Staging a huge protest at Bihar Bhawan here they said that if government did not heed to their demand, they would launch country wide agitation against Nitish Kumar’s oppressive regime in Bihar.
On June 3 the Bihar police brutally killed five villagers, including a pregnant woman and a six-month-old baby when they were protesting against establishment of a glucose factory which intended to block their way to their home in Forbesganj area of Araria district, about 350 km from Patna.
While criticizing the civil society and the opposition Bharatiya Janta Party for their double standard in the matters of democratic and human rights, they also questioned the congress central leadership mum over the issue.
“When the Bhatta Parsaul in Greater Noida happened, whole congress rushed to the village to raise the issue but in case of Forbesganj, why everybody in congress central leadership is silent” asks one of the protestor.
The protestors, under the banner of Committee for Justice to Victims of Forbesganj Firing (CJVFF), demanded justice for the victims. Act Now for Harmony and Democracy (ANHAD), Jamia Teachers Solidarity Association (JTSA), All India Students Association (AISA) and Mazdoor Bigul Dasta, also joined the protest.
“We demand a time bound judicial probe by a sitting high court judge, immediate arrest and suspension of the guilty policemen, FIR against them under section 307 of the IPC and compensation of at least Rs.10 lakh to the victims,” said Mahtab Alam, a Civil Rights Activist and member of the Committee. He added that the CJVFF will also approach the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and National Commission for Women (NCW) soon.
Social Activist and a member of the National Integration Council (NIC), Govt. of India, Shabnam Hashmi, who had also lead a fact finding team to Forbesganj demanded the arrest of Superintendent of Police of Araria.
Sharing first hand information about the situation there, she said, “On 8th of the June, when we visited the site of the incident, we found the people still scared and not ready
to speak as they were constantly threatened by the police officials of bearing consequences if they dared to speak out”. She further said, “The Kilings at Forbesganj expose the self- portrayed image of his being pro-Minorities and People- friendly”.
Manisha Sethi, President, JTSA said, “If our demands are not fulfilled, we will further intensify the campaign” adding “this is just a beginning”. Others who spoke at the protest meeting include Ravi Roy of AISA, Khalid Mubbashir of the CJVFF and Arshad Ajmal, a senior Social Activist from Patna.
The protestors were actually planning to Gherao Chief Minister Nitish Kumar but he left for china on Sunday evening. They submitted memorandum to the officiating Resident Commissioner of Bihar in Delhi.
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