Brutal Attack by Feudal Forces in Noorchak (Paliganj)
CPIML strongly condemned the brutal attack on dalits and Muslims by feudal forces at Noorchak in Sigodi Thana (Paliganj) in Patna District. In Bhojpur District also feudal-criminals are spreading hatred against Muslims and news of beatings and attacks has come from many villages. FIRs have been registered against these persons from dominant sections in many places but they have not been arrested.
The CPIML leaders Kunal and Amar have said in a statement that the main reason behind these organized attacks and hate-mongering in the name of Corona is the communal politics of BJP-RSS. They want to use even the pandemic Corona for communal purposes. CM Nitish Kumar, meanwhile, sits mute and does nothing. Our demand is that strict action be taken against those who are spreading hate and communal poison in this hour of crisis. The leaders appealed to the people not to be misled by BJP-RSS and to oppose and resist the economic-social boycott of minorities and face the current crisis together and united; then and only then can we defeat Corona.
The Noorchak incident:
Noorchak village is in Sigodi Thana, Patna District. The population break-up of the village is as follows: 100 Bhat Brahmin houses; 30 Ravidas houses; 10 Paswan houses; and 30 houses of the Muslim community. Dalits and Muslims in this village have had a long history of harmonious co-existence, and even today they live in unity. On 28 and 29 April the Bhat Brahmins repeatedly attacked the Dalit-Muslim Tola and many people have been reported to be injured. A CPIML fact-finding team comprising CC member Gopal Ravidas, State Committee members Anwar Hussain, Sudhir Kumar and local leader Rajesh Gupta enquired into the entire incident. They say that the atmosphere in the village continues to be tense. Members of the Brahmin community can at any time turn the prevailing tension into riots. The attitude of the administration is extremely negative and they are actually threatening to register a case against the CPIML leaders.
The dispute started on 28 April when 4-5 dominant Bhat youths arrived at the small shop run by Feku Miyan. Feku Miyan’s son Parvez Alam told the team members that his sister Soharat Khatoon was sitting in the shop at that time. The youths ate chocolate from the shop but refused to pay for it, even though they were already running high on credit. When Soharat asked for the payment, they started arguing with her. Feku Miyan and his younger son Tabrez Alam, who were nearby, came running to the shop. The dominant caste youths then started saying that Muslims are people who spread Corona, and they threatened to beat up Feku Miyan. When Feku Miyan’s wife protested, they misbehaved with her also and a verbal altercation ensued. The dalit and minority communities then united to protest against this. Within a short time, the entire Brahmin community pounced on the dalit and Muslim Tola and started beating up people. Feku Miyan was injured and this was reported at the Thana but the Thana remained indifferent.
The Jarkha Panchayat Mukhiya tried to calm things down, and for a time it seemed as if peace would prevail. But the dominant caste forces were not willing for peace and after some time they beat up Ranjit Paswan so badly that he received serious injuries to his stomach.
On 29 April the dominant forces once again attacked the dalit-Muslim Tola, injuring at least 6 persons: Noor Jehan, w/o Feku Miyan; Soharat Khatoon (15) d/o Feku Miyan; Pratima Devi w/o Ramesh Paswan; Ramesh Paswan s/o Jitan Paswan; Munna Miyan f/o Kaish Miyan; and Anupa Devi w/o Devi Prasad Paswan.
The CPIML has criticized the administration for willful negligence. If an FIR had been registered on 28 April itself and the culprits had been nabbed, the incident of 29 April would have been avoided. Despite repeated attacks, no FIR has been registered on the applications given by members of the dalit-Muslim communities. Instead, the administration is threatening to register FIRs against CPIML leaders.
Bhojpur:
In Bhojpur District, feudal persons belonging to the Rajput caste are consistently creating an atmosphere of hate and venom against minorities and also attacking them. These dominant caste people have the open support and protection of local BJP MP RK Singh.
In the evening of 27 April at Kauda village in Jagdishpur Block, Mohd Zaki Akhtar s/o Mohd Israr was badly beaten up by dominant forces. At that time Mohd Zaki was practicing running in a field as preparation for recruitment in the police. The upper caste people came and said that these people are spreaders of Corona. An FIR has been registered against the dominant caste members but no arrests have been made. The name of the attacker is: Samar Pratap Singh alias Bholu s/o Jaiprakash Ziddi.
Another incident occurred at 7 pm on 27 April in the same village. Ahsan-ul-Haq s/o Afzhal Hussain was selling eggs in the village. Rajput dominant persons beat him brutally and injured his ear. An FIR has been registered in this case but no arrests have been made. The attackers are: Rohit Kumar s/o Shiv Kumar Singh; Deepak Singh s/o Virendra Singh alias Bhagelu Singh; Rohit Kumar s/o Surendra Singh. Muslims had been beaten up here earlier also, a few days prior to the incident on 27 April.
Another incident occurred on 12 April at Siyarua village. A Muslim family lives in the house of Chhotu Singh of the Rajput caste. The family consists of a painter, his wife and two children. Rajput feudal forces threatened the Muslim family to leave; they also threatened Chhotu Singh and said that he must remove the Muslim family from his house.
Such incidents of attacks and threats against minorities have been reported from various villages in Bhojpur.
