Sanjay Kumar Sharma

Ranchi, May 27: He was an intermediate student in 1992 when a few words from JMM supremo Shibu Soren changed his life forever.

In 2013, it is tough for a Jharkhandi fed on a constant diet of falling governments, scams, rebel attacks, aborted development schemes and the like to understand the romance of the statehood movement in the 1980s and 1990s.

Sanjay Kumar Sharma (41), a Hindi graduate who stays in Manikpur village, Deoghar, is among the 767 statehood heroes whose names have been uploaded by the state home department.

In 2011, the state set up the Jharkhand/Vananchal Andolankari Chinhitkaran Ayog, a panel tasked with identifying separate statehood workers. Among 767 listed so far, 527 are from Deoghar, the highest.

At six, Sahebganj has the lowest number of names. Sandwiched between Deoghar and Sahebganj are East Singhbhum with 79 names, Seraikela-Kharsawan with 35, Gumla with 33, Ranchi with 26, Dumka with 21, Lohardaga with 19, Palamau with 11 and West Singhbhum with 10.

Sharma is part of a small minority — around 5 per cent — who wants only recognition.

“I gave the prime of my life willingly to the separate statehood movement. All I want is recognition as a separate statehood movement hero. It may be in the form of a medal. I will be proud of this memento for the rest of my life,” Sharma told The Telegraph over phone from Deoghar.

Deepak Prakash agreed.

“I didn’t take part in the separate statehood movement for a job or pension. The cause was enough. For me, my state’s recognition is the most important,” said the Palamau resident, who has joined the BJP.

The majority of those who want pension, healthcare or jobs also have their reasons.

“Now, age is not on my side. I won’t qualify for any job. That’s why I’d like the state to provide me with healthcare. Otherwise, I have to depend entirely on my agricultural land,” said Vinod Kumar Mahto of Kairo village, Lohardaga.

On the lure of the movement, Sharma said: “In 1992, I attended a meeting of Guruji (Shibu Soren) in Deoghar. He said ‘agar dhibri jalakar naukri khojne jaoge to bhi nahi milegi. Jharkhand banao aur ek panch varshiya yojana thik se lagu karo, berozgari ki samasya nahi rahegi. (Even if you look for job with a lantern, you won’t get it. Create Jharkhand and implement single Five Year Plan honestly, there won’t be any unemployment).”

“Without a moment’s hesitation, I jumped headlong into the statehood movement,” he added.

It is debatable if Jharkhand implemented any Five Year Plan “honestly” even during Shibu Soren’s regime. Sharma himself did not get a job. But he joined the JMM, is now the Manikpur gram panchayat mukhiya and says he “gets by” as he lives in a joint family.

Recognition, pension and perks are still far away under Jharkhand’s red-tape rule. “This is only the draft list and shouldn’t be taken as final. The list that has been uploaded and sent to respective deputy commissioners is for verification,” an official of Jharkhand/Vananchal Andolankari Chinhitkaran Ayog said.

Sharma isn’t in a hurry. “The Jharkhand of our dreams, where every youth is employed, every man is happy, is yet to come,” he sighs.