PUBLIC MEET IN RUNNISAIDPUR, SITAMARHI, BIHAR, CONDOLES DEATH OF MARTYR BINDA SAHNI, VOWS TO INTENSIFY STRUGGLE

On January 22, a large public meeting was held at Runnisaidpur in the Sitamarhi district of Bihar to condole the death of martyr Binda Sahni, a local leader of the CPI(M) and AIKS, and to vow to intensify the struggle. Binda Sahni came from the most backward section of the OBC community.

On January 16, goons belonging to the land mafia and landlords, fully backed by the BDO Saroj Baitha and the police, threw a petrol bomb at the five-day old dharna which was being led by the Party’s militant leader and local committee secretary Devendra Yadav. The petrol bomb was flung at Yadav, but it missed its target and hit Binda Sahni who sustained 100 per cent burns. He died in hospital on January 20.

Anari Devi, a woman from the mahadalit community, also sustained serious injuries and was burnt on the back and arms by the petrol bomb, but she survived.

CPI(M) and AIKS state leaders Avadhesh Kumar and Lalan Choudhary rushed to the spot immediately after the attack and intervened effectively.

The main issue of the struggle was vesting house site lands in the name of the 316 families, mostly dalits, who were staying there from 2003. The pattas were ready, but the corrupt BDO, under pressure from the landlords, refused to distribute them, ordering a new survey instead.

The same policy of forcibly removing ‘encroachments’ by the poor on ceiling or government lands is being enforced by the JD(U)-BJP regime in several other districts also, to hand the land over to the land mafia. It is being strongly resisted by the Red Flag. This led to the dharna-cum-fast that began from January 11.

On January 22, a large condolence meeting (शोक तथा संकल्प सभा) to mourn the death of martyr Binda Sahni and to vow to intensify the struggle, was held at Runnisaidpur by the CPI(M) and AIKS. Hundreds of women also participated in the meeting.

It was addressed by CPI(M) central committee member and AIKS national president Dr Ashok Dhawale, CPI(M) state secretary and central committee member Avadhesh Kumar, AIKS state president Lalan Choudhary, DSMM state secretary Shyam Bharati, AIDWA state president Neelam Devi, RJD ex-MP Sitaram Yadav, CPI district secretary Jaiprakash Rai and CPI(M)-AIKS leaders Ghaffar, Madan Rai and Devendra Yadav.

All the speakers paid heartfelt tributes to martyr Binda Sahni and demanded the immediate arrest under IPC section 302 of the BDO, CI and the criminals who hurled the petrol bomb; compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the martyr’s family and government jobs to his children; and immediate disbursal of land pattas for house sites to the 316 families.

The speakers also strongly attacked the thoroughly anti-people policies of the BJP-JD(U) governments led by Narendra Modi, Nitish Kumar and Sushil Modi, and called for their resounding defeat in the coming Lok Sabha elections in Bihar.

Before the public meeting, Dr Ashok Dhawale, Avadhesh Kumar, Lalan Choudhary and others visited the house of martyr Binda Sahni and consoled his wife and family. They also visited the house of the badly injured Anari Devi who had just been discharged from hospital and expressed solidarity with her and her son. Both are very poor families of wage labourers.

The public meeting ended with a resolve to intensify the struggle until the demands are won.