Atrocities by dominant sections and police on dalits, poor and women have been constantly increasing in recent days in Bihar, but the Nitish government is oblivious to this and is busy singing the prohibition tune instead. On the one hand, the poor and dalits are being attacked in the name of liquor ban while on the other hand the administration was nowhere to be seen when during Holi people from dominant castes got drunk and oppressed mahadalits, poor and women.
During Holi when Satish Ram and other mahadalit youths complained about the sale of illicit liquor they were brutally beaten by the liquor traders.
In Ichipur, Dulhinbazaar (Patna district) the thana in-charge thrashed mahadalit women on the trivial issue of ‘goitha’ (cow dung cake for fuel) at the behest of dominant sections and severely injured several women including 70 year old Sushmi Devi, Manorama Devi and Balkeshwari Devi. CPI(ML) has demanded that the Dulhinbazaar thana in-charge should be removed without delay. A protest was organised by CPI(ML) in Paliganj on 14 March 2017 where the SSP was gheraoed against the brutal thrashing of dalit women by the Dulhinbazaar (Patna) police station In-charge. On 12 March the trivial issue had been used as an excuse for the Ichipur camp police personnel to brutally beat up dalit women, seriously injuring 12 women including 70 year old Sushmi Devi. The Party has demanded that an FIR should be registered against the thanedar, the Ichipur police camp should be removed, and the injured should receive proper treatment. The protest was led by CPI(ML) State Committee member Anwar, AIARLA Sate Secretary Gopal Ravidas, Dulhinbazaar Party Secretary Amarsen, Vidyanand Bihari and Asha Devi.
In Chamartoli, Musepur Panchayat (Bihata) dominant sections beat up mahadalits, causing head injuries to a dozen families when they opposed the molestation of women in the tola. In Newana village, Karpi (Arwal district) drunk RJD backed goons attacked the Musahar tola on 14 March and broke several homes, set fire to Satish Manjhi’s home and injured 10 people seriously including Satish Manjhi who is admitted in PMCH. Hand pumps and vessels were broken during this attack and 4 women were also seriously injured.
The Nitish government has surrendered to the feudal dominant sections and that is the reason for the increase in incidents of repression and assaults on the poor. The Dika Kumari rape-murder case has once brought out the dismal conditions in Ambedkar-Kasturba hostels. On the one hand scams are taking place in education and employment, while on the other hand poor and dalit students are becoming prey to institutional murder.
Continuing the struggle for justice to her killed daughter, Dika Kumari’s mother sat on a two-day hunger strike from 31 March 2017. She was joined in the hunger strike by AIPWA district Secretary Shanti and many other women including victims of oppression.
