Kosi floods 2008: The untold story[बाढ़ 2008: अनकही कहानी]

This book includes an eyewitness account of the catastrophic floods, caused by a swollen Kosi River, India in 2008. Thousands perished in the deluge but the then-ruling party of Bihar saw this tragedy as an opportunity to teach a lesson to a particular caste. The book presents a factual account of the fury of Kosi as also the heart-rending pain and misery of those rendered homeless. The book was much talked about because of its political overtones. More than two lakh copies of the book were distributed by different individuals and organizations, including the then-opposition party Rashtriya Janata Dal. Most of the writers had used assumed names and there was no mention of the publisher. After the political upheaval caused by the publication, the then chief minister had ordered the Intelligence wing of the police to ferret out the names of the writers and the publishers of the booklet. Many magazines had published excerpts from the booklet and had reviewed it in their columns. Newspapers carried cartoons centered on the findings of the writers of the booklet. Young journalist Pramod Ranjan edited this book. The reminiscences-reportage (Ek Samvaddata Ki Diary) published in the book was also penned by him. Two leading litterateurs, who were active in the politics of Bihar, had played a key role in its publication. This book is not only authentic documentation of the horrific tragedy but also exposes the internal contradictions that informed the social justice politics of those times.