By Abu Zafar, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: Activists belonging to several social and human rights organizations gathered at Bihar Bhawan here on Saturday and protest against the killing of innocent villagers in Bhajanpur in Forbesganj block of Araria district in Bihar one year ago. Protesters demanded justice for the victims of Forbesganj Police firing and immediate action against guilty officials and provide compensation to the victims.
“One year has passed and the victims are still waiting for Justice. The Commission instituted to investigate the matter is yet to submit its report though it was supposed to submit it within 6 months,” said Mahtab Alam, a civil rights activist and one of the organizers of the protest.
Activists demanding justice to Forbesganj police firing victims at Bihar Bhawan in Delhi on 2nd June 2012
“No compensation has been granted to the victim famililes, saying the matter is under investigation,” he added.
Four people, including a pregnant woman and an infant were killed by Bihar Police during a protest against road blockade at June 3, 2011. Nitish Kumar led state government set up a single-member Commission of Inquiry under Justice Madhavendra Sharan, retired judge of Patna High Court. The Commission has not yet submitted its report. After expiration of the first term of six months, the state government in December last year extended deadline for one year ending December 2012.
Addressing the gathering Advocate Tarique Anwar, who also associated as assistant counsel in the PIL of APCR filed in the Supreme Court demanding CBI enquiry into the firing, alleged that the state government’s response in apex court is very poor.
“The Bihar government is not responding to the Supreme Court notices properly and has term these killings as minor incident,” Adv Anwar said.
Abhishek Yadav, vice president Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU), Madhuresh Kumar of National Alliance for People’s Movement (NAPM), Aslam Khan of CPI ML-Liberation, noted human rights activist Himanshu Kumar also addressed the protesters.
The protest was jointly organized by APCR, ANHAD, AISA, JUCS, JNUSU, HRLN, CPI-ML, NAPM, SFR, NSI, NCHRO, and MRW. The protesters also submitted a memorandum to the Governor of Bihar through Resident Commissioner of Bihar Government in Delhi.