December 10, 2018
Press release
Bihar government should constitute judicial inquiry into Sitamarhi riots
The Socialist Party demands from the Bihar government that a judicial inquiry should be constituted into the communal riots took place on the occasion of Durga Puja on 20th October, 2018 in Sitamarhi, Bihar. The party believes that incidents such as burning of an elderly person Zainul Ansari in the public before the eyes of the administration are not possible without government’s protection or involvement. It is a direct case of administration’s inefficiency and negligence also. It seems from the chain of incidents that there could be a well planned conspiracy hatched by some political elites behind the riots.
Even after almost three months there are several unanswered questions about Sitamarhi riots: When the rumors were hot and incidents of stone-throwing and arson had happened since the night of October 19, why did not the district administration immerse the idol in the night itself? Even then, on the morning of October 20, when the people of the Badi Bazar Kali Puja Samiti moved towards Gaushala Chowk, taking an opposite direction of their prescribed route, to immerse the Durga idol, why did not the police administration stop them? Why did not the police and senior officials of the civil administration control the crowd which had been continuously creating troubles for about 4 hours from morning till noon? These questions directly put the district administration in the dockyard.
Therefore, the Socialist Party demands from the Bihar government to constitute a judicial inquiry without further delay so that the culprits can be identified and punished. For an unbiased investigation Sitaramhi’s D.M. and S.P. Should be suspended immediately. The guilty of Zainul Ansari’s murder and perpetrators of riots should be severely punished. Also, the people who have been robbed of shops and cattle during the riots, the government should immediately give them proper compensation.
Dr. Prem Singh
President
