A Jesuit’s book on Bihar’s Musahars will help sensitize society about one of the most deprived communities who live in abject poverty, hunger and deprivation, says a noted educationist.

The word “Musahar” (literally rat eater) is derogatory and not associated with profession or food habit, asserted Shanker Ashish Dutt, head of the Department of English in Patna University. He was speaking on August 11 at the release of “Musahars: a noble People, a resilient Culture,’ written by Jesuit Father T Nishaant, principal of St Xavier’s College and St Xavier’s College of Management and Technology, Patna.

Dutt and other speakers, including eminent social worker Padmashri Sister Sudha Varghese, called for change in the nomenclature of Musahar people, who fall under the ‘Mahadalit community’ or the most marginalized of the lot. People of the Musahar community eat meat of not only rats but of many other animals, Dutt pointed out, adding that they are also involved in digging of soil, apart from being working as watchmen.

Father Nishaant’s book, the university professor added, would “go a long way to sensitize people about one of the most deprived communities living in abject poverty, hunger and deprivation, in the social landscape.”

Sister Varghese agreed with Dutt while addressing the gathering as the chief guest. The term Musahar was “outdated” as the community members are no more rat eaters. People of other castes also ate rats, pointed out the Notre Dame nun who has worked with the Musahar community for more than 30 years.

Congratulating the author for the book, Sister Varghese said the Musahar community had been fighting for water, land, food for years. “Even today people of the community were fighting for survival,” she added.