dependent were completed. (Addressing a public meeting along with Jaipal Singh and S. K. Bage, Ministers at Kharsawan after inaugurating a Martyr’s Memorial on January 4, 1965, ‘The Searchlight’, January 5, 1965 (Courtesy: Sachchidanand Sinha Library, Patna:1)

On January 1, 1967, the K.B. Sahay government notified January 1, to be observed as ‘Shaheed Diwas’ and made it a State function in remembrance of the 87 tribal who were shot down by Orissa police on January 1, 1948. (‘Shaheed Diwas observed’, ‘The Searchlight’, January 3, 1967(Courtesy: Sachchidanand Sinha Library, Patna:1)

                                         

‘कारवां गुज़र गया, गुबार देखते रहे’ (11/01/2025)

  

 ‘कारवां गुज़र गया, गुबार देखते रहे’

‘स्वप्न झरे फूल से गीत चुभे शूल से, कारवां गुज़र गया, गुबार देखते रहे’- अमर कवि गोपाल दास सक्सेना ‘नीरज’ (4 जनवरी 1925- 19 जुलाई 2018) की यह प्रचलित कविता, जिसे वो वर्षों पहले ही लिख चुके थे, 1966 में सुप्रसिद्ध संगीतकार रोशन ने अपने कर्णप्रिय संगीत से उस वर्ष प्रदर्शित फिल्म ‘नई उमर की नई फसल’ में पिरोया था। रोशन के संगीत में फिल्म के लिए इसे स्वर दिया था मोहम्मद रफी ने जिनकी जन्म-शताब्दी गत वर्ष 2024 में मनाई गयी। 1925 नीरज की जन्म-शताब्दी का वर्ष है। आर॰ चंद्रा निर्देशित यह फिल्म छात्र राजनीति की पृष्ठभूमि पर बनी थी जो भारत सरकार के उपक्रम मेसर्स फिल्म फ़ाइनेंस कार्पोरेशन लिमिटेड द्वारा वित्त-पोषित थी।

किन्तु इस फिल्म और गीत का कृष्ण बल्लभ बाबू के राजनैतिक जीवन से क्या वास्ता रहा यह एक दिलचस्प पहलू है। 1966 में कृष्ण बल्लभ बाबू की तात्कालिक बिहार सरकार ने इसे बिहार में कर-मुक्त घोषित किया था। संभवतः कृष्ण बल्लभ बाबू छात्रों को राजनीतिज्ञों के कपट-चालों से आगाह करवाना चाहते थे।

किन्तु छात्र राजनीति पर बनी इस फिल्म पर बिहार में 1966 में जो गलीज राजनीति हुई वो वास्तव में शर्मनाक था। कृष्ण बल्लभ बाबू पर भ्रष्टाचार के जो आरोप लगे उनमें से एक यह भी था कि इस फिल्म को ‘कर-मुक्त’ (‘टैक्स-फ्री’) कर उन्होंने सरकार के राजस्व का नुकसान किया। यह तो न्यायाधीश अय्यर भी सिद्ध नहीं कर पाये कि इस फिल्म को ‘कर-मुक्त’ करने से सरकार को राजस्व का नुकसान हुआ अथवा नहीं,  किन्तु यह शाश्वत सत्य है कि 1966 के छात्र आंदोलन के बाद बिहार में उच्च शिक्षा में गुणवत्ता का जो ह्रास हुआ और शैक्षणिक सत्र पिछड़ते चले गए उससे असंख्य छात्र अभिशप्त हुए और उनका भविष्य अंधकारमय हुआ। बिहार के छात्र दिल्ली और अन्य शहरों को पलायन को बाध्य हुए। एक पूरी पीढ़ी को इसका खामियाजा भुगतना पड़ा और उनके नुकसान का फायदा चंद राजनीतिज्ञों ने उठाया।

1968 में न्यायाधीश टी॰ एल॰ वेंकटरामा अय्यर की अध्यक्षता में गठित जांच कमीशन को अन्य आरोपों के अलावे इस बात की जांच के भी निर्देश थे। श्री अय्यर ने इस आरोप को सिरे से खारिज कर दिया था।

बिहार में छात्रों को प्यादा बनाकर कितने ही नेता मुख्यमंत्री बने। आज भी इन्हीं छात्रों के बूते कुछ नेता अपनी राजनीति चमकाने में लगे हैं। यह कितना सही है यह निर्णय मैं आप पर छोड़ता हूँ। बहरहाल, यह फिल्म यू-ट्यूब पर उपलब्ध है जिसे देखें और अपना मन्तव्य दें।     

 

AIYER COMMISSION REPORT- POINT- COUNTERPOINT

The following article presents the point of view of senior journalist Sri N.K. Singh, published on November 20, 1970, under the caption 'Aiyer Commission Verdict' and his blog, 'NK's Post' on July 13, 2020. It is followed by the Counter-Point based on historical records to judge the issue on merits leaving the wisdom of judgment to the reader.

AIYER COMMISSION'S VERDICT- POINT-COUNTERPOINT

  

K.B. SAHAY

T.L. VENKATRAMA AIYER

AIYER COMMISSION'S VERDICT- N.K. SINGH

POINT

Bihar: Aiyer Commission Verdict

NK SINGH

“If it helps Bihar regain its soul to any extent it shall have served its purpose.” Justice TL Venkatarama Aiyer concludes thus his much-awaited report of the Commission of Enquiry against six former Congress ministers, confirming the worst suspicion of the public.

The Commission has questioned the integrity of all and has actually sustained a charge of bribe-taking against one, Mahesh Sinha, who has received the severest condemnation.

The Commission was appointed by the former United Front ministry, headed by Mahamaya Sinha on October 10, 1967, to inquire into charges of corruption, favouritism and abuse of power by Messrs KB Sahay, Mahesh Sinha, Satyendra Narayan Sinha, Ambika Sharan Singh, Raghavendra Narayan Singh and RLS Yadav.

Yadav is the general secretary of Bihar Congress. All others are in Congress(O).

Justice Aiyer, a retired judge of the Supreme Court, constituted the one-man Commission. The hearing began on August 7, 1969 and concluded on August 7, 1969. On February 5, 1970, Aiyar submitted his 1,332-page report to the Governor.

KB Sahay- Former chief minister KB Sahay has been found guilty of enriching his sons and relatives at the cost of the state exchequer. His assets have also been found disproportionate to his income.

Mahesh Sinha- Former minister and now vice president of Congress (O), Mahesh Sinha 70, has received the severest condemnation for accepting bribes totalling Rs  1.75 lakh from a contractor and showering undue favours at the cost of the State.

Satyendra Narayan Sinha- He has been found guilty of one charge of favouritism levelled against him.

Ambika Sharan Singh- He has been found guilty of abuse of power in two cases.

Raghavendra Narayan Singh- He says the report, was intent on making petty gains and was guilty of behaviour unbecoming of a person occupying the exalted position of a minister. His net income during the period of his office was only Rs. 68,000; the acquisitions had reached Rs. 2.35 lakh.

RLS Yadav- Five charges relating to the purchase and supply of store materials, appointments, transfer promotions and protection to criminals have been established against RLS Yadav.

After the mid-term poll in 1969, the accused Congress bosses, who occupy important positions in political life, installed Sardar Harihar Singh as chief minister. He appointed a briefing committee for the proceedings before the Aiyar Commission but retreated in the face of stiff opposition.

The 14-kg Aiyer-bomb explosion has also influenced the behaviour of SSP’s Ramanand Tiwari and Karpoori Thakur, who have revolted against the SSP-Syndicate-Sangh-Swatantra alliance within hours of the publication of the report. Tiwari resigned from the leadership of the four-party SVD.

Excerpts from Nov 20 February 1970

 

COUNTER-POINT

Sri N. K. Singh has reported, and I quote, ‘Former chief minister K.B. Sahay has been found guilty of enriching his sons and relatives at the cost of the state exchequer. His assets have also been found disproportionate to his income.

Justice Aiyer did NOT write that ‘K.B. Sahay’s assets have also been found disproportionate to his income.’ What he said about K.B. Sahay’s asset was that - ‘I have observed that though no specific bribery charge has been established against the first respondent, his acquisitions are a bit on a higher side.’

To change the word from ‘bit on a higher side’ to ‘disproportionate’ amounted to twisting the facts out of context and certainly not a piece of fair journalism. Fair journalism demanded that Sri N.K. Singh ought to have put K.B. Sahay’s views on the Aiyer Commission Report, and left the rest to the reader to judge K.B. Sahay as per his wisdom, instead of indoctrinating his mind with his views. 

No wonder K.B. Sahay had challenged ‘The Indian Nation’ on that occasion and declared ‘I leave it to the public to judge the soundness of this logic.’ K.B. Sahay knew that the Press would never be kind to him. Hence he left the matter, including the charges of corruption to be decided by the people. (K.B. Sahay regrets report on assets’, ‘The Indian Nation, February 12, 1970, (Courtesy: Sachchidanand Sinha Library, Patna-1)

Further, though Justice T.L. Venkatarama Aiyar considered his to be a fact-finding mission, his report was based on documentary evidence and an examination of several witnesses who submitted their statements before the Commission. However, the requirement of law allowing the respondents to impeach the credit of a witness by cross-examination was not complied with in this case. It is an established principle that ‘once a party, even by mistake, comes to the witness box and swears and is examined about a document he would become a witness and will be liable to be cross-examined by his opponents.’ (AIR 1957, Madh A, 135) This doctrine of natural justice was denied to K.B. Sahay who rested his case for a wiser decision in the People’s Court.

The vindictiveness of the opposition and the contemporary Press was clearly exposed by the people who vindicated K.B. Sahay in the 1974 elections and rightly so. Unfortunately, this became his last electoral battle. K.B. Sahay was as energetic and cheerful despite his advancing age. “Now I can die in peace. People’s Court has given me the verdict of NOT GUILTY’- K.B. Sahay announced his return to active politics, in an interview to ‘The Searchlight’ on May 30, 1974. Then, as if a premonition of his imminent end, he added, ‘I started my political career in 1923 by entering the Bihar Legislative Council as a representative of Hazaribagh, and now I am here ending my political career by entering the Council once again as a representative of Hazaribagh and Giridih. I thank the people of Hazaribagh and Giridih for reposing so much confidence and trust in me. (K. B. Sahay thanks electorate’, ‘The Searchlight’, May 31, 1974, Courtesy- Sachchidanand Sinha Library, Patna-1).

No wonder the forces opposed to K. B. Sahay engineered another accident soon after his electoral victory – a second one on his life. This proved fatal unlike the earlier ones engineered by the Zamindars in September 1947. 

K.B. Sahay was killed in a car accident on June 3, 1974, just a week after winning the elections and after being vindicated in the People’s Court.

 

 

 

K.B. SAHAY- A PILLAR OF NATIONAL INTEGRATION -Mohammad Muslim Ansari, Chairman, Handloom and Handicraft Corporation, Bihar

 

KRISHNA BALLABH SAHAY 

K.B. SAHAY- A PILLAR OF NATIONAL INTEGRATION

-MOHAMMAD MUSLIM ANSARI

Chairman, Handloom and Handicraft Corporation, Bihar

I came close to the late Shri K.B. Sahay since the stormy and momentous year 1937. The first Congress Ministry headed by Dr Sri Krishna Sinha, was formed on 20^th July, 1937. The people of Bihar gave a clear verdict by an overwhelming majority to the Indian National Congress through the democratic medium of the ballot paper to form a Ministry and run the administration in Bihar State along with other States of India.

A medium-statured, robust, well-built, rotund figure, possessing a round countenance, with piercing and radiant eyes, broad brow was inducted as a Parliamentary Secretary (Appointment and Political Secretary attached with the Chief Minister in the Sri Krishna Sinha Ministry) along with Shri Jagjivan Ram (Development), Shri Jagat Narain Lal (Finance and Commerce), Shri Binodanand Jha (Medical and Local Self-government),  Shri Sarangdhar Singh (Revenue and Education), Shri Sayeedul Haque (Excise) and others. This gentleman was Shri K.B. Sahay. This assignment was the lowest in the rung of the full-fledged Bihar Ministry. But merit and talent could not be suppressed. This was the stepping stone to his ascent to the highest ladder of political firmament in Bihar. Shortly afterwards, he became the Revenue Minister. With his vast intellectual attainments and political insight, he became the Chief Minister of Bihar- the highest executive of the second-largest State in India.

Shri K.B. Sahay had made Hazaribagh his political forum. This was the focal point he operated throughout the Province of Bihar. Giridih, then a sub-division town of Hazaribagh, was visited by K.B. Sahay on numerous occasions. A sizable population of Muslims has been residing at Giridih and its environs. He held frequent meetings at Giridih on various social economic and political issues. He was frank, cordial, outspoken, and receptive to everyone, he encountered. He freely mixed with the Muslims of this town and suburbs. As a matter of fact, he made it a point to visit Giridih on the occasions of the Idd and Bakr-id festivals. He endeared himself to the Muslim masses and the Adivasis in general. He took particular care in studying the socio-economic problems of Hazaribagh and other districts of Bihar to benefit them directly. I vividly remember attending scores of meetings presided over by K.B. Sahay in Hazaribagh district accompanied by Shri Abdul Qaiyum Ansari, a Cabinet Minister of the Srikrishna Ministry and President, of the All-India Momin Conference. It was of K.B. Sahay’s warm interest that the grant of Rs 500/- per year was raised to Rs 12,000/- in favour of the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Library located at Giridih. This was in consonance with his instinctive zest for learning his intensely secular approach to the problems of the Muslims, the biggest community among all the minorities of India.

Because of his tremendous popularity with the people of Hazaribagh, he had no difficulty getting elected to the Bihar Legislative Assembly. What is rather significant and remarkable is that in every general election, he worked hard to get a Muslim candidate elected to the Bihar Legislative Assembly from a constituency in Hazaribagh district. In 1937, besides Sukhlal Singh and K.B. Sahay, a Muslim candidate namely Abdul Majid was elected as an M.L.A. Again in 1946 even weathering the Muslim League ‘wave’ among the Muslims, he was instrumental in getting Shri Mohammad Majid Ansari elected to the Bihar Assembly from a constituency of the Hazaribagh district.

Shri Abdul Qaiyum Ansari, a Cabinet Minister of Bihar, enjoyed the confidence and deep friendship of K.B. Sahay as the Revenue Minister of Bihar, while Shri Syed Jaffer Imam, the Excise Minister of Bihar in the K.B. Sahay Ministry, had the latter's closest trust while he was the Chief Minister of Bihar.

K.B. Sahay as a devoted and a dedicated member of the Indian National Congress, warmly responded to Mahatma Gandhi’s call as revealed in the following statement in his weekly journal ‘Young India’ dated 6^th April 1918- ‘The primary motive of Non-Cooperation is self-purification by withdrawing cooperation, from unrighteousness and unrepentant government. The secondary objective is to rid ourselves of the feeling of helplessness being independent of all government control and supervision.’ K.B. Sahay published the message throughout Bihar, particularly in his familiar Chhotanagpur belt. Again K.B. Sahay, like a devoted supporter of secularism in its truest spirit, supported the following resolution of Mahatma Gandhi- in the context of the Khilafat Movement of the movement sponsored by the Ali Brothers. The Muslims have adopted a significant resolution. If the peace terms are unfavourable to them (which may God forbid) they will stop all cooperation with the government. Thus, it is an inalienable right of the people to withhold cooperation. We are not bound to retain government titles, honour or continue in government services.

Clearly, K.B. Sahay was one of the brightest models of secularism of deep-seated Hindu-Muslim Unity, of perennial communal accord with the sole objective of the rapid progress and unhampered development of Bihar his dear province. In fact, his motto eloquently symbolized the following classical poetic lines of a popular English poet by the name of Longfellow-‘All your strength is in your unity, all your danger is in discord.’