New Delhi, 19 July 2011: “The current model of development will only lead to ocean of poverty and a few islands of prosperity. Development by oppressing the masses is unjustified”, said Mohd. Azharuddin, National President of Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO). Mr. Azharuddin was addressing a joint-protest held at Bihar Bhawan, New Delhi to demand swift justice for the innocent victims of the brutal police firing in Forbesganj, Araria district of Bihar.

He further said that, if this injustice continues and the democratic rights of the citizens curbed then India will never be able to be a superpower. Expressing shock over the attitude of the Bihar Government, he said, “State terrorism on communal lines backed by the fascist forces should end immediately as it is worse than the civil terrorism that the country is already fighting against”. Lamenting the role of media, Azharuddin said, “the media should give up its biased attitude and play a fair role as the society considers it to be the fourth pillar of democracy”.

Briefing the present status of the incident, Syed Akhlak Ahmad, Secretary, Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) said, “No FIR has been registered and no action has been taken against the culprit police officials them by Nitish Kumar’s Government in Bihar till now. Three FIRs against 3000 villagers are registered by the Forbesganj police under sections of 302, 307, 348, 27 of Arms Act, etc. The family tie of Deputy Chief Minister, Sushil Kumar Modi with the culprit factory owner is influencing the case and is one of the reasons for the State’s inaction.”

Mr. Intizar Naeem, Asst. Secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) taking a glimpse into history said, “The anti-Minority violence is not new for Bihar, earlier state has witnessed the Bhagalpur riots and now Nitish government seems to be once again creating the communal atmosphere in the state.    Mr. Naved Hamid, General Secretary, All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mashawarat (AIMMM) condemning the incident, supported the demand of CBI inquiry into the incident.

Sharique Ansar, National Secretary, SIO, glancing through the pages of history said, “The brutal act is a beginning of the corporate bulldozing in Bihar that has been happening in Nandigram in West Bengal, POSCO site in Orissa, Islamnagar in Jharkhand and other places”. Abu Affan, President, AMU Students’ Union warned Chief Minister Nitish, “The citizens of Bihar will not excuse you if you don’t do justice, they have shown the way out to earlier governments who didn’t perform and the same fate shall be tasted by you”.  Javed Zafar, Convenor, Research Scholars’ Forum of India said that this is just a first step and we will have to gather our strengths for the long battle against the fascist and corporate forces for our democratic rights.

A memorandum with the following demands was submitted to Alok Chaturvedi, Resident Secretary, Bihar Bhavan to submit to Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar.

1.    To order CBI enquiry of the whole episode;
2.    To pay Rs. 10 lakh compensation to the kin of the dead and Rs two lakh each to the injured without any delay or discrimination;
3.    To terminate/suspend all police personnel involved in the murder including SP, SDO, SHO;
4.    To register FIRs against SP, SDO, SHO and all the police personnel involved in the brutal killing of villagers including a pregnant woman and six-year-old innocent girl;
5.    To maintain the status of the road as it was before the murderous attack on the protesting villagers;
6.    Quick withdrawal of all false FIRs against the villagers who were protesting for their democratic rights.

It should be noted that one and half months have passed since Forbesganj brutal police firing in Araria district of Bihar on 3rd June 2011. There is no sign of justice to the victims. In the Police impunity, four innocent villagers including a pregnant woman and 6 months girl were shot dead and nine others were severely injured. The heinous and horrifying video clip of a Home Guard Sunil Kumar Yadav, jumping on the body of an injured 17-year youth (who later died) is available on  youtube.com.