Country: India, Bihar

Group: Dusadh/Paswan

Date: October 3, 2023

Team: Amar Hammad (lead), Ash Pessaran, Ashley Thompson, Lacey Hurst, Laura Pruett, Madison Schultz, Rebekah Dilks, Teagen Allen

Content Warnings: Lethal Violence, Murder

Approximate Time Period: 1977-1999

The Paswan community, also known as the Dusadh community, is a Dalit community classified by the Indian government as a scheduled caste. Approximately seven million Dusadh/Paswan people reside in Bihar, comprising about five percent of Bihar’s population (India Census, 2011). The Dusadh/Paswan individuals work as agriculturalists and watchmen for upper caste landlords (Dehlidusadhparivaar, 2023). Furthermore, they have actively participated in politics and established their own political party in the 1970’s (Sinha, 2011)

The Dusadh/Paswan caste has been subjected to lethal violence. In May of 1977, in the Belchi village in Bihar, a militia of upper-caste members mutilated, shot, and burned eleven people, the majority of whom belonged to the Dusadh/Paswan community (Kahn, 2020). In May of 1981, in the Dumari village of Bihar, gunmen hired by a Kurmi landlord fired upon Dusadh/Paswan and other Dalit protesters who were protesting unfair working conditions and wages (Kunnath, 2009). In the Jehanabad district in Bihar, the Ranvir Sena militia group massacred fifty-eight people belonging to the Dusadh/Paswan caste in December 1997. This massacre resulted directly from the push by lower and scheduled castes in the district for more equitable treatment (Ananth, 2021). Additionally, Mahavir Mahato, a Kurmi landowner known for oppressing lower castes, led an army to massacre Singwa, a Dusadh/Paswan man, and people who stood with him. This event was known as the Belchhi massacre (Sinha, 2011).

Since 1997, there have been no documented incidents of lethal violence and discrimination. However, the Dusadh/Paswan people, as members of the scheduled caste system in India, still unfortunately experience systematic discrimination due to their social label (Mishra, 2023).

Data Quality: 3/3 The data rates a 3/3 as there is a substantial mix of evidence supporting cases of lethal violence discrimination against the Dusadh/Paswan people.

Sources

  1. Ananth, V. Krishna. (November 30, 2021). Silencing the fight for the dignity: the Laxmanpur and Bathe massacre. The Polis Project. Date Retrieved: October 29, 2023. https://www.thepolisproject.com/read/silencing-the-fight-for-dignity-the-laxmanpur-and-bathe-massacre/
  2. Dehlidusadhparivaar.org. A brief history of the Dusadh community. Date Retrieved: October 29, 2023. https://delhidusadhparivaar.org/history.php
  3. Explained Desk. (2023, October 3). Bihar Caste Survey Data Out: What it says. The Indian Express. https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/bihar-caste-census-data-8965210/
  4. Home | government of India. (n.d.). https://censusindia.gov.in/census.website/
  5. Kahn, Imran Mohd. (October 31, 2020). Bihar elections: lone surviving witness of Belchi massacre wants to oust Nitish Kumar from power. News Click. Date Retrieved: October 29, 2023.
  6. Kunnath, George J. (2009). Smoldering Dalit fires in Bihar, India. Dialect Anthropol 33, 309 (2009). Date Retrieved: October 29, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10624-009-9134-5
  7. Mishra, A. (2023, October 21). Bihar Caste Survey Results Challenge BJP’s Hindutva Unity narrative. Frontline. https://frontline.thehindu.com/politics/bihar-caste-survey-report-game-changer-in-indian-politics-results-challenge-bjp-hindutva-unity-narrative/article67402996.ece#:~:text=The%20Dusadh%20population%20has%20risen,13.3%20per%20cent%20in%201931.
  8. Sinha, Arun. (2011). Nitish Kumar and the rise of Bihar. Penguin Books India. Date Retrieved: October 29, 2023. https://books.google.com/books?id=rT2xWp_iTCYC&pg=PA83#v=snippet&q=Lok%20Janshakti%20&f=false