On April 3, Congress leader B M Singh and his supporters forcibly began erecting a dais on the land of Madhu Mandal, a peasant who is a supporter of CPI(ML) in the workers' colony of Rahul Nagar, Pilibhit. When Madhu Mandal objected, Congress goons entered his house and beat him up. Villagers then gathered to protest and Congress goons beat up other CPI(ML) supporters too.
B M Singh’s mass meeting took place the same evening. Hundreds of residents of Rahul Nagar showed black flags to B M Singh and expressed their anger and protest. The Congress supporters unleashed a pre-planned attack on the CPI(ML) supporters, and dozens were injured on both sides. When CPI(ML) activist Sayeed was at the hospital attending to the wounded, B M Singh arrived and threatened to abduct and kill him. B M Singh was arrested following a written complaint by the CPI(ML) in the police station. But in retaliation, the administration sent PAC into Rahul Nagar, which entered the homes of CPI(ML) supporters as identified by Congress supporters, and severely beat up people. CPI(ML) supporters immediately began a dharna at the DM’s office demanding an end to the PAC terror. The PAC-sponsored violence then stopped but various serious criminal charges including the Seventh Criminal Amendment Act were invoked against CPI(ML) CC Member Krishna Adhikari and several other leaders, activists and peasant supporters. Five CPI(ML) activists including AIALA leader Devashish were arrested and jailed.
Most residents of the Rahul Nagar workers’ settlement are dalits, extremely backward or peasants and workers of the migrant Bengali community – most of whom are CPI(ML) supporters. This village is now being branded a ‘Maoist’ haven in a systematic campaign of misinformation and slander by media.
The village came into being under a government ‘colonisation grant scheme.’ Later the Forest Department laid claim to the village but could not prove it. The dispute over the land is now in the Court and the peasants have got a stay from the HC in their favour. The present conflict is a ploy to evict the villagers and facilitate landgrab.
The CPI(ML) held a dharna at Shahid Smarak in the UP State Capital of Lucknow on April 5 in protest against the assault by Congress supporters led by Congress leader BM Singh and police on party supporters in Rahul Nagar, Pilibhit.
Chidambaram Greeted with Protests in West Bengal
Home Minister P Chidambaram visited and toured West Bengal on April 3 – and in protest against Green Hunt that day was observed by CPI(ML) and mass organisations like AISA and AIPWA as a Black Day all over the State. to protest against Chidambaram's tour of West Bengal. His effigies were also burnt in many places like Kolkata, Howrah, Siliguri, Naihati etc. Processions were taken out and there was large scale postering against operation Green Hunt throughout the state.
