March 8, Patna Three female leaders in Bihar politics rose from the lowest echelons of society to become the voice of the oppressed groups. They have left their mark by their perseverance, hard work, and strong leadership.

It goes without saying that these ladies are living models of women’s empowerment in the nation because of their remarkable path.

Through perseverance, leadership, and hard effort, Bhagirathi Devi, a Dalit politician from Bihar, has established a unique political identity.

She rose from modest beginnings to become a voice for the underprivileged, especially women who face societal injustices and Dalits and Mahadalits.

Bhagirathi Devi was paid Rs 800 a month to serve as a sanitation worker at the Narkatiaganj Block Office. She was born into the Mahadalit (Bhangi) caste, which has minimal political clout in Bihar.

However, she also advocates for low-income workers and women who are victims of domestic abuse. Despite the several arrests that resulted from this, she never resigned and carried on with her humanitarian work.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which acknowledged her grassroots efforts, helped her break into politics. She entered politics in 1980, and in 2000, she was chosen to represent Narkatiaganj in the West Champaran district as an MLA. She was elected again from Narkatiaganj in 2005 and 2010.

Following seat delimitation, she was elected from the Ramnagar Assembly constituency in 2015 and 2020. She left the BJP in 2022 after taking a defiant stand. In Bihar, Bhagirathi Devi was the first and only member of parliament from the Bhangi caste.

Even when Nitish Kumar was a member of the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan), she still beat political veteran Purnamasi Ram (2015).

Bhagirathi Devi, a supporter of Mahadalit women, was initially taken into custody in 1991 while participating in a demonstration with the Mahila Morcha. During the Rath Yatra campaign led by the late senior BJP leader L.K. Advani, she was also detained in Samastipur. In 2019, Bhagirathi Devi received the Padma Shri for her substantial humanitarian service.

Her direct, Bhojpuri-speaking manner appeals to the average person. ‘Pyaar Mohabbat Zindabad’, a Bhojpuri film directed by Vinay Bihari, also featured her. She encouraged many Dalits and women to pursue careers in politics.

Bhagirathi Devi continues to be a symbol of strength and empowerment in Bihar politics in spite of personal struggles and resistance from her own party.

Another well-known figure in Bihar politics who rose from the very bottom of society is Munni Devi, the MLC of the Rashtriya Janata Dal. Numerous outstanding female leaders from lowly origins have risen to prominence in Bihar politics, demonstrating that hard work and determination can overcome any obstacle.

She is among those who battled to change Bihar’s political landscape by opposing social inequalities, poverty, and prejudice.

Munni Devi, a member of the Rajak caste, is a washerwoman from Bakhtiyarpur in the Patna district.

Before going into politics, she was employed in Patna as a washerwoman. From an early age, she had a strong interest in women’s rights and social concerns.

She became an RJD candidate for MLC in 2022 after Lalu Prasad Yadav took note of her grassroots efforts. She demonstrated her strong ties to her heritage by continuing to work as a washerwoman even after becoming an MLC.

Her humble upbringing is highlighted by the fact that she used a cell phone for the first time after becoming an MLC. She gained respect from people of all political parties because of her dedication and modesty.

“I dedicated my political career to raising the voice of marginalised women for education, social upliftment, and economic stability,” Munni Devi said.

An MP was Bhagwati Devi, a stonebreaker from the Gaya area of Bihar. She began working as a stonebreaker in the Barachatti neighborhood of the Gaya district, which was impacted by the Naxals, in order to provide for her family.

From the start, she consistently voiced issues on gender equality and labor rights, and she served as an inspiration to many in her community. Socialist leaders Ram Manohar Lohia and Upendra Nath Verma served as inspiration for Bhagwati Devi.

They urged her to enter politics after seeing her potential as a leader. In 1969, she ran on a United Socialist Party ticket from the Barachatti Assembly seat in the Gaya district and was elected.

She was re-elected as an MLA in 1977 after losing the 1972 Assembly election. She lost again in 1980 and left politics for a while. Lalu Prasad Yadav brought her political career back to life in 1995. She joined the Parliament in 1996 after winning the Gaya Lok Sabha seat.

Despite becoming an MP, Bhagwati Devi continued to have a close relationship with the underprivileged and lived a modest life. She became a source of inspiration for marginalized laborers and Dalit women across Bihar.

She embodied authentic grassroots leadership by supporting education and workers’ rights.

Resilience, bravery, and the strength of grassroots leadership are all embodied by Bhagirathi Devi, Munni Devi, and Bhagwati Devi. Their story demonstrates that social transformation starts from the bottom and that anybody can become powerful and significantly alter society if they put in the necessary effort.