I am a a resident of Kochi, Kerala. I was born in Bokaro and did my schooling in Jamshedpur. I personally have never felt Biharis are inferior, jokers or labourers like your article mentioned.

Schools in Bihar are one of the best in India, for example, St. Xavier's in Bokaro, Loyola, Sacred Hearts, DBMS in Jamshedpur (though they are now in Jharkhand).

In Cochin University, there are lots of Bihari students and most of them are good. Except for a few stray incidents there is no animosity in the minds of Keralites towards Biharis. I got through engineering entrance in Kerala because of the good education I got in Jamshedpur. I personally feel that people have no right to deny opportunities to a person just because he is from another state. I believe that diversity breeds creativity and a homogenous society will stagnate with time. So I am only happy when I see students from Bihar, W. Bengal or any other state studying or working in Kerala because that will make Kerala more cosmopolitan and competitive. I would also like to add that Bihari labourers aren't inferior to anyone, their job is as important and relevant as anybody else's job.- Pramod Nair, Kochi, Kerala - Jan. 9, 2007

Biharis are not inferior to anyone. However, their leaders have no spine. Playing the role of a joker, they get into limelight. - Satya - Jan. 9, 2006

I can't agree more with the Naren. It's human tendency to find easy scapegoats. Poor vulnerable Biharis are most easy to target. And the foreign conspiracy is also involved. All said and done, however the bitter truth is, let's accept the fact it's we who are at fault; we produce the kind of leader during 92-05. When the whole india was liberalising, globalising, we were involved in Charvaha Vidyalaya, chara ghotala.

There is only one solution for this. Let's be strong, be United and do our bit wherever we are, for our beloved motherland Bihar. A strong Bihari and Bihar will be a befitting reply to all, whether electronic media, particularly English ones, Marathis, Assamese, Delhi'ites, Kannadigas everyone.

This is the turning point, either curse it or accept it as a challenge and build a Bihar that will dwarf all the so-called developed states in India.

Indians were in almost similar situation till early nineties. We were called uneducated, snake charmers. I have never been to America but Indians who were there at that time will be agreeing with it. Compare to China, what was the status of Indian then, and see what is the status now. It is all about power. Respect follows power. - Anand Lakhmani, Mumbai - Jan. 9, 2006

Sudhir, without going into your other intellectual stuff, what do you mean by Bangladeshi immigrants in the name of ULFA? Why are you objecting to Laluji blaming ULFA? Are you saying ULFA is innocent? Are you saying ULFA is also patriotic like you?

Those who are dying in Assam are also Prawasi, Laluji chose to console their families rather than those prawasis waiting to get a glimpse of Laluji. I am surprised you have problem with this. Laluji is the leader of main opposition party in Bihar and what is the problem if he ignores the Prawasi Bhartiya Diwas and chooses to console Prawasi Biharis in Assam? Tell me honestly what is the problem?

Anyway, according to you guys he is just another illiterate crook so why you worry about his attendance in Prawasi Bhartiya Diwas? After 70 deaths of Biharis if you can’t see their unity then it is your problem. Our leaders across party line have told us to mourn the butchery in Assam without retaliation.

I am 100% sure whether it is the milkmen Biharis in Assam or intellectual Biharis in USA, prawasis are prawasis. If you don’t believe then read today’s Times of India editorial. We all are part of the great India Bazaar but if you are hell bent on defining a section of it as joker then trust me in this process even you will appear as joker. - Shiv Shankar Sharma - Jan. 9, 2006

Hi Shiv Shankar, please read my statement carefully and understand the meaning between the lines. We all know, ULFA is an anti-national organization and Lalu is a mass leader from Bihar. We all now want him to behave with utmost maturity. But he didn't... What is most appalling is the way Lalu reacted first time without knowing the minute details of ULFA. He made statement "one community" that did not sound for entire Bihari as one community. His statement one community hence can be categorized as "milkmen". This is my problem. What about Mishra, Singh, Tiwari, Pandey, Ram and Paswan etc. who were also targeted and killed? Even in 2007, we are unable to compel these leaders to come out from the shell of castes.

Is this a mere coincidence or deliberate attempt, Nitish government also sent two Ministers in delegate team for Assam, Shri Vijendra Yadav, JD(U) and Shri Nand Kishore Yadav (BJP). How long we the people of Bihar bear the tag of caste at the time of even crisis? This is my problem.

Please take the message carefully, I am not talking "gaga" about Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. Those who live in Bihar and India can only change the face of Bihar and India, NOT PRAVASIS. It is just equated with Lalu's equation and polity, where his and other political leaders "caste-community" politics always overwhelms "Bihar-community" politics.

If I am wrong, I am taking my all statement back which is hurting you and Bihari community as one entity. - Dr. Sudhir Ranjan, USA - Jan. 9, 2006

If anyone thinks Lalu is not motivated by caste vote bank then he/she must have been living on Mars.

Any other politician, I would give credit for choosing to go to Assam over attending Prawasi Diwas but in case of Lalu or Paswan, it's all about vote bank and politics of appeasement, plain and simple! - Ratan Kumar Mishra, Bangalore - Jan. 9, 2006

I think Lalu Prasad Yadav is one of the biggest frauds in modern India. He lacks character, ethics and morality and is solely after power and money for himself, his family and his narrow definition of society that includes only his caste-men. He is no different from the system he was claiming to fight against.

The systematic killing of innocent Bihari migrants is sad and disgusting. These people have migrated outside to earn a livelihood by legal means and hard work. But sadly, in India there is no dignity of labor and the terrorists ULFA and other region/language-based chauvinist have found a soft target to practice their hate against. In case ISI is involved in this then India should bomb the **** out of Bangladesh. Or are our traitor leaders incapable of even standing up to Bangladesh? In case local people inspired by their fake region/language/caste based pride and xenophobic attitude are doing this then they should be treated on par with the terrorists and crushed strongly for waging war against the Indian nation. - Som Vishwakarma, USA - Jan. 9, 2006

Sudhir I don’t know how to argue with you on this. Brother you are assuming and fabricating your problem. You know that you are just assuming that by ‘One Community’ Laluji actually meant ‘Yadav’ rather than ‘Bihari’. Out of a team of five, among three ministers, our CM Nitish Ji sent only two Yadav ministers. You ignored the other non-Yadav minister. Anyway thanks for being honest and talking about your problem. Let us not talk on caste lines based on just assumptions or else choice is very narrow for you to choose among the two: Laluji consoling Milkman Biharis or ULFA killing Milkman Biharis and anyway it is not difficult for intellectual like you to understand that Laluji went to console Milkman Biharis only after ULFA killed Milkman Biharis, not the other way round. Sudhir believe in what you know and please stop getting carried away on something based on assumptions or else rather than condemning ULFA killing innocent Biharis you will end up condemning Harvard management students who came from USA to get enlightened by Laluji. Anyway my heart goes out not only for those innocent poor Biharis who died as silent martyr of mother India but also those 1000s who were settled in Assam, who now have to flee Assam leaving their home, property, livelihood who don’t know how their kids will eat tomorrow. - Shiv Shankar Sharma - Jan. 10, 2006

I am sure this news has socked the Bihari community allover the world and it needs to be condemned. Assam and the Central govt should come forward to help the victims and ensure security in the mind of others. Bihar govt also has a responsibility towards victims' families.

However, I find it sad to see how the politicians are trading human misery. Murder of Papiya Ghosh drew the attention of Prime Minister and killings in Nithari village drew the attention of Mrs Sonia Gandhi because these states were ruled by other parties. What they are doing for Biharis in Assam? And where is our own Laluji? - Mithilesh Kumar, Bethelham, NY,,USA - Jan. 11, 2007

Mr. Shiv Shankar Sharma, it seems that you are a fan of Laluji. You are still praising for his works when we all know the truth that he does everything for vote bank.

Nitish govt. (I'll not say Nitishji only) sent the best possible ministers at that time, not the two 'Yadav' ministers. You are looking at the casteism thing only, come on, it's 2007. When will people like you understand?

Also, on the "management guru" thing, the people who came from Harvard or any other universities - they all know about your/our Laluji. They had some other work also, in the meanwhile our Laluji was there for their entertainment. For all outsider people, Lalu is a joker and nothing else. What does he know about business management? He only knows the vote management, and that is because of gundas and several other unfair means. He will never win in a fair poll. - From Motihari - Jan. 11, 2007

It is a shame that we Biharis have always been discriminated against. The people who get to know us realise what we are really about. The reason our own so- called leaders have managed to exploit us is because by nature we are trustworthy and have trusted people who come to us with folded hands . I studied in Karnataka , and before the IT boom had hit big time, I very well recollect the huge number of Bihari students around and I can say that it was because of "these Biharis " that are Karnataka friends had a decent economy both locally and statewide.

Those who think we are good for nothings should remember that the whole country from Kashmir to Kanyakumari is to an extent kept alive by the Biharis who have moved from their own homes to work at various jobs ranging from the least paid to the highest. If there is one thing I have ever been proud of, it has been my identity and I have proclaimed myself to be a Proud Bihari. - Dr. N. Sinha, Canada - Jan. 12, 2007

A lot of angry buzz has erupted here because some Bihari labourers have been killed in Assam. It sure is an unfortunate incident. But keeping feelings aside for discussing the issue rationally, when Biharis are so 'overextended' in other states and countries, such things tend to happen just because the 'situation is in place'.

Some pedophile in Punjab murders half a dozen Bihari children. Some Pedophile / Organ Trafficker nexus in Delhi systematically preys on the Children of Bihari labourers and after raping and killing sells their organs in cahoots with doctors, police and politicians. In Mumbai the poor Bihari (who are economically behind) are targeted by politicians who are supposed to have the saffron of tolerance and love in their hearts.

What is common everywhere ? The worst of the crimes / maltreatment is perpetrated on the poorest of the poor. And when Biharis (who are outsiders and have no political clout) are available, they become the proverbial sacrificial anode.

Our leaders come from within us and who can deny that it was us who elected a buffoon as CM for a quarter of a century, who now masquerades as a mascot of the Bihar and Biharis. He completes the bumpkin image of the Bihari people on top of the labourer image in the eyes of the world. So we share some blame for our plight too !

We do have a problem. It is unfortunate and undesirable, but it is understandable why it happens. When Indian Govt. appears strong, NRI's get more respect. Vice-versa, NRI's being affluent by their own perseverance brings more respect to India. When India sent ships to Lebanon to rescue its citizens, the whole world took notice. "Wow ! Is it the same India ?!", Most asked. But, the world also took notice that most people were labourers.

Maybe someday when there are more Mittals and Tatas, like the Jewish folks, Indians too will command respect in the International community. Indian States are the microcosm version of the International scene. You are judged harshly if you do menial jobs and you are put on the first row of the firing line. It is sad, but it is a sad fact. It is how this world works. - Aarcee - Jan. 12, 2007

I don't know why we are fighting amongst ourselves. Why are we doing self flagellation by blaming our poverty and advancing other reasons? Whatever be the fault or otherwise of Lalu or other politicians, this is no time to raise those issues.

There are many other communities which have a preponderance of migrants, viz., Keralites, Marwaris, Punjabis and Bengalis. Not all of them are rich. Many of them are actually doing manual labour jobs, some in foreign countries. I have met a number of Punjabis, illegal immigrants at that, in Germany. Many farm labourers in California continue to be Punjabis. So are Keralites in the gulf. Are they getting killed the way Biharis labourers were murdered in Assam?

Mind you, our Bihari labourers are trying to earn a living by honest means in their own country, not in an alien country and are not illegal immigrants. Yes, our blood boils when we see them killed just because they happen to be from Bihar, and it should. We have to condemn this in strongest of terms and raise our voice at all the right forum so that appropriate action is taken.

I must say I am actually impressed by our politicians who are taking this seriously. It is a good sight if Lalu actually chose to go to Assam leaving the NRI meet at Delhi. So is the meeting of the leaders from Bihar BJP in meeting with the home minister and Nitish Kumar calling up the PM to express his anguish.

I am proposing a four point actions plan:

The primary responsibility of providing security to the people is that of the state government of Assam and that of the central home ministry. They have to be taken to task. Let us discuss how we can put them on the mat for their utter failure to provide security just because people were from Bihar and were poor.

The national press has been extremely lackadaisical and I would even say biased in their reporting and editorials. The NDTV types, ever eager to have the debate format programs on the kidnappings in Bihar and the BBC types, ever ready to start an article with “In the bad lands of Bihar….” have had a field day criticising Bihar. Let us tell them this is their chance to redeem their reputation as balanced journalists. Let us see how we can use our clout with the press to present the case in a proper manner in the national press.

Where are the human rights types? Ever eager to present the case of Afzal Guru and other criminals, they are surprisingly silent on this. Let us shame them to pay some attention to this human issue also.

The people who have been affected need financial help, poor as they are to begin with. Let us see what we, the more privileged lot, can do to lessen their economic plight.

Are we ready? - T. V. Sinha - Jan. 12, 2007

Discussion on this topic is now closed.