"Machhli khao!" This was the advice of Lalu Prasad Yadav, the Indian Minister of Railways and, as the head of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Bihar's boss. "Let them eat fish," he told the people, as the whole of north Bihar was reeling under the floods of 2004. The reaction of the flood victims of Bihar to his suggestion was silence.
Floods are an annual event in Bihar, and some years they are worse than others. As the floods begin to peak in late July or August, they bring with them a by-now predictable routine of governmental statements, accusations and recriminations. As the monsoon brings its deluge, this year too, there will be highly charged reportage on the breaching of embankments along the state's rivers, once again the demand for a high dam on the Kosi River deep within Nepali territory, and repetition of the charge that Nepal has 'released' waters to flood Bihar. Once again, Patna will make shrill demands for disaster relief from the central government, there will be allegations of inadequate relief provided, others will accuse the Bihar government of misuse of flood relief, and so on.
The recriminations will stop as soon as the flood waters recede by end August or early September. Nepal will be forgotten, as will be the embankments.
Everyone will await the next flood season, when the cycle begins all over again. As we enter July, there is also the added political confusion in Bihar this year, linked to the non-formation of government after the Bihar Assembly elections of February 2005. The call for fresh polls in the state has further added to the uncertainities and as the flood season draws nigh, the blame game among the politicians and government departments is likely to be played at a higher pitch.