Sometimes, thankfully, one does not need to write an over-long post to make a point.
Everybody knows how the entire television media has been giving enormous airtime to BJP and its allies giving vent to their outrage on the condemnable police action on Baba Ramdev’s ‘Yoga Camp’ in the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi. One woman, named, Rajbala is still seriously injured. No casualties have been reported so far.
Though it must be said that Acharya Balkrishna, Baba Ramdev’s right hand man, seems to have had the pitch of his voice transposed a few octaves higher, giving his heartfelt statements at press-conferences the timbre of a dulcet castrati. I suppose, depending on how you look at the fate of Acharya Balkrishna’s vocal cords and other organs, that is a casualty.
Meanwhile, worthies like Nitish Kumar and Narendra Modi – Anna Hazare’s two poster boy chief ministers have expressed outrage at the police excesses, and rightly so. Here (in the video below) is Mr. Good Governance, Nitish Kumar expressing his indignation. If you search, you will also find Mr. Modi talking about Ravanlila at the Ramlila Ground. For now, lets stick to the nice, amiable, secular-sounding, clean Mr. Nitish Kumar and his resurrecting Bihar.
It just so happens, that on the 3rd of June, a day before when the Great Ramdev Circus began unfolding at the Ramlila Ground in Delhi, and two days before the ‘police excesses’ condemned by the BJP, six people of Rampur and Bhajanpur villages of Forbesganj block in Bihar’s Araria District, including two women and a six month old infant were fired at and killed by the Bihar Police at point blank range.
They had to be killed, understandably, because they had assembled to protest against a land gab by the Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority with a view to transfer the land to company called Auro Sundram International for the purpose of setting up a Glucose factory. The land grab effectively cut off access to the only road connecting the two villages, as the building of a four lane highway (with many speeding vehicles) had already made travel to and from the village unsafe for pedestrians and cyclists.
The villagers had assembled peacefully, demanding that either the road be restored to them, or that a commitment be given that they would be provided with a new link road. However, none of them had threatened to go on a hunger strike. They had no Baba leading them. They were not protesting against black money in foreign accounts, and according to reports, the majority of them had Muslim sounding names. Clearly, the loss of six such lives, at least in Bihar, can never be considered ‘an excess’.
Incidentally, “one of the directors of the Auro Sundram International Company is Saurabh Agarwal, son of BJP MLC Ashok Agarwal.”.
For more details please see a report of this incident at the Two Circles.in website.
Here is a youtube link to a video of the immediate aftermath of the police firing.
After seeing this video I have come to the conclusion that this qualifies as an example of ‘police moderation’ and ‘good governance’ as practiced in BJP ruled states of the Union.
Not surprisingly, while the bruises of the ladies and gentlemen who accompanied Baba Ramdev on his mission have had a great deal of traction and airtime, the six dead villagers of Rampur and Bhajanpur, who had gathered in search of their lost road, did not break any news.
Perhaps they were too broken already. Work on the Auro Sundram International Glucose Factory is continuing. Nitish Kumar has ordered a judicial enquiry into the incident.
(Thanks to Manisha Sethi of Jamia Teachers Solidarity Association for pointing out the links and other information)
KAFILA - COLLECTIVE EXPLORATIONS SINCE 2006 
Will the Glucose taste sweet? I wonder.
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it is really a insane course of time, we are having in Bharat. But comparing those two shameful acts is not justified . Both were an example of dictatorship. Blaming Baba Ramdev and Balkrishna . and Anna doesn’t show maturity … not specially in this article . which one is more insane and which one is less doesn’t made those people feel soothing. … Stop relating those crusaders with every atrocity. Despite of showing separately the impunity you are giving this topic kinda contradictory colour.
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Committee for Justice to the Forbesganj Police Firing Victims
Ex-gratia amount is a mockery of Justice to the victims of Forbesganj Killings
New Delhi: Criticising the selective ex-gratia amount of Rs. 3 lakh to the father of the 10-month baby boy Naushad who died in the firing on June 3, the Committee for Justice to Forbesganj Police Firing Victims has termed it as a mockery of Justice. “Both the amount of compensation and its selectiveness is ridiculous and a mockery of justice,” said Mahtab Alam, civil rights activist and member of the Committee. “Is the price of a person only Rs. 3 lakhs in Nitish’s eyes, “he asked adding, “even the proposed Communal and Targeted Violence Bill suggests a compensation amount of at-least Rs. 10 lakhs”.
The government has made it clear that the decision of compensation to the other deceased will be taken on the basis of the report of judicial probe which is not expected to be out before six months. “It has been four days since Nitish Kumar announced the judicial probe and we are yet to know who will be heading the probe. The government is using delay tactics so that all the crucial evidences can either be buried or forged,” he alleged.
In all, five people were killed in the police firing, while many others were injured when they were protesting against the blocking of the connecting road between two villages on June 3rd at Bhajanpur village under Forbesganj block in Araria district of Bihar. “The report of a fact finding team has confirmed the role of the Police in the killings but the government is yet to take any action against the police personnel involved in the firing and this shows the seriousness of the government,” he further alleged.
To demand justice for the victims of Forbesganj Firing case and to take the case forward, a committee comprising of human rights’ activists, journalists, teachers and students was formed on Thursday evening. The committee will stage a Dharna at Bihar Bhawan here in the capital on 13th June (Monday), 11:00am onwards.
We reiterate our demand:
1. Judicial probe into the entire incident by not less than a sitting judge of the High Court.
2. Immediate suspension of all the police personnel involved in the case and registration of an FIR against them under section 307 of Indian Penal Code and,
3. Compensation of at least Rs. 10 lakhs as proposed in the Communal and Targeted Violence Bill to each family along with government service to one of the dependents.
On behalf of Committee for Justice to the Forbesganj Police Firing Victims
Afroz Alam Sahil , Manisha Sethi and Mahtab Alam (9811209345)
11th June 2011
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criticicing our saints and yoga gurus is the only thing congress leaders do these people want to divert real issues like courruption black money . i would like these people to visit those farmers who are suiciding ,go and keep your beauracreates so that they would not waste grains in storage godowns,make india a courrupt free country
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Imagine we do some business in defining,explaining or deconstructing civil society & some of the most visible forms of its representation.
Imagine we support combats against the fundamental causes of corruption..
And, imagine people realize how little the the poor can distinguish between the black and white moneys. The ‘white’, as well , is so pompously and arrogantly displayed by Babas and their more snobbish disciples!
Is there a pattern by which the line of distinction is repeatedly invoked that all those ‘white’ estates of the neo liberal regime would appear morally legitimate?..
Any connection with those MOUs signed in recent years in order to make the corporates & the rich richer, and to make poorer the dispossessed and marginalized ? Do they merit attention as much as the graft issue and black money or even more?
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This was in my Inbox. We heard about the march against Nirma’s plant in Saurashtra that resulted in the beating up and arrest of its leader, BJP MLA Kanubhai Kalsaria. Here’s a lesser known case.
Rajesh
Dt. 10-6-2011
Memorandum
To,
The Director General of Police,
Gujarat, Gandhinagar.
Subject – Warning for Self Immolation in Kodinar
Sir,
We would like to inform you as per reporting in the news paper Gujarat Today dated on 8th. June that woman Sarpanch , Vice Sarpanch and the member of the Gohil Ni Khan Panchayat have intimated to self immolate themselves on 15th of this month at 11AM.
It is learnt from their letters to the Governor that, a water body came into existence in 1997 spending several lakh of rupees. The water body was a great boon to the villagers in many aspects. But the AMBUJA Cement company damaged the water body by constructing the road into the water body force fully.to benefit their factory, with out taking any permission from the Govt. Though the villagers have been lodging complain before the Govt and the administration for last three years, no action has been taken against the Ambuja Cement, which has angered the people of Gohilni Khan Panchayat.
Being aggrieved and driven by the callous indifference of the Govt and the administration the women Sarpanch Ms. Hemabenbholabhai Gohil, Vice Sarpanch Ranveerbhai Laxmanbhai Gohil, and the member of the Panchayat Shri Bhikubhai Gohil has given an ultimatum to meet their demand otherwise they will go for self immolation on 15th of this month at 11AM.
The incident of self immolation are infecting the citizens in the state which is a matter of grave concern. We would like to remind you the tragic self immolation of Jabardan Gadhvi in Rapar in last February 2011. The PUCL fact finding team has come out with a detail report of the self immolation of Jabardan Gadhvi. Another self immolation incident took place in the district of Kutcch last month
_____________________________________________________________
This ultimatum of the self immolation on 15 th June must be prevented at all cost and action against the Ambuja cement be taken with out delay.
We hope you will take immediate measures to stop the self immolation.
Thanking You
Prakash N. Shah, Editor Nirikshak Columnist, Convener, Movement for Secular Democracy (MSD),Working President, PUCL Gujarat- Mobile No-09879919421, prakash.nirikshak@gmail.com
Gautam Thaker, General Secretary, PUCL Gujarat
Mobile No09825382556- gthaker1946@gmail.com
Dilip Chandulal, Coordinator, Lok Andolan Gujarat &Retired Govt. Officer, 09427310291 dilipchandulal@yahoo.co.in
D.N. Rath – coordinator, Lok Andolan Gujarat 9426369858- dn.rath@gmail.com
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plz dont compare both incidents…
what ramdev is doing thts s different thing nd what happend in bihar is tottaly other story
nd y so u said ramdev anshan as CIRCUS..
u mean doing anshan 4 nation is circus…
what the hell is this…
if black money will announced as national property.. every body will get some thing…
just report sincerely
I REALLY DIDT LIK THE WAY U REPORT
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Justice for Victims of Forbesganj Police Firing
By Committee for Justice to Forbesganj Police Firing Victims
On 3rd of June 2011, while the politicians, ‘sections of the civil society and media persons were busy entertaining the ‘Satyagraha’ of Baba Ramdev against corruption and withdrawal of black money from foreign countries, 5 people were brutally killed in a police firing in Forbesganj of Bihar, which largely went unreported. The incident came to light only three days later, when gruesome video and pictures of the firing were uploaded on the newsportal,TwoCircles.net (TCN). According to TCN, on 3rd June 2011, residents of Rampur and Bhajanpur villages under Forbesganj block in Araria district came out, after Juma Prayer, to protest against blockade of the connecting road between the two villages for a factory.
The police not only opened fire on the protesters but chased them and entered their homes, killing among others a women and infant point-blank. Six people including two women and a six-month-old infant of the two villages of 90% Muslim population were killed. Later, on 8th of June, a fact-finding team of ANHAD visited the area, which also confirmed the killings.
The report by the team said, “The police opened fire on the protesters and chased them to their homes. According to many eye witnesses present on the scene the order to fire was given by the SP Garima Mallik. SDO, Ashok Agarwal, MLC, BJP, Saurabh Agarwal, Ashok Agarwal’s son and Managing Director of the Auro Sundram International Company were present on the scene when firing was ordered”. The fact finding team was informed by several villagers that on May 29, 2011 Sushil Modi, Deputy CM and BJP, MLA had come to Forbesganj and had pressurized the administration to take immediate action regarding the village road and block it. Ashok Aggarwal was heard saying, “inko pinjre main band kar denge. Jail banadenge salon ke gaon ko.”Many eye witnesses told the team that apart from the police, Ashok Agarwal himself fired at people.
But the government of Bihar is still in the mode of denial and not ready to punish the culprits. After much pressure from opposition and members of the Muslim community, the government though announced a probe in to the firing on 7th of June but is yet to declare who will head the probe. One fears that these delay tactics by the government might lead to the hiding or destruction of crucial evidences in the case by the culprits. Meanwhile, the government in a selective decision announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs. 3 lakh to the father of the 10-month baby boy Naushad who died in the firing. The government has made it clear that the decision of compensation to the other deceased will be taken on the basis of the report of judicial probe which is not expected to be out before six months. One wonders how the government has decided on this amount as even the proposed Communal and Targeted Violence Bill suggests a compensation amount of at-least Rs. 10 lakhs. In addition, on 11th June, the Chief Minister has ordered the removal of Forbesganj sub-divisional police officer R K Sharma for “dereliction” of duty before leaving for Delhi, en route to China.
The brutal violence and the casual approach of the government tell us how little things have changed in Bihar despite high promises to the contrary. The poor and the marginalized are at the mercy of killers in uniform.
We reiterate our demand:
1. Time-bound Judicial probe into the entire incident by a sitting judge of the High Court.
2. Immediate suspension of all the police personnel involved in the case and registration of an FIR against them under section 307 of Indian Penal Code and,
3. Compensation of at least Rs. 10 lakhs as proposed in the Communal and Targeted Violence Bill to each family along with government service to one of the dependents.
Dharna at Bihar Bhawan, New Delhi against Police Firing in Forbesganj, Bihar
11:00 AM, 13thJune 2011 (MONDAY)
5, Kautilya Marg, Near Ashoka Hotel, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi
Mahtab Alam (9811209345) and Afroz Sahil (9891322178)
On behalf of Committee for Justice to Forbesganj Police Firing Victims
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One more feather in the armoury of Atrocity literature collectors club. The author should form a committe and go to UN to get them pronounce India as a terrorist state.
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Did you have a doubt about India being a terrorist state. As far as I know, terror is a primary function of the state, and most states, are frankly, terrorist states. India, is no exception.
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What speaks more, is that even Cong did not pick up this issue— the strange case of dog not barking…
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AND this is how beloved Baba reacts http://www.wahsarkar.com/?p=461
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