The Insaf Manch organized statewide protests in Bihar on 23 July 2017 crackdown by the Bihar administration and police on a Peace March in Bihar Sharif, and their attempts to portray this silent march as a “security threat” and “threat to communal harmony” simply because a large number of Muslims participated in it. Protest programmes were organized Patna, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Jehanabad, Ara, Arwal, Siwan and other places. The march and meetings across Bihar were addressed by leaders and activists from CPI(ML), Insaf Manch, AIPWA, AISA, RYA, and other people’s organizations. The speakers condemned the administration’s attempt to cast aspersions on the Insaf Manch, an organization which has long fought for justice for dalits and minorities. They pointed out that the administration had carried out a well-planned cycle of attacks on 17 July and slapped false cases on CPI(ML) and Insaf Manch activists and members of the minority community, whereas they had gathered for a peace march to mourn the Amarnath Yatra victims and seek justice for them, and to protest against the communal frenzy being spread by the RSS-BJP. The CPI(ML) enquiry team has found that the FIR filed by the administration is false, and contains names of people who were not present at the spot, as well as of bystanders and others who had nothing to do with the march.
The speakers demanded strict action on the Sub-divisional Officer, release of the arrested activists and revoking of the false cases against them, and end to the conspiracy to defame the Insaf Manch, and guarantee of the minority community’s safety.
