Jharkhand movement activist Shyam Murmu critically ill

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, May 9: The centuries long movement for ‘Jal, Jungle, Zameen’ saw young, indomitably determined and freedom obsessed leaders like Birsa Munda, Sidho Kanhu and scores of other die-hard tribal youth who demanded autonomy for the children of the soil and fought with bows and arrows against the well equipped British forces and were martyred but never bowed their heads in their quest for freedom and rights for the land of their simple forefathers who nurtured and passed on the dreams to their descendents who kept on the momentum for a separate Jharkhand state. The list of leaders of the freedom movement is long and glittering. The movement attained the status of a strong freedom movement whose sparks ignited the fire for India’s freedom. The war of 1857, also known as the first war of independence was the offshoot of nurtured dreams to break the shackles of domineering British rule.  Much later, the fire of a separate Jharkhand grew in intensity and myriad youth became the backbone of a fanaticism for ‘Jal, Jungle, Zameen.’

This do or die spirit prevailed down the line and many martyred themselves for that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow named Jharkhand state. It revolution was at its peak in 1987 with leaders like Shibu Soren and Nirmal Mahto along with members of this fanatically determined brigade who would have nothing less than a separate Jharkhand state. It was during this peak period of 1987 when like many other youth barely out of their teens who turned oput to be the fuel in the fire for separate statehood. One such young man, Shyam Charan Murmu, now all of 45 years was, in 1987, was a firebrand youth who formed the core group of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s torch bearers. He was the pivot of JMM ideology and purpose in Potka Block of East Singhbhum.

Now, Shyam Charan Murmu, besotted with severe ailments including kidney infection, looks much older than his 45 years. His financial reserves have hit rock bottom and there is nothing left in the family coffers for his treatment. A disillusioned man who gave his years of youth to the cause of a separate Jharkhand state has no one to come to the aid of this Jharkhand revolutionary who weeps on looking back across those phases of struggle for a separate Jharkhand state. But, though critically ill, he has every right to seek the hand of the people for whom he sruggled to give them the status of proud Jharkhand resident. The JMM party honchos may or may not have distanced themselves from the ailing Shyam Charan Murmu. But the fighter that he is, survives on hope of help for the treatment of his illness. This freedom movement activist for a separate Jharkhand had been jailed and tortured but the flame of a free Jharkhand could not be doused. He has appealed to the Jharkhand Chief Minister for providing him help for treatment under government scheme. Murmu still harbors hope of help from the Government of his dream state, Jharkhand.