Manas Ranjan Mohapatra
There have been a lot of discussions on Emergency 1975. But we have forgotten some people who were government servants like Kumar Mohanty, Harihar Mishra, Rajendra Kishore Panda, Kailash Ray and Bisu Mishra who are the unsung heroes.
Braja Kishore Tripathy, who later became Minister, Steel and Mines at center, was a ward councilor those days it was probably the year 1974 or early 1975. I did not know Braja Kishore Tripathy personally by then, but used to visit his lane for a different reason. My career as a poet had just begun and a literary magazine was published from there. And, the joint editors were Braja Kishore Tripathy and Bisu Mishra. I gave a poem for publication in it and it was never published. The magazine stopped publication due to shortage of funds..
During my early school days, I was going regularly to Tiadi Sahi – a lane in Puri – where Braja Kishore Tripathy and Bisu Mishra lived. My aunt, mother’s elder sister, lived there. Her son Satya Bhaina was a teacher in Balagandi U P School by then under Puri Municipality. Both Braja Kishore Tripathy and Bisu Mishra were his friends. Nepali Bhaina, the second son of my aunt, was my classmate though he was 3-4 years elder to me.
Soon I became a part of Anam Movement and met Bisu Mishra. He was of 5 feet height, a friendly man. His magazine’s name was most probably Anuraga. Braja Kishore Tripathy was arranging funds for its publication, He had tremendous love for literature and culture. Bisu Mishra was a clerk in the electricity office.
National emergency was declared in the country in June 1975. Braja Kishore Tripathy was arrested along with other top leaders. Publication of Anuraga was about to stop. Bisu Mishra gave me the news when I met him. It was June 1976.
– ‘A year has passed since our friends are in Jail. Ah, I have not seen Butu for a year… Let us have a Poets’ Meet to remember our dear friends who are in jail for opposing emergency…..We should do it in front of Jagannath Temple at Emara Matha Chakada…’, he said.
-‘Money…..’ I asked.’ We need some funds to organize it as we need a Microphone, some tables and light… a few cups of tea for the poets..’
-‘I have asked Hadu Maharana for Mike. Rest will be arranged, don’t worry…..’, Bisu Mishra replied.
Poets’ Meet happened as per plans. Many poets and common people were there. It was during an emergency, there was fear of police atrocities. Theme of the Poets’ Meet was ‘Bandhu Bihune Barse Bitila (A year has been spent in the absence of dear friend)’.
The emergency ended in 1977. Soon there was General Election and Braja Kishore Tripathy became MLA. He did not revive Anurag, the Magazine Bisu Mishra and he published, though his party was in power. Later he became Chief Whip of the Party in Odisha Assembly and in due course a Member of Lok Sabha and a Minister too in the cabinet of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Nothing happened in Puri for the promotion of literature and culture with ‘Anurag or Bisu Mishra’
But Bisu Mishra continued to write stories. He was a prolific writer. I have read his stories in many magazines. I was in touch with him till 1987 before leaving for a job in NCERT at Lucknow.
I don’t remember to have met Bisu Mishra after I joined NBT in 1990. He was a man of self esteem. He never approached anybody for any undue favour. His brother was one of the top officers in the department and he never took his help though he was framed in a false case and was probably suspended from the job. I repent that I lost touch with him.
Bisu Mishra is no more. Many people remembered the Emergency recently. But, alas, nobody in his town remembered Bisu Mishra who raised the voice of creative people and never feared Police atrocities!
(The Author Manas Ranjan Mahapatra is a former editor of National Book Trust, New Delhi. Views are personal)
Tags: #PoetsMeet #AnamMovement #AnuragaPublication #NBT #BisuMishra #NCERTLucknow #JagannathTemple