"I know Nepali alphabets," replies Yogi, nay Jogi Sarki, 66, who served former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba´s family throughout his youthful days. Jogi was enrolled in Asigram Secondary School along with Deuba and his uncle Surat Bahadur. "Both were brilliant students," he recalls them. "Deuba was the first boy, always followed by his own uncle."
A childhood buddy of Deuba, Jogi recalls the three-time prime minister as an outspoken person. "He was fluent and articulate. He did not stutter back then," he says. He has heard that Deuba began stuttering following an electric shock by police during the democratic uprising against the Panchayat regime.
Jogi used to play with Deuba in the pine wood by the side of Ruwa Khola, which divides his settlement from that of Deuba. "Our favorite sport was wrestling," he says. "Deuba was well-built. No one could defeat him." A son of a well off landlord, Deuba did not lack nutrition unlike other Dalit boys. "I was not as fortunate as Deuba to have nutritious food," Jogi says.
Although Jogi could walk hand-in-hand with Deuba while in school, he soon realized that he was destined for somewhere else. "As I became able to acknowledge harsh social realities," he says, "I sensed that I was not on a par with a son of a landlord, whom our family had been working for." After passing Grade II exams, he dropped out due to poverty.
That was when Jogi´s new avatar of a bonded laborer started in Deuba´s house. Jogi´s father Jayaram was provided with a piece of land by Deuba´s grandfather Dhansingh, for which he worked for the dominant clan of Asigram village until his death. With his father´s demise, Jogi was forced to follow his footprints, abandoning all his dreams.
Deuba´s father Prasad had set up a large shed with dozens of buffaloes in Mahendranagar. Jogi used to walk all the way to Mahendranagar with a load of 40 kg flour on his back. While returning, he used to carry an equally heavy load of salt, sugar, oil, soaps and kerosene. "I was assigned to go to the Madhes twice a month," he says.
After Grade VII exams, Deuba left for Silgadhi for further study. Jogi accompanied Deuba carrying all his stuff on his back. "You can see an impression on my head," he says, taking off his cap. "It was because I always had to carry heavy loads." Once Deuba went to Kathmandu, he ended up being a slave for his childhood pal´s family. Jogi never complained against Deuba´s family. They were, he says, his masters. Besides, his father was gifted with a land. But, when government officials approached Asigram for land mapping, Deuba´s father Prasad claimed the land already given by his father Dhansingh to Jogi´s family. "I felt betrayed," he says. "Then only did I cease to serve them."
Jogi is uncertain whether Deuba recognizes him now. "He has become a powerful man; he must have forgotten me," he says. Last time Jogi saw Deuba was during campaigns for CA elections. When Deuba arrived in Asigram from where he has won all elections so far, Jogi met him and besought for a piece of land to sustain his family.
"Deuba freaked out by saying ´Do I have land in my pockets?´," he recollects. "He said he would rather give me vegetable seeds through his wife´s NGO." Deuba´s wife Dr Aarju runs an NGO called Rural Women Development and Unity Center (RUDUK) in Dadeldhura.
Jogi did not remain silent this time. His anger and frustration against Deuba burst out. "So, you want me to sow your seeds in my pockets?" he retorted. Deuba, surrounded by his followers, was left flummoxed with Jogi´s boldness.
Jogi says his personal plight is nothing. "But, Deuba has done very little to our village, which has elected him to become prime minister," he says. Jogi´s village is still cut-off from district headquarters. His settlement dominated by Sarki people is still in dark whereas Deuba´s house boasts of electricity. "We are languishing here like cattle," he says.
In all previous elections, Jogi voted for Deuba. Not this time though. "Deuba won but only by a slim margin," he says. "Deuba´s hold has weakened like never before." He asserts that Deuba needs to do more to maintain his toe in Dadeldhura´s politics. "Maoists will sweep all votes in next elections if Deuba continues to neglect Haliya´s plight," he concludes.
Related story
734 freed haliya rehabilitated
-002_20200119142411.JPG)
