Broken Promises tells the story of Bihar's plunge into an abyss of crime, corruption and economic ruin during the tumultuous decade of the 1990s, often referred to as the ‘Jungle Raj’ years. How did a land, once the cradle of civilisation, devolve into a byword for the worst of India as described by The Economist in 2004?
Mrityunjay Sharma traces the post-Independence socio-politics of Bihar and the momentous events leading up to the ’90s: the unravelling of long-standing Congress governments, the rise of OBC assertion with Lohiaite politics, the JP movement that put the spotlight on young leaders like Lalu Yadav and Nitish Kumar, Karpoori Thakur's reservation formula, the rise of Naxal movements and the entry of socialist governments. 10 March 1990, the day Lalu took oath, was one of hope for millions in the state battered by poverty, caste atrocities and inequality. The political triumph of Lalu, a vociferous champion of the marginalised, as a reaction to centuries of oppression and the promise of upliftment and inclusion, ironically, worsened the socio-economic disparities in the state, accompanied by grave misgovernance, flourishing crime syndicates and caste armies, and the centre-staging of formidable bahubalis in politics.
Deeply engaging and richly insightful, Mrityunjay Sharma’s Broken Promises is not just a book about Bihar for Biharis. It is an eye-opening account of a large and socially complex participant in India's democracy, any shift within which sends ripples across national politics.
