Landlord and Massacre: The Formation of Ranvir Sena and Political Change in Bihar, India

Abstract

Why and how do violent conflicts happen in a stable democracy? India, the motherland of non-violence movements, has experienced numerous violent conflicts like religious riots, caste riots and class struggles since Independence. Especially after 1980's, the extent of violence has risen up drastically as Ayodhya-related riots and Naxalite-related violence. How can we explain these violent conflicts in the 60-year experience of “The world's largest democracy”?

This paper focuses on the formation of Ranvir Sena, which was set up by Bhumihar landlords in 1994. Ranvir Sena, which is the most organized and brutal private army in Bihar's Post-Independence history, provides an important case to analyze the relationship between democracy and violent conflicts.

One important variable to explain the emergence of militia is the “democratization” in Bihar. The traditional dominance of upper castes in rural society has declined decisively by the political change in 1990 onwards, which led to the formation of Ranvir Sena. Simultaneously, though, the case of Ranvir Sena indicates that the institution of democracy has the capacity to absorb once uncontrollable violent elements and gradually overcome the chain of violence.