Corona and Lockdown Turning into Means of Perpetrating Feudal Attacks and Spreading Communal Hatred

CORONAVIRUS and the subsequent lockdown have wreaked havoc across the country. The horrific distress of migrant workers walking home hundreds of kilometers in the face of starvation has been witnessed by the country and the world. About 2 lakh migrant workers have returned to Bihar but the attitude of the government and the administration towards them has been insensitive and cruel. Nitish Kumar has gone as far as to say that they will not be allowed inside the borders of Bihar. In some areas workers have been able to return home as a result of initiatives taken by the CPIML. Hunger, loss of livelihood and fear of disease are staring a huge part of Bihar’s population in the face but the Bihar government is functioning as per ‘routine’, without taking the cooperation and collaboration of other political parties and organizations to find a workable solution to this crisis. In these conditions, feudal attacks and social boycott of the poor and dalits by feudal forces have increased manifold. Spreading of communal hatred has also increased, using the Markaz episode in Delhi as an excuse. In a country like India where there has for centuries been a cruel social distancing towards certain castes and communities, Corona is being used as a weapon to justify the Brahminical system of social distancing. In the name of ‘lockdown’, all democratic values are being murdered and attempts are being made to establish dictatorship.

CPIML teams have enquired into the facts behind incidents of beatings, killings, loot etc perpetrated through BJP-JDU goons-Police nexus in the name of Coronavirus-Lockdown-Liquor Ban in the capital Patna as well as other places like Masaurhi, Dhanrua, Punpun, Vikram and Paliganj.

1. Nandpura and Sadishopur Musahar Toli in Dhanrua: Police raids had been going on for the past few days and on 27 March feudal-criminal goons supported by BJP-JDU entered the village and beat up men, women and children, destroyed and looted property with the connivance of the Zonal level DSP and led by JDU Block President Ved Prakash and Bhola Singh. 50 year old ailing Botha Manjhi was beaten so brutally that he died on 2 April. The CPIML has given this information in writing to the Zonal Officer but no action has been taken.


2. Tineri in Masaurhi: A huge police posse along with BJP-RSS goon Narendra Singh raided and created terror in this and neighboring villages in the name of liquor ban. On 28 March they came again and brutally beat up people. Due to the lockdown injured Rohit Kumar (s/o Nagendra Manjhi) was not able to be taken to PMCH in time and he died. Narendra Singh and goons tried to stop his last rites but were foiled by the people. On 29 March the goons again entered, beat up people and dragged away 15 year old Mahadalit woman Saraswati Kumari with intent to rape. When the villagers protested they were attacked with rods. Shivratan Manjhi’s house was looted and ornaments kept for his daughter’s marriage were snatched away. Arun Sahu, Nandu Manjhi and others were also beaten and looted.


3. Chichoda in Vikram Block: BJP-feudal criminal goons attacked and beat villagers in the name of liquor ban led by DSP Paliganj. The criminals who entered the village with swords and lathis included Putu Singh, Virendra Singh, Tutu Singh, Hariram Singh, Amarnath Singh, Rajkamal Singh, Sudhir Singh and others. While leaving they threatened the villagers that if they do not leave the village within one week they would be burnt alive in the name of Coronavirus.


4. Uran Toli in Phulwari: The police came and stared demanding extortion money from the villagers on 4 April. When the villagers said they had no money and were starving, the police got angry and started beating them in the name of liquor ban.


5. Jarkha in Paliganj: CPIML Block Committee member Rajesh Kumar was threatened on the phone and then criminals entered his house and started; pelting stones and firing. It should be noted that Rajesh Kumar has been consistently exposing the ill deeds of BJP goons for many days. These are the same goons who had earlier attacked the poor in the village and put up anti-Muslim posters on the Shiva temple.


6. Rampur Nigwa: 3 migrant workers of the Ramani (Kahar) caste who had returned to the village were threatened by BJP-RSS goons to leave the village. The administration said they do not look sick so they could stay, but the goons did not like it and they attacked the workers 3 times, badl y injuring them.


7. Bihata: Villages in this Block have also been attacked and terrorized by feudal forces. CPIML District Committee member Gopal Singh was prevented from entering the village and feudal dominant sections spread false propaganda that he was contagious and was responsible for the spread of Corona.


8. Daniyawa: Kewai village in the Shahjapur area was attacked and terrorized when the villagers regused to do harvesting work during the lockdown. Mahadalit worker Hardayal Manjhi, age 40, was beaten badly and his hand was broken.


9. Sara Musahar Toli in Bhojpur: At least 6 people were seriously injured when feudal criminals attacked the Toli on 5 April. The ages of the injured ranged from 6 months to 50 years. According to reports, Ravi Yadav and Shivlagan Singh have been arrested but other accused persons are still free.

Venomous Hatred against Minorities being spread in Bhojpur in the name of Coronavirus

Reports have come in from several places of false propaganda against minorities in the name of Corona. A 30 year old Muslim youth suffering from asthma died in Ara Sadar Hospital due to negligence and wrong injection. When the angry relatives protested, the doctor called the police and put out the false story that the youth had died due to Corona. However, the post-mortem report showed negative for Corona. But false propaganda was rampant that Muslims are spreading Corona. Similar reports of anti-minority propaganda have come in from Nawada, Sahar and other places about Muslims being falsely blamed for spreading Corona.

Reports of ill-treatment, beating and cruelty to returning migrant workers have come in from Dayali Bigaha, Modanganj in Jehanabad where CPIML leader Yogendra Yadav and three others were wrongfully arrested and sent to jail. Also in Jehanabad District, farmers and fish cultivators were beaten and threatened at Surdaspur village, Mudgaon, Kalpa Opi, and Lakhawar village in Ghosi.

Incidents of police repression and feudal-criminal atrocities have also been reported from Gopalganj (Bhore Block and Bedua Tola in Kuchayakot Thana), Darbhanga (Manigachhi) and Siwan. On 4 March Ashok Ram was shot in Siwan city. On 7 April Rinku Dubey (para teacher) was shot and died as a result. CPIML leader Rashida Khatoon was attacked by neighbors at the instigation of BJP members in Sadar Manigachhi. The Party took immediate initiatives and the police were forced to arrest the attackers.