From Forbesganj to Bagaha: BJP’s role as ruling partner and opposition

Patna,(BiharTimes): On June 3, 2011 four Pasmanda Muslims were killed in Forbesganj sub-division of Araria district when they protested against the encroachment of road by a starch factory reportedly owned by the son of BJP MLC Ashok Agrawal. Those killed included a pregnant woman and an infant. Another youth was trampled to death and the photos showing a policeman jumping on the body of the injured youth––till he finally breathed his last––was uploaded on the internet for the world to see. Several others sustained injuries.

The then Nitish Kumar government refused to pay any compensation to the victims. Home secretary Amir Subhani, who was rushed to the spot, even rubbed salt into the wound of the people, when he said that there was firing from other side too.

The incident drew international condemnation with the chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Wajahat Habibullah, rushing to Bhajanpura village on the outskirts of Forbesganj sub-division of Araria district. Chief minister Nitish Kumar did not visit the village.

Interestingly, the then deputy chief minister, Sushil Kumar Modi, was in Forbesganj a couple of days before the incident to attend the marriage ceremony of a BJP MLA. Thus he came under strong criticism, obviously because Ashok Agrawal belongs to his own party. It is other thing that Agrawal had to go to jail a few months later on the other criminal charge––murder of his own petrol pump manager.

The media grossly underplayed the Forbesganj story. Even the Urdu Press, the self-proclaimed vanguard of Muslim cause in Bihar, virtually blacked it out. However, they carried the news of police brutality 10 days after the incident, that is June 13. They did so till June 20, and then again stopped publishing any story on it. Want to know the reason: the chief minister went to China for a week-long trip in this period. Once he was back the self-censorship was imposed.

The main opposition party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, Congress, PUCL, some Muslim organizations, for example, Jamaat-e-Islami and the Welfare Party etc sent their delegations for an on the spot study. About a month later Rahul Gandhi visited the village and assured the pople of justice. A couple of months later RJD supremo Lalu Yadav organized a big march to the village. Both the parties even provided financial help to the relatives of those killed. But the media grossly underplayed the whole development.

The most tragic part of the story is that instead of putting balm on the wounds of the community the administration indulged in witch-hunting. No police official was transferred. In fact the then SP of Araria, Garima Malik, was later made SSP of much bigger, Darbhanga district.

The vocal champion of Pasmanda Muslim cause, the Janata Dal (United) MP, Ali Anwar, suddenly found his tongue tied as he had no word to condemn the brutality of the NItish Kumar’s police on poor members of his community.

Two years and 21 days later the police once again ran amok. This time once again in a village on another bordering district with Nepal. The place of occurrence is Bagaha sub-division of West Champaran where eight tribals were brutally killed.

Though the chief minister once again has no time to visit the spot, his outgoing deputy, Sushil Kumar Modi, was suddenly reminded that within eight days of his departure from the post, the law and order situation in the state has collapsed.

More than a week has passed since June 24 firing and the same media is filing big stories quoting one BJP leader or the other. The police brutality, human rights violation, collapse of law and order, Nitish’s arrogance etc all utterances got first page coverage. Even the national media reported the incident extensively.

The defensive state government started talking about the payment of compensation and the sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of Bagaha, Shailesh Sinha, was transferred on June 29. More action is likely against some other officials and police personnel as BJP has demanded filing of murder case against them.

The Left parties called for Bihar Bandh and delegations from other parties like RJD visited the spot. But they hardly got any big media coverage as the BJP walked away with all the publicity.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar started facing the media heat with the transformation of BJP from a ruling partner to the principal opposition. It is not that the police brutality has not taken place between Forbesganj and Bagaha incidents. There were a series of custodial deaths. Drunk policemen dancing with bottles in hand on Holi day made just a small news. Last year a Patna school-girl was gang-raped for weeks by youhs having right political and administrative connections and MMS made and circulated.
“Yet it is now within a week of departure from the power that the BJP has suddenly discovered that the law and order has collapsed,” said lawyer Manilal and social activist Mahindra Yadav.

“Why is this double standards of not only the Janata Dal (United) but also of BJP. It has exposed both the parties,” said journalist-turn-activist, Naiyer Fatmi. He wonders as to why, of all the persons, Sushil Kumar Modi, shedding crocodile tears for the tribals of Bagaha. Is not it a fact that Ashok Agrawal is BJP MLC.”

Fatmi, who along with Manilal and Mahindra appeared before the Commission probing the Forbesganj police firing questions the role of the media too. “Look how much coverage they are now giving to the saffron party,” he added.