Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Mauritius PM in Harigaon

The Prime Minister(PM)of Mauritius, 60-year-old Navinchandra Ramgoolam set foot on his native village, Harigaon, for the first time in his life. The entire hamlet as also thousands of people from neighbouring areas assembled to have a glimpse of the man whose grandfather had been taken to Mauritius over 130 years ago as an indentured labourer.

An emotional Ramgoolam, eyes welled and voice choked, said, "Man gadgad ho gayil, aankh me aansu bhar gayil" (I am extremely delighted and my eyes are tearful)," to the jubilant crowd, which had gathered near the pond named as Moheeth Sarovar, in the memory of his grandfather, Moheeth Ramgoolam.

Accompanied by wife, Veena Brizmohun, other family members and his entourage, Ramgoolam, serving his second term as PM of the island nation, paid homage to his ancestors. Greeting the villagers, he said, "Hamra aap se janam janam ka rishta ba. Main Bihar ka hoon. Bhojpuri parivar ka hoon. Dada ka kul yahi gaon me ba (I have been sharing relations with you for generations. I am a Bihari. I belong to Bhojpur. The descendents of my grandfather are living in this village." A helicopter carrying Ramgoolam descended on the helipad some three km from Harigaon. The moment he arrived on the dais, there was a roar of applause and cheering from the waiting crowd.

Looking around, Ramgoolam seemed overwhelmed and recalled with pride how his grandfather and other girmitiya labourers journeyed to and worked in Mauritius under trying conditions. "Hamar dada Bihar se Mauritius gaye to kuchh nahi tha.

Par apni shakti se, khoon se, pasina se itna kiya ke hum aaj is jagah par hain (When my grandfather sailed to Mauritius, there was nothing in Mauritius. It is because of his sweat and blood that I am holding this post)," he said.

He also taught a lesson to his villagers. "Always remember this and never think that your father has become weak," he told them and hoped that villagers and people of Bihar would prosper like Mauritius. He also reiterated his announcement to give US$ 2.5 lakh for the development of this village and scholorship to two Bihari students in the University of Mauritius before concluding his speech with "Jai Bihar, Jai Bharat, Jai Mauritius". The administration made elaborate arrangmeent right from Ara, the Bhojpur district headquarter, 15 km to the village. Harigaon presented a new look with villagers dressed in their fineries occupying each corner of the ground, with some carrying flags of India and Mauritius.

Earlier, Ramgoolam laid the foundation for upgradation of three projects: Moheeth Sarovar, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam high school and Navinchandra Ramgoolam hospital. CM Nitish Kumar said like Moheeth Ramgoolam, thousands of Biharis go to other places in search of job and they work hard wherever they go. "Biharis will not be at the mercy of anybody anywhere, whether it is Maharashtra of Assam." He called upon people to rise above caste, religion and region and work unitedly for the progress of Bihar.

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