A State level CPI (ML)-AIARLA team visited Bhagalpur on 11-12 December and enquired into the incident of horrific lathi-charge on the poor and brutal beating of women by the police. The team also met the injured dharna-protesters and went to Sultanganj to get full information of the incident. The team comprised State committee members, AIARLA State Secretary Com. Gopal Ravidas and AIARLA State Joint Secretary Com. Pankaj Singh.
The team met the injured women at Bhagalpur Nehru Hospital—Sukhiya Devi, Tabli Devi, Kaili Devi, Sushila Devi and Kabuli Devi (village Tilakpura, Ganhariya). The most seriously injured woman who has broken bones in the neck and ribs told the team that in 1972, 1976 and 1988 they had been allotted about 39 acres of ‘ceiling fazil’ land by the Bhoodan Yagya Committee, but people from the dominant sections are not allowing them to settle on that land.
“From 1988 we have been making our demands from the administration. But so far only 1304 people have been given possession. The descendants of Siyasharan Singh, and Sunil Singh (all associated with BJP or RJD) have captured the land. Dominant Yadav goons threaten us all the time”. Some local leaders have started an NGO ‘Jan Sansad’ through which they are working among the poor on land and health issues. They have the support of Rinku Yadav of the Nyay Manch (formerly associated with the CPI (ML)). It was under their leadership that the poor went on a protest in front of the Bhagalpur DM on 5 December for kabja (possession) of the land. On 8 December ADM Harishankar Prasad called the leaders of the protest for talks with the DM.
The delegation was about to proceed for the talks when Sadar SDO Anuj Kumar suddenly ordered the lathi charge. The women were half-stripped and brutally beaten. Dozens of women were injured and later admitted to the Bhagalpur hospital. 6 people from the protest venue were sent to Bhagalpur jail.
The FIR even contains names of people who were in Delhi on that day. There is also a student who studies at AK Gopalan College. A case has also been registered against a youth Bunty who had gone to buy medicines at that time.
The team felt that the people of Bhagalpur are solidly against the lathi charge. Even the local MP and MLA feel that the administration is to blame. The enquiry team believes that the DM, SP, and Sadar SDO of Bhagalpur have deliberately lathi charged the peaceful protesters at the behest of the State government. The team has put forth the following demands:
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1. The concerned officials should be arrested and tried under criminal charges.
2. All the arrested people should be released unconditionally and the false cases against them should be taken back.
3. The injured should be given proper and full treatment and each injured should receive Rs 20,000 as compensation.
4. Parcha holders should be given dakhal-kabja (possession) of their land without delay and all landless poor should be given land for housing.
