The National Commission for Scheduled Castes has taken suo moto cognizance of the incident of Islamists forcefully evicting Musahars from a village in Jharkhand. On Saturday, a delegation from the National Commission for Scheduled Castes visited the Pandu region of Palamu district in Jharkhand, where almost 50 households of Musahars were reportedly forcibly evicted by the Muslim community.
Following the visit, the panel emphasised the State Government’s apathy in collaborating as well as the Director General of Police’s and Chief Secretary’s lack of seriousness.
Arun Haldar, vice chairperson, Nation Commission for Schedule Castes said, “We found during our visit that the administration is not serious about safeguarding this community. It seems there is some setting at the administration level, because without this such things (throwing out the families) can not happen. Haldar asserted that despite a letter ordering them to do so “compulsorily,” the chief secretary and DGP failed to show up.
“The Commission came from Delhi. We had written to the chief secretary and DGP to attend us compulsorily. We contacted them many times but they did not turn up. This shows how they are taking the commission,” he said. According to the vice chairperson, the commission would soon issue a formal notice and summon the chief secretary and DGP.
Notably, on Monday, Islamists attacked the homes of members of the Mahadalit Musahar minority in Murumatu village, Palamu district, Jharkhand. They damaged around 18-20 houses and shelters belonging to Muhasar community members and forced them to flee the village. The victims were also humiliated and assaulted, and their possessions were thrown in the jungle near Loto village in Chhatarpur. Frightened by the violence, up to 50 individuals sought justice against the Islamists at the Pandu Police Station.
After the incident, the area saw a stampede-like situation as family members and young children scurried around in an attempt to survive. While some of them got the courage to seek redress at Pandu Police Station, others were seen wailing and wandering around Loto Village’s jungle. According to sources, the violence was started by Islamists who claimed that the Mahadalit Musahar family had wrongfully gained possession of madrasa land.