This is a story about a conflict between two villages, Jawda and Gayariawas, about ½ km from each other, over the location of a government-sanctioned school. In this conflict, Samaj Shilpi Fateh Lalji played a pivotal role in ensuring that the Gayariawas village received its due.

About 20 years ago, when the government sanctioned a primary school for Jawda, the land for the school was allotted 1½ km away in Khemakheda. The best location would have been the public land between Jawda and Gayariawas, but the Jawda villagers had encroached on this land and did not want to give it up.

A new school was then assigned to Gayariyawas as the official record showed a school already sanctioned for Jawda. Naturally, both Gayariawas and Jawda wanted the school close to each other. Both villages had initially agreed upon using the public land between the two villages, but it was encroached upon by Jawda villagers. In a meeting of both villages, the Jawda villagers proposed having the school on a 5 Bigha public land, 1½ km from Gayariyawas. But Fateh Lalji insisted that the school be built in Gayariyawas as sanctioned. This is when the conflict began.

Interestingly, without consulting Gayariawas villagers, the government allotted the 5 Bigha public land in Jawda for the school. A bank account in the name of the School Development & Management Committee (SDMC) - Gayariyawas, became functional. The SDMC did not have a single villager from Gayariyawas as its member.

In response, Fateh Lalji led a team of 16 Gayariyawas villagers and submitted a written petition to the MLA. The MLA replied that Gayariyawas did not have the required ½ Bigha public land for the school. At this point, four Gayariawas villagers each agreed to donate a part of their land for this purpose. Of these, Jivaji Gayari’s land was chosen, being closest to the road. This convinced the MLA and he agreed to building the school at Gayariawas.

The Mavli panchayat pradhan, Ms. Pushpa Gujar (from the Gurjar community) visited and somehow convinced the MLA otherwise. However, seeing the unity and resolution of the villagers in Gayariyawas, the MLA decided to build the school there. At one point, the tension between the villages was so high that the Gurjar community threatened to attack and kill them with talwars (swords)!

Since Rs. 40,000-50,000 had already been spent in building the school foundation in Jawda, subsequent government disbursements had to wait. Fateh Lalji volunteered to pay it himself by borrowing it. The MLA then committed to reimburse the total amount of Rs 3,58,000 for the school.

Today, the school building presently is nearly complete. Rs 1.89 lakh has been deposited in the school bank account by the government. Gayariyawas villagers also have formed a new SDMC – there are 13 members, and one of them is a woman.

This story is a fine example of how a Samaj Shilpi can persistently fight to ensure that a village legitimately gets what it legally deserves. Fateh Lalji, a social worker from early on in his life has served as Ward Panch and Sarpanch. While in office and also later, ensured that government relief efforts, were made accessible to the villagers. He joined Seva Mandir as a Samaj Shilpi in 2002. He is a man of few words but steely resolve, and a persistent fighter.

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Saikat Chakraborty Thakur, Morgantown