False cases have been imposed on many CPI(ML) leaders and activists who are fighting for the rights of the poor and against the increasing crime and murders in Samastipur, Bihar. On 12 February, a mahadharna was organized in front of the district officials and the Superintendent of Police demanding withdrawal of all false cases against ML leaders. The dharna was presided over by the district secretary Com. Phoolbabu Singh. The leaders addressing the dharna said there has been a recent increase in criminal incidents in Samastipur district. The police department seemed inactive and had failed to control the increasing crime rate. Even as the police failed to act against the culprits, cases had been registered in Ujiyarpur police station, Vidyapati police station, Tajpur police station and Pussa Police station against CPI(ML) leaders who had been fighting against injustice, exploitation and corruption in development schemes. In a similar manner in 2004, the then SP of Tajpur police station had arrested CPI(ML) leaders Comrades Jitendra Kumar, Umesh Kumar, Jeevachh Paswaan, Upendra Rai and Mohammad Chand for leading a struggle against abduction and murder. The leaders have again been taken into custody after rejection of their bail. In the BJP-JDU regime, fighting against crime itself has become a crime. The leaders addressing the protest said that if indeed fighting crime was a crime, they were ready to keep repeating this crime, however we will continue the struggle for the rights of the poor and oppressed.
