Westland Books announced the pre-order of its new book Broken Promises: Caste, Crime and Politics in Bihar by Mrityunjay Sharma. The book topped the bestsellers chart on Amazon.in within 48 hours of opening up for pre-order. Broken Promises is a deeply researched, eye-opening account of Bihars socio-political history, esp. the nineties. Speaking about the premise of the book, author Mrityunjay Sharma said, Growing up in undivided Bihar, I frequently found myself pondering over the consistent negative portrayal of the state in the news. The explanations I encountered seemed overly simplistic. Bihar stands out as one of the most intricate socio-political states in India, moulded by a multitude of factors. This book offers readers a chance to explore the socio-political landscape of Bihar, delving into the events that have influenced its contemporary state. It sheds light on the reality of navigating through the tumultuous and highly controversial 1990s, a decade that played a defining role in shaping Bihar into what it is today.   Speaking about the book, Minakshi Thakur, Publisher - Indian Literature, Westland Books said, Mrityunjay Sharmas book on Bihar is an incisive account of the systematic erosion of a glorious legacy. A state, which was once at the heart of highly evolved empires that advanced art, scientific and spiritual practices, fell prey to a highly divisive caste system and short-sighted governments in independent India. Broken Promises is a timely book on Bihar, whose volatile politics all eyes will be on, in the lead up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.   The book tells the story of Bihars 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 Thakurs 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 Sharmas 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 Indias democracy, any shift within which sends ripples across national politics.   Born and raised in undivided Bihar, Mrityunjay Sharma is a first-generation entrepreneur and social activist. An engineering graduate from BIT Mesra, Ranchi and an MBA from XLRI Jamshedpur, Mrityunjay worked in various senior HR roles at Asian Paints before moving to the hinterlands of Chhattisgarh, where he worked with the then chief minister Dr Raman Singh on developmental issues. He subsequently moved to his home state of Jharkhand to work at the grassroots. Sharma is the co-founder of Ranchi-based start-up biofie.com. He also runs a social initiative called Kartavyapath to teach mathematics to underprivileged children and is a visiting faculty at several institutes, including the IIMs.

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