Morena, Madhya pradesh
September 2010 Courtesy: Harmony, The Magazine
The sickly old woman came running across the courtyard of the dilapidated dwelling, and began to sob. “I am suffering netaji. You are our only hope. There is no money, only news of a pension and my health is getting worse!” She prostrated before him, as if he were some kind of a God, and continued to lament at his feet. He comforts her, reassuring her that things will be better. The Netaji, the woman was lamenting to is Ramsnehi. A tireless vigilante, who has been rescuing women and young girls from the evil of prostitution in the region since 1952.
Ramsnehi, was born to a farmer in 1933 of the Bedia community, in the notorious Chambal district, famous for dacoits, prostitution and drug trafficking. Since the time of the Mogul Empire, prostitution has been the Bedia’s traditional occupation, after which they have fallen down the ladder of high society, from catering to the zamindars and now even truck drivers. The women have been the breadwinners, while the men are lazy drunks who pimp them. Snehi’s first real experience and understanding came when he visited his aunt, a prostitute, in Meerut, in 1953. The apathy he witnessed amongst the women of his community moved him so much, that he vowed to devote his life to abolish the flesh trade from within his community. So acute was the problem, that till 1957, no bedia had married, as it was strictly forbidden within the community, and girls were ceremoniously initiated into prostitution as soon as they hit puberty. Those who refused were forced into it, and the often streets echoed with the screams of young girls as they were beaten up for not earning their allotted quota for the day or refusing to solicit clients. A Bedia soliciting truck drivers on the highway earns any where between 15-50 rupees a customer, while those who’s relatives are more ambitious are sent to Metros such as Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi, and from there on, the girls are often sold in the Gulf and other parts of the world. “All these women are my mothers, daughters and sisters. How could I just watch all this and do nothing?”
The sickly old woman came running across the courtyard of the dilapidated dwelling, and began to sob. “I am suffering netaji. You are our only hope. There is no money, only news of a pension and my health is getting worse!” She prostrated before him, as if he were some kind of a God, and continued to lament at his feet. He comforts her, reassuring her that things will be better. The Netaji, the woman was lamenting to is Ramsnehi. A tireless vigilante, who has been rescuing women and young girls from the evil of prostitution in the region since 1952.
Ramsnehi, was born to a farmer in 1933 of the Bedia community, in the notorious Chambal district, famous for dacoits, prostitution and drug trafficking. Since the time of the Mogul Empire, prostitution has been the Bedia’s traditional occupation, after which they have fallen down the ladder of high society, from catering to the zamindars and now even truck drivers. The women have been the breadwinners, while the men are lazy drunks who pimp them. Snehi’s first real experience and understanding came when he visited his aunt, a prostitute, in Meerut, in 1953. The apathy he witnessed amongst the women of his community moved him so much, that he vowed to devote his life to abolish the flesh trade from within his community. So acute was the problem, that till 1957, no bedia had married, as it was strictly forbidden within the community, and girls were ceremoniously initiated into prostitution as soon as they hit puberty. Those who refused were forced into it, and the often streets echoed with the screams of young girls as they were beaten up for not earning their allotted quota for the day or refusing to solicit clients. A Bedia soliciting truck drivers on the highway earns any where between 15-50 rupees a customer, while those who’s relatives are more ambitious are sent to Metros such as Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi, and from there on, the girls are often sold in the Gulf and other parts of the world. “All these women are my mothers, daughters and sisters. How could I just watch all this and do nothing?”
This lean, scrawly man, sitting in a dhoti and banyan would have been easily mistaken for yet another village idiot, save for the demeanor of the people towards him, and pistol dangling by his side. Glazed beady eyes that stare straight at you, beam through his shrunken face, lined with countless wrinkles; narrating the story of a man who has truly seen a lot in just one life time.
Snehi gets up at 3.30am each morning to do Yoga and Pranayama. “You are only old if you think you are!” says the 77 year old bachelor who also claims to be a virgin. Even at this age, he quickly climbs up and down stairs that would put some city dwellers to shame. His voice resonates with the confidence of a man who has spat in the face of death and danger time and again, as he marshals the staff of the ashram to take care of the newly arrived guest. Few minutes in conversation with him, one realizes that his scruffy, militarian exterior, houses a heart exuberating with compassion and love. He dotes over the children as if they were his own, and their love for him is clearly reflected in the way they shower him with affection. Righteous, strong willed, fearless and selfless, he is no short of a Messiah for bedias.
Ram Snehi has worked tirelessly with the Police and other agencies since 1953, towards his cause, often risking his own life by helping young women secretly escape from brothels. He has single handedly, over the last 58 years, moved the local administration to rid the region of open prostitution. Brothels once flourished in the streets of Morena, Meerut, Gwallior and other parts of the region under the protection of the local policea and administration. “My efforts have paid off. At first my community ostracized me, calling me a traitor, but now people have come to realize that all they can get in this trade is misery, suffering and deadly STDs like AIDS.” said the dynamic vigilante.
The state never really enforced Suppression of Immoral Traffic in Women and Girls Act (SITA) 1956, until 1991, when moved by a PIL filed by Snehi, the Gwalior bench of the Jabalpur High Court pressurized the government to crack down on the Red Light districts in the state. Snehi soon realized that in order to make any real impact, he has to not only fight the evil on ground, but also target the next generation, to ensure that the community has a better future. In 1992, with modest grants from the government and some well wishers, he started the Abhyud Ashram and later that year, the Vimukt Jati Abhyud Sangh. Manned by a staff of 32-teachers, cooks, clerks and guards included- led by Warden Aruna Chhari, young girls and boys of the affected families of the Bedia community are given food, shelter, a decent education along with much needed love, care and hope of a better life. The 215 Children, from age 3 to 20, who currently live here, learn karate, music, drama, yoga, along with the regular subjects like maths, science, English, Hindi, history etc. Sanskrit is also taught, along with a special emphasis on morals and etiquette. The class rooms double up as the sleeping area for girls after school, while the boys sleep in an open shed by the courtyard. The government provided Snehi with an old abandoned school building, around which he has slowly built the institute. “I want to make some housing structure for the boys too, but unfortunately, this years grant is stuck in red tape.” The state has sanctioned the ashram Rs 31 lacks annually, under the Jabali Yogna, to be given in four parts. 8 months have passed this year, and they have only released an incomplete second installment, with a promise to provide the first by the end of the year. In the mean time, Snehi must run the ashram on loans for which he pays due interest. “It is difficult to house, feed, clothe and educate all the children at Rs 250 per month a child.” In spite of these difficulties, Snehi never turns away a new enrollment. “In here, they at least have the chance for a future.”
A perimeter of small classrooms encloses a large rectangular courtyard. The teacher often stands or sits on the only chair, as children sit on thin cane mats laid out on the floor. With or without a blackboard, notebook or text book, the teaching continues. Standard 10 is the only class room with desks for the children, but this too is very dimly lit. Miraculously, the learning continues and the children answer each of the questions put before them by Snehi in his random class inspection. Kindergarten students study on the roof, under a cement sheet roof that’s propped up by simple brick and mortar. A small buffalo shed houses 4 buffaloes and a calf, next to the primitive washing areas. In spite of all this, the ashram has produced state and national level sportswomen in karate, kho-kho and other sports. “Sports, especially karate, instill a sense of confidence and will power, which is crucial for any child as he or she grows up. My girls are like tigresses, who will tear apart the enemy if and when the need arises. In this notorious region, it’s much needed.” Each month, a picnic or field visit is also arranged in which he personally ensures that the children don’t forget the simple pleasures of life, while ensuring some learning.
At the Abhyudaya Ashram, special emphasis is given to character building, ethics and etiquette. Though the school offers an education till the 10th, the trust often helps girls financially and in other ways, often up to their Post- Graduation. Young girls, whose lives would have otherwise been ruined forever, have gone on to become IAS, IPS officers, engineers, teachers and businessmen. Many choose to stay back and work with Netaji, or join other NGO’s combating prostitution, AIDS, or other problems of the community, while others head to metros in hope for a better life. “I particularly encourage the children to join the Police or bureaucracy. If the baton is handed over to these young ones who infiltrate these segments, the corruption in the system, especially in the field of flesh trade is bound to go down, and crackdowns on this trade more potent”, says Ram Snehi. The school has thus far produced half a dozen civil servants, 3 police officers, 194 state level and 37 national level sportswomen.
“I came to the ashram 5 years ago, mom left us and dad married another woman. I don’t like it home, mother is not there and dad used to get drunk and beat me up. Netaji loves us all. Sometimes he scolds us, we know it is for our own good.” says Shubham, hesitantly with eyes wandering on the floor and nervous fingers. Without the ashram, this 15 year old boy, would have nowhere to go.
“The school, food, hostel and other facilities are much better than even some private schools around. We have an English tution teacher, learn the computer, and get to play games and sports.” boasts his friend, 16 year old Shivam.
Ram Snehi’s journey along this road has been a perilous one, and not without his share of life threatening situations. Disgruntled pimps and relatives have often tried to target snehi, but he has always stood his ground and emerged victorious. On one such occasion in 2009, the relatives of Neha Charri, a girl who managed to escape her family as they tried to smuggle her to Kolkota, took refuge at Snehi’s ashram, tried to siege the ashram and kidnap the girl, fully armed and mafia in tow. News of their plan quickly reached Snehi through his network of intelligence, and he immediately locked down the ashram. About 50 Young boys and the male staff climbed upon roofs with bricks and stones, as Ram Snehi stood at the gate, brandishing his Belgian Pistol. He fired a round in the air, and threatened to do much more as the 20 strong mob armed with rifles, desi pistols and laathis stood before him. The Mexican standoff continued until news of the police’s arrival reached the area and the mob fled. “The state allotted me a weapon only in 1987. Before that I used to carry a bicycle chain. I have had my share of beatings, but as you can see, it’s all been worth it. One cannot always rationalize with criminals” says the gun wielding vigilante, “Not in the Chambal District!” The name Ramsnehi, still stirs either fear or anger amidst the flesh traders, mafia and corrupt officials, or love and gratitude amongst the thousands he has rescued from this evil.
On a field visit to Amba, 34 km from Morena, he stops by an old skinny woman, squatting at the door by the side of the alley. She asks him “have you come to raid?” he replies “no, just here to check on you”. The sick woman adds “what’s there to check on? We’re just sitting here, waiting to die!” Snehi comforted another 57 year old former prostitute, struggling to feed her family - “The rehabilitation of the sex workers, development of the community needs to go beyond flimsy promises on paper. They must be executed and with an understanding of ground realities. We will keep going to Bhopal and sit on their heads till that doesn’t happen.”
A lot still needs to be done according to Snehi. “Firstly, these women need to be looked upon as victims, and not criminals. Secondly, harsher punishment must be given to those who procure their services and all other parties involved. It is the same as rape! The system is stupid. The women go to jail, and the men go free! They are more responsible for the situation than the woman, who is often forced into the trade due to circumstances and their money hungry families. Why else would someone abandon all dignity and self-respect for 15-50 rupees? They are victims, yet the law looks upon them as criminals. Lastly, more young bedias must be encouraged to marry. I have myself sponsored 57 couples, and even give the ashram for those who can’t afford a venue. “The root cause is poverty and lack of education. Families have been in this trade for over 400 years. This is the only way they know how to survive. If we educate them and provide opportunities to prosper, while simultaneously working with the Police and the government, the problem will disappear. People need to stand up and be counted. Turning a blind eye or simply blaming a broken system is not enough!”
Ramsnehi, has developed a vast network of intelligence, and continues to tip the police on the whereabouts and trafficking of the trade. He is currently also pressurizing the state to provide a pension or livelihood to all former sex workers. Like a Lotus that pushes through the muck, to enchant the garden with its beauty, Netaji, has against all odds, using all means legal, illegal, conventional and unconventional, pushed through the corrupt system, and his single handed effort has changed the face of a depraved and impoverished community. “Though the evil has been vanquished in the form of openly run brothels, but it still continues in the form of human trafficking.
My aim is to rid our society of this ghastly crime against women, and I will fight it till my very last breath.”
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