By Md. Ali, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: Union Minister for Minority Affairs Salman Khursheed will be taking up the issue of Forbesganj police firing with P Chidambaram, the Union Home Minister. Khursheed will also give the memorandum of demands by the victims to the Home Minister.
When a delegation of the victims of police firing led by noted civil rights activist Shabnam Hashmi, met Khrusheed yesterday (June 21), he assured them of extending his complete support in getting justice, “I will take up this issue of unprovoked firing by the Bihar police on unarmed civilians, with Mr. Chidambaram,” said the Minister.
Waitng for justice- Victims of the Forbesganj police firing at ANHAD office
Talking to TwoCircles.net Shabnam Hashmi said that, “Salman Khursheed said that he is waiting for the report of National Commission for Minorities (NCM), a delegation of which is at present visiting the spot. Khursheed also assured us that after getting the report he will take the required action in this regard.”
After listening to the personal account of horror of the victims, the Minister also promised them that he will make sure that the perpetrators of the police firing get punished as soon as possible.
“We have also requested the Minister to visit the area because even after twenty days of the police firing still the villagers of Bhajanpur are living under terror and fear of police,” Hashmi added.
The list of demands of the victims include immediate suspension of all the officials responsible for the firing including the SP Garima Malick, compensation of 10 Rs lakh each to the families of those killed and quashing of cases against thousands of innocent villagers.
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 protestors but chased them to their homes and killed four people including a pregnant woman and a seven-month-old infant.