The Ashok Mahto Interview: “This Election, the Fight is Between the Backward and the Forward Classes

 On March 20, he married Delhi-based Anita, who hails from Lakhisarai in Bihar and is 15 years younger than him. After his marriage, he went to Lalu Prasad Yadav to seek his blessings. As per media reports, he expressed his desire to contest elections, but Lalu Yadav, reportedly, advised him to get married first. As per the rules, a person sentenced to more than two years of imprisonment cannot contest elections for six years after being released from prison. 

 Arrested in 2001 after the infamous Nawada prison breakout case, he was released in 2023 after serving 17 years in prison. At present, his wife Anita is contesting from Munger on the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) ticket. Amidst these developments, Mahto's opponents are raking up his past association with crimes like jailbreaks, murders, and massacres. 

Mahto belongs to the Kurmi caste and hails from Munger's neighbouring district of Nawada, but his bahubali image has gained purchase in many surrounding districts as well. Mahto's entire fight is self-admittedly one of “forward versus backward”, especially against the Bhumihars. 

 In the electoral field, Mahto’s adversary is the JD (U) veteran and multiple-term MP Lalan Singh, who also belongs to the Bhumihar caste. However, in a way, the fight for this seat has now become a contest between two bahubalis, because bahubali Anant Singh, who came out on parole last week, has been issuing statements and doing road shows in support of Lalan Singh. 

Ashok Mahto in conversation with Md Asghar Khan.  

 What were the reasons behind you taking up the arms back in the day?  

When did I ever take up arms? Who says so? Is there proof of it? Those who promote feudalism are alleging that I took up arms. Since I belong to the backward caste, they are trying to defame me.  

 So, why do people call you a bahubali?  

Taking up arms was the need of the hour. There is always a reason why someone becomes a bahubali. 

 What was the need of the hour? 

I became a bahubali to serve our people. Do you think I am a criminal? How big a criminal do you think I am?  

 Do you know that there is a web series named Khakhi which is based on your life? It shows you as a bahubali …  

It seems like the one who made the film did so to convert his black money into white! Nobody took any permission from me nor informed me that it was being made. So how can one say that it is based on my life? You all are telling me that this is my story. However, it neither depicts my past nor has any resemblance to my life.  

 Have you watched the series?  

No, I have not watched it. I am saying this based on what people around me have told me.  

 In the Lok Sabha elections, the fight is between the backward class and the forward class. Why do you say so?  

This is a perception created by the media. This fight is for the poor. I belong to the backward caste. Therefore, the media is highlighting this. People believing in feudalism, too, are mentioning this. Upper-caste people manage to get released from prisons due to lobbying and money power. However, I was deliberately put behind bars for 17 years, why? There is anger among the public in this regard.  

It is said that the JD (U) candidate and the sitting MP, Lallan Singh, belongs to this place and you are an outsider. 

Lallan Singh has not done anything significant in the past 10 years. People here are not happy with him; they are angry. If there is an investigation done, he will be in big trouble as he is involved in many scandals.   

 What will be the development priority for you in the Munger area? 

 We will work on restarting those factories that had been closed. We will remove unemployment from here. And whatever loot has been done in the name of development, will be properly investigated. I will first try to put an end to the corruption taking place in the prison. Since I was in prison for 17 years, I have seen corruption closely and have realised that nowhere is there as much scam happening as it is happening in prison. The government is spending more on a prisoner than on the army, but the condition of the prisoners is worse. A whopping amount of Rs 60 crore is being charged for the post of prison superintendent. An honest IG, Manesh Kumar Meena, was posted here but he could serve only one term. And all the corrupt officers had been placed for three terms. 

 Your recent marriage to Anita Kumari is much more talked about than her candidature and the electoral battle here. People are saying that you married her so that she could contest elections this time. 

What can I say in this regard? If someone wants to talk about this, let him do that.  If I got married, what is there to even discuss? 

 After getting married, the first thing you did was you went to meet Lalu Prasad Yadav and seek his blessings. Was this meeting only for his blessings or for getting tickets? 

Yes, I met him for both his blessings and a ticket. He has been my guardian. I am always thankful for the work he has done for the backward castes. In the nineties, the backward caste people who could not even reach the block, Lalu Prasad Yadav taught them to fight for their rights. 

(Translation by Kaveri Mishra)