If Batakh Mian Had Not Been There, There Would Have Been No Gandhi Era

                          

Ranchi::The role of Mahatma Gandhi in India’s freedom movement is celebrated worldwide. Yet, the name of Batakh Mian, the man who once saved Gandhi’s life, has been nearly erased from history. In 1917, during the Champaran movement, the British conspired to assassinate Gandhi. Their plot failed only because Batakh Mian, a simple cook, chose to risk his life to save him.

The Conspiracy to Kill Gandhi

In 1917, Gandhi had come to Champaran to study the plight of indigo farmers. To the peasants, he appeared as a messiah, but for the British planters, he was a threat. Determined to eliminate him, the British manager of the Motihari indigo estate, Erwin, invited Gandhi for dinner. He ordered his cook, Batakh Mian, to serve Gandhi a glass of milk laced with poison. The larger plan was to frame the assassination as an act by a Muslim servant, thereby sparking communal riots across India.

The Courage of Batakh Mian

Batakh Mian, however, could not betray his conscience. Having witnessed the suffering of farmers, he saw hope in Gandhi. Defying the manager’s command, he warned Rajendra Prasad, who was present, about the poisoned milk. The glass was thrown on the ground, and when a cat drank it, the animal died instantly. Gandhi’s life was saved, but Batakh Mian and his family paid dearly for this act of courage.

The Price of Sacrifice

After Gandhi left Champaran, the British brutally punished Batakh Mian. He was beaten, jailed, and his humble home was demolished to make way for a cemetery. Years later, in 1950, President Dr. Rajendra Prasad visited Motihari, traced Batakh Mian’s family, and ordered that land be allotted to them. But due to bureaucratic negligence, this never materialized. Living in poverty and neglect, Batakh Mian passed away in 1957.

Forgotten Hero

When people recall Gandhi’s assassination, Nathuram Godse’s name is always remembered. But the man who once saved Gandhi from certain death remains in the shadows of history. It was only in 1990 that the Bihar State Minority Commission brought this episode to light, drawing media attention. Later, a memorial and museum were set up in his village, but many promises made to his descendants remain unfulfilled.

The Unanswered Question

The story raises a troubling question: why was Batakh Mian’s sacrifice forgotten, even though many prominent leaders of the time were witnesses to the incident? If Gandhi had been killed in Champaran, India’s freedom struggle would have taken a very different shape. And if Batakh Mian had not defied the British, perhaps there would have been no “Gandhi Era” at all.