10, April 1917 Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Rajendra Prasad arrive at Champaran, in Bihar on the invitation of public leaders. Terrified by Mahatma Gandhi's arrival, his popularity and national support, the local British officer, Erwin, plans to assassinate him. To accomplish this task, the officer invited Gandhiji to a dinner for a discussion.
Batakh Mian belonged to a very poor family. Batakh Mian worked as a cook in the house of this British officer. With the intention of killing Gandhiji, Erwin asked Batakh Mian to poison Gandhiji's food. He lured Batakh Mian that in return for this work he would be given rewards and honors and many lands and properties. With that he threatened that if you don't do it, you and your entire family will be destroyed and your life will be made hell." But Batakh Mian was filled with the spirit of philanthropy, honesty, loyalty, patriotism and self-reliance. Batakh Mian, could neither deceive anyone nor be part of any conspiracy. Therefore, Erwin's threats and greed had no effect on them and Batakh Mian decided that under no circumstances would he compromise his conscience or betray his country. Batakh Mian decided that he would protect Gandhiji at all costs.
When Gandhiji and Dr. Rajendra Prasad had finished their meal, Erwin ordered Batakh Mian to poison the milk. Batakh Mian had to comply with this order in front of the British officer even though he did not want to, because he was his employee. Batakh Mian poisoned the milk in front of that British officer. Seeing this, British officer Erwin was fully convinced that his plan would be successful now.
It is very difficult to find such an example in the history of the country. Batakh Mian went to Gandhiji and offered him a glass of milk and said that this is poisoned milk, do not drink it. Gandhiji and other leaders were stunned to see this. Gandhiji looked at Batakh Mian and tears flowed from his eyes. When this milk was thrown on the ground in front of Gandhiji, the cat died while drinking the milk. This confirmed the contamination of the milk. Gandhiji comforted Batakh Mian, gave courage, made some promises and left.
After Erwin's plot failed, British manager came down heavily upon Batakh Mian. Batakh Mian was dismissed from work, arrested and tortured. His land was auctioned, house was turned into a crematorium and family was forced to leave the village. The British Raj treated Batakh Mian like a criminal because he refused to kill Gandhiji! Not only that, but Batakh Mian was trapped in fake cases and he served in jail for years.
After independence in 1950, when the first President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, visited Motihari, all the major leaders there welcomed him in his honour. At the back of the crowd, Batakh Mian Ansari, dressed in dhoti and vest, was eager to meet the President of the Republic. Meanwhile, Dr. Rajendra Parsad tried to look carefully at a person. He thought for a while. Then he remembered the whole incident and recognized the Batakh Mian. Calling him close to him with a voice, he hugged him saying "Batakh Bhai".
At that time, Dr. Rajendra Prasad directed the District Magistrate of Champaran to give fifty acres of land to Batakh Mian as a reward. The pages of history bear witness to this incident, but it is a pity that despite the orders of Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the bureaucrats ignored it. Batakh Mian never got any land in his life. Interestingly, Batakh Mian never even complained about this to Dr. Rajendra Prasad. He died on 4th December 1957.
Gandhiji is one of the great personalities of the world who is still very popular and relevant today. Gandhiji is often remembered on 2nd October and 30th January, with heartfelt tributes paid to him but, If we talk about the newspapers of India, not a single day will pass when some news or article or poem about Mahatma Gandhi is not printed in the newspaper.
So far, many films have been made on Gandhiji's life in every language of the country. Rather, it can be reliably said that there is no language left in the world in which documentary films about Gandhiji have not been made. There are also books related to Gandhiji in all languages. Here it is also necessary to admit that the personality of Batakh Mian was absolutely insignificant compared to the fame of Gandhiji but it should not be forgotten that he did an extraordinary job by saving Gandhiji's life. So, it is very sad that everyone knows other people related to Gandhiji but no one knows Batakh Mian Ansari!
Gandhiji can be seen in the textbooks and syllabus of the country. Numerous books have been published on Gandhiji, even today books related to Gandhiji are being published daily. The search for "Mahatma" is still going on, many government and non-government and public institutions are working on Gandhiji, but Batakh Mian Ansari's name does not appear anywhere along with Gandhiji. This proves that there are still many incidents related to the country's freedom movement which are yet to come to light. History can be distorted but paper flowers never smell. It is possible that the future will take responsibility and start a new chapter!!…….!!
Actually, his real name was Bakht Mian Ansari. But people started calling him Batakh Mian Ansari instead of Bakht and he then became famous by that name.

Email :---------------------- gulamansari1948@gmail.com