The Violence Perpetrated in Many Districts of Bihar by the BJP-RSS on Ram Navami is a Cause for Serious Concern

Hindu Putra Organization Perpetrates Violence in Paru, Muzaffarpur

The violence perpetrated in Bihar by the BJP-RSS under the excuse of Ram Navami is a cause for serious concern. So far, reports of violence have come in from Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Gaya and some other Districts. At Qazi Mohammadpur village in Paru Block, Muzaffarpur, a saffron flag was hoisted on the Masjid there under a conspiracy hatched by an organization called Hindu Putra. The people in the procession were armed with swords and guns and they arbitrarily changed the route fixed by the administration to enter the street where the Masjid is located. They chanted anti-Muslim slogans and hoisted the saffron flag on top of the Masjid. During this entire communal violent incident, the police patrolling party was walking with the procession. Later, the administration registered an FIR against 18 people, 5 of whom have been arrested.

On 16 April CPIML legislative party leader Mahboob Alam and Phulwari MLA Gopal Ravidas reached Paru, accompanied by Insaf Manch leaders Aftab Alam and Aslam Rahmani. The team found that many of the rioters' names have not been included in the FIR at the behest of local BJP MLA Raju Singh who is also the founder and patron of the Hindu Putra organization. All the rioters belong to the MLA's village. The main accused Hindu Putra Block President Rishabh Thakur has not been arrested so far. This entire incident is a conspiracy hatched by BJP-RSS and Hindu Putra.

Another incident occurred on the night of 9 April (Ram Navami) in the same District at Asavari Banjaria village, Kathaiya Thana where some Hindutva organizations hung a saffron flag on the dome of the Idgah. When the villagers saw the saffron flag the next morning they informed Kathiya Thana, after which the Muzaffarpur SSP and other officials arrived and the flag was taken down. In view of people's anger 3 persons were detained but they were released the next day.

At Ghanshyampur in Darbhanga, rioters vandalized and looted shops and property of Muslims. At Sherghati in Gaya, a rickshaw driver Naseem Shah was beaten badly and forced to chant Jai Shri Ram. Such incidents have occurred in other parts of the state also.

CPIML and Insaf Manch observed statewide protests on 18-19 April and demanded stringent action against the BJP-RSS-Hindutva organizations' conspiracy to turn festivals into a platform for anti-Muslim hatred and violence, with the following demands:

1. Probe the role of the local BJP MLA in the Paru Masjid-saffron flag incident in Muzaffarpur.
2. Probe the hate-violence mongering Hindu Putra organization and take action against it.
3. Arrest main accused in Paru incident Rishabh Thakur immediately.
4. Take action against Ghanshyampur (Darbhanga) rioters.
5. Pay compensation to all whose shops were vandalized in Ghanshyampur.
6. Take action against rioters who unleashed violence on Naseem Shah in Sherghati.
7. Stop turning religious festivals into a platform for anti-Muslim hate and violence.

The CPIML has criticized the Nitish administration for surrendering before the BJP’s communal fascist designs of perpetrating hate crimes. The party has demanded pre-emptive, prompt and befitting actions against the forces inciting communal passions and hate crimes.

Statewide Protests Organized in Bihar against Spread of Communal Hatred

Statewide protests were organized across Bihar on 19 April under the joint banners of CPIML and Insaf Manch against the communal hatred and violence incited under the excuse of Ram Navami on 10 April. The protests demanded a probe into the role of local BJP MLA Raju Singh, arrest of Hindu Putra Paru President Rishabh Thakur, and a probe into the role of communal organizations like the Hindu Putra.

The protest at Kargil Chowk in capital Patna was addressed by senior CPIML, Insaf Manch and AISA leaders including KD Yadav, Anita Sinha, Naseem Ansari, Samta Rai, Dr Prakash, Kumar Divyam and Neeraj Yadav. The leaders said that we declare a decisive struggle against the conspiracy by BJP-RSS and other riot-inciting organizations to turn religious festivals into a platform for anti-Muslim hate and violence.