The CPI(ML) staged a dharna in front of the Motihari Collctorate on 23 January 2017 to protest against 3 murders committed within the space of a fortnight. All 3 victims were young men under 35 years, and belonged to Dalit, poor, and backward communities. The killers are professional killers with feudal backgrounds who alternatively call themselves “Azad Hind Fauj” or “New Ranveer Sena”. They possess considerable political and administrative clout due to which they are able to perpetrate their crimes with support from a strong network within and outside jails. They inspire such terror that traders, Dalits, backward classes and the poor in the entire district live in an atmosphere of fear and insecurity. The police on their part are merely slapping false cases on people from the weaker sections, rather than address the situation of intimidation and violence.
This makes the Nitish government, which claims to champion social justice, stand exposed as its administration and its police openly support feudal and criminal forces. In the meanwhile the BJP MP and MLA shed crocodile tears and are busy protecting their vote bank. The CPI(ML) held a protest dharna outside the Motihari Collector’s office and made the following demands: suspension of Motihari SP Jitendra Rana for failure to control crime; a high level enquiry into the political connections of the various armed vigilante armies (Senas); punishment for all the police personnel guilty of negligence of duty; and Rs 20 lakhs and government employment as compensation to the families of the victims.
