People's Democracy

Protest Actions Continue

BIHAR: The heart wrenching incident of twice raped girl, who was later on burnt to death on December 31, 2013 in Madhyamgram area near Kolkata, evoked spontaneous protest all across Bihar, cutting across political affiliations. The ghastly incident which consumed the life of a 16 years old girl from Bihar and the behaviour of the police and the West Bengal government has invited all round condemnation, and people from all walks of life joined together to raise their voice in support of the family member of the victim who are going from pillar to post to get justice for their loving daughter.

The CPI(M) took the lead in Bihar and brought out a protest demonstration in Patna on January 2. Member of the CITU, AIDWA, democratic cultural organisations and common people participated in the protest march and demanded full security to the victim’s family member who are being threatened by TMC goons of the area, aided and abetted by the police at the instance of the political bosses, under the overall guidance of Ms Mamata Banerjee.

The protestors also demanded exemplary punishment for the culprits and the guilty policemen, and full financial and emotional rehabilitation of the victim’s parents.

The CPI(M) also gave a call to organise protest all over Bihar on January 3. Till the filing of this report, protests had been organised in 21 districts of Bihar. Reports from the rest of the districts are awaited.

Samastipur, from where the girl hails, witnessed widespread protest organised by the CPI(M), mass organisations and common people. Effigies of Ms Mamata Banerjee were burnt at several places --- right from the district headquarter to the remotest corner of Samastipur. A train coming from West Bengal was stopped for hours together. Even villages in the remote areas of Samastipur erupted with anguish and sense of revulsion against the West Bengal government. Their anger knew no bounds as they heard about the inhuman treatment meted out to the grieving father of the victim who was ordered by the SP himself to leave Bengal and threatened by the TMC goons to be killed.

In Darbhanga district, effigies of Ms Banerjee were burnt at eight places. Thousands of people participated

Besides the Left parties, JD(U), RJD, LJP and other political formations also condemned this ghastly incident and demanded stringent punishment for the culprits and the policemen.

Pleaders and advocates of Patna High Court brought out a protest march and demanded justice to the victim’s family.

The AIPWA, AAP, civil society organisations, AISF and AISA also brought out protest and candle marches, and condemned the West Bengal government for its total failure in providing safety to the traumatised girl who was twice raped before she was burnt to death with the connivance of the local police and the TMC bosses. (Arun Kumar Mishra)

JHARKHAND: Protesting against the gruesome gang rape and murder of a teenager in Kolkata, members of the Ranchi unit of AIDWA organised a protest march on January 5, at Albert Ekka Chowk, the main thoroughfare in Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand. 

The protestors said this heinous incident is a landmark of the present situation prevailing in West Bengal under the misrule of Miss Mamata Banerjee, where hundreds of leaders and activists of the opposition parties have been murdered. A big rise in the number of atrocities against women and curtailment of democratic rights are the rule of the day.

The procession started from the Daily Market and walked through the main thoroughfares before it assembled at Albert Ekka Chowk.

The members of the AIDWA raised slogans against the misrule of the TMC government, for its gross failure in ensuring safety and protection of women, and suppression of the democratic rights of the people.

The AIDWA members also expressed deep concern over the increasing incidents of rape in Ranchi and other parts of the state. They demanded immediate action against the culprits. The procession was led by Bina Linda, Renu Prakash, Gouri Susarla, Basanti Oraon, Josphin Gudia, Madhurvani, Rajni Kispotta, Pushpa Kujur, Jaimani Nayak, Lakshmi Nayak, Ashomani Devi, Jira Devi, Lakhia Oraon and others.

More protest programmes are being organised in different districts of the state, including Sindri, Jharia, Dhanbad, Gomo in Dhanbad district by the AIDWA, DYFI, SFI and CITU. Life insurance employees organized a candle march at Dhanbad district headquarters. At Jamshedpur, the AIDWA organised street corner meetings at different points in the city. At Bokaro steel city, processions and street corner meetings were organised by the CITU.

Different units of the CPI(M) are also organising protest programmes in various districts.

TRANSPORT WORKERS: The All India Road Transport Workers Federation (AIRTWF) has strongly condemned the action of the West Bengal state government, and is organising protest actions against the atrocious and unprecedented incident.

One recalls that when the police tried to forcibly cremate the body of the girl victim in order to wipe out the evidence, it was the working president of the AIRTWF, Syamal Chakraborty, who is also the CITU state president in West Bengal, who intervened to prevent the police from its misdemeanour and also led a strong protest rally with the victim’s body.