Bihar Government Accused of Creating a Police State Amid Encounter Killings
CPI(ML) leader Dipankar Bhattacharya criticizes Bihars government for police encounters and bulldozer actions, calling it a threat to democracy.
Patna, November 11 (Daily Kiran) : The general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, Dipankar Bhattacharya, has criticized the Bihar government following the police encounter that resulted in the deaths of three suspected criminals in the Maner area of Patna. He condemned the state’s reliance on encounters and bulldozer actions, describing them as violations of humanity, democracy, and the Constitution.
Bhattacharya called for protests throughout Bihar, emphasizing that the current governance has replaced good administration with a regime of violence and demolition. He noted that during Chief Minister Nitish Kumar‘s tenure, there was at least some discussion of good governance, which has since vanished. He pointed out that Kumar, who relied on BJP support, was unable to enact significant changes, but at least maintained the rhetoric of good governance. In contrast, under Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, discussions have shifted to shootings and demolitions.
He raised concerns about the authority of the police, questioning who granted them the power to administer punishment. Bhattacharya stated that if someone is accused of a crime, the police should arrest them and present them before a magistrate, as only the courts have the right to judge and deliver verdicts.
The CPI(ML) leader highlighted that two of the deceased in the Maner incident belonged to the Yadav community, while the third was from another caste. He also mentioned that a young man recording the event on his mobile phone was targeted. However, he stressed that the issue should not be viewed through a caste lens but rather as a matter of law and constitutional rights.
He warned that such actions are part of a conspiracy to transform Bihar into a police state. While specific communities, parties, or ideologies may be targeted now, he cautioned that no one would be safe in the future. Bhattacharya accused the government of seizing land through bulldozers and removing numerous names from the voter list.
He urged the people of Bihar, including Patna and Bhojpur, to raise their voices against police encounters. He also criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for inciting people by labeling them as “mental Naxals” and accused the state government of engaging in a politics of violence and murder.
