THE behavior of the police in Sherghati Block, Gaya District, towards dalits and minorities has become more and more cruel and repressive at the behest of communal-fascist forces close to the state government. During the last fortnight many incidences of criminal attacks on dalits and minorities have taken pace but the police remain inactive and lax, forcing the weaker sections to live in fear. This is the situation when the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar claims to root out ‘crime, communalism, and corruption’ and the Sherghati MLA is Vinod Prasad Yadav from the JD (U).
The latest series of oppression started on 6 September when news spread that a piece of meat had been thrown inside a Hindu place of worship. Deputy Councilor Dinanath Pandey had the suspicious object put into a sack and buried in the nearby river in the presence of the police. But miscreants targeted and beat up Muslim-looking persons in at least 6 places in the city. Shops were closed due to the vitiated atmosphere. Not even the aged and the sick were spared during this period.
The attackers destroyed the saloon of a worker Mohd Zubair in Piparpanti Road and the balcony of the Jitwar Shaheed Mazaar. Vinay Kumar, the politically ambitious son of Councilor Leelavati Devi sat on a dharna near the temple and demanded closure of all slaughter-houses. The police registered FIRs regarding beating and intimidating minorities, but only one person was arrested. On the contrary, an aged tailor Mohd Ali from the Shumali Mohalla was arrested and thrown into jail on the mere suspicion of carrying beef.
The CPI (ML) held a march on 9 September to protest against this anti-Muslim attitude of the police and demanded curbing of BJP leaders spreading communal poison. Men and women from Sherghati, Dobh and Amas in large numbers joined the march. More than 200 people participated in the march led by AIARLA and AIPWA leaders.
Under pretext of maintaining peace, many conditions were imposed to get a license for muharram processions: names of 20 persons including the chief organizer; their mobile numbers, photos and Aadhar number. Apart from this, preventive action was initiated against persons from 3,000 Muslim families under Section 107. On 16 September, about 80 swords for sale in 3 separate shops were confiscated. It is to be noted that some swords are part of the procession symbolizing the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain at Karbala; during the procession, children show acrobatic feats with these swords. Loud musical instruments were also banned during Muharram. All these conditions have put fear into the minds of the minority community. Similar conditions and bans were also imposed in Baida village near Sherghati. DSP Manish Kumar put a sudden stop to the performance of ‘Gatka’ in Sherghati.
Dalits in the region are also being targeted. Landlords had captured about 40 acres of gairmajrua land at Ganguar village, Barachatti. About 25-30 years ago the CPI (ML) had led a struggle freeing these lands from their capture, and the lands were then distributed among the Mahadalits who have been farming on these lands since then. The administration is now conspiring with the landlords to evict the Mahadalits from these lands. In protest, a march was held under the CPI (ML) banner from Bhadeya village to Ganguar. Seeing the strength of the protest, the administration and landlords were forced to withdraw.
But on 17 September a landlord’s lathi-wielding men attacked the Mahadalits and badly injured four youths. The injured were immediately taken to hospital. On false charges by the landlord, the police arrested the injured Mahadalits from the hospital but refused to register their complaints. Earlier, a dominant caste person had badly beaten up a dalit from Tetariya village in Barachatti. The police had to register a case after strong protests by the villagers, but no action has been taken so far in the matter.
At Yogapur village in Sheraghati Thana, communal forces bent on closing down a school run by a Christian missionary spread the rumour on 15 September that children were being served beef at the school. Without conducting any enquiry, the police caught a teacher at the school Vijay Kumar and locked him up in the Thana. Only after gherao by villagers associated with the CPI(ML) did the police release Vijay Kumar. But no action has been taken so far against the persons responsible for spreading the rumour.
