The CPI (ML) protested on 19 April 2017 in front of the IGP Bhagalpur against brutal repression of leaders of democratic movements and dalits, adivasis and poor in the name of quelling Maoism in Jamui district. Thousands of poor, adivasis, dalits and ML activists took out a rally from the Bhagalpur station which proceeded through Kotwali Chowk, Mandroja, Sarai, Vishwavidyalaya Road, Sahebganj and Mohanpur and culminated in a meeting at the IG office.
Speakers addressing the meeting said that the ruling powers are using the issue of Maoism to create fear and reap benefits for corporate houses and give them land, water and forest resources on a platter. Voices of dissent against this are brutally repressed and innocents are being slaughtered in the name of curbing Maoism. The Centre as well as State governments are falsely branding leaders of democratic movements as Maoists and throwing them in jail. False cases are slapped against activists and adivasis are killed in so-called ‘encounters’. There are a number of such instances in Jamui district. On 7 January 2017 ML leader Com Ramayan Turi was brought to the thana by Banka SSP Lallan Pandey on the pretext of some work and then thrown into jail as a Maoist. Similarly, on 13 February PAKS President Jethu Hembram was thrown into jail by Simultala thana in-charge Naveen Kumar. False cases were slapped on 40 poor adivasis and dalits in Bongi Panchayat (Chakai thana) out of whom 2 are in jail and the entire Panchayat is being terrorized for the arrest of the others.
In the absence of the IG a memorandum with the following demands was submitted to him through his office:
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1. Stop police repression and victimization of ML activists and supporters and innocent adivasis and dalits in the name of Maoism.
2. Release Ramayan Turi, Jethu Hembram and jailed adivasis and dalits unconditionally and revoke the false charges slapped against them.
3. High level enquiry into all such cases of police repression and punishment for the guilty police personnel.
