A woman looking at a burning house.
Books burned, grain burned, the house burned and along with it the dreams burning for years… When the house caught fire at night, we ran for our lives. Now everything is ashes but the fire is still there, the hunger is on fire in the belly, the desires are burning and the fire has burnt the dreams too. The question is whether to watch our bellies or crying babies. Someone has a 5 day old baby in their lap, someone is on the road with elderly parents. Seeing children screaming with hunger, the faces cannot decide whether the tears flowing from their eyes are for the burning house in front of them or for the anxiety of satisfying the children’s hunger.
The tear-filled eyes of the Dalit colony of Bihar’s Nawada tell the story of their helplessness, in front of whom their homes were reduced to ashes. For one night everyone had a place to stay but now the sky has become the roof and the road has become the ground of the house. People who have lost their homes in a land battle await the arrival of someone who can give them back what they thought was impossible… The colony has burned down, now only questions remain. The questions are who is responsible for the 50-year-old dispute? Where are the culprits of the burnt houses in the dispute? What will happen to the 80 homeless families who have lost everything?
The fight for land burned everything
A Dalit settlement in Krishnanagar village in Bihar’s Nawada district was set on fire like a scene from a Bollywood film. “This land has been a struggle for the last fifty years,” says an old woman sitting near her hut, which has been reduced to ashes. They (the attackers) don’t want us to stay here. Eight-year-old Anju’s books and school dress were also burnt. Her father says, ‘There is nothing left, the daughter’s dreams are on fire.’
A five-day-old baby in the lap, the sixth day had to be celebrated
Basti’s Kari Devi is sitting under the open sky in a sad state with her five-day-old baby in her lap. Tomorrow the child’s Chhath was to be celebrated, there were preparations and happiness in the house. Had collected some money for a small feast. Suddenly everything was ruined. The crowd also set fire to their dreams. Kari Devi says with tears in her throat, ‘Now everything is ruined, some money and grains kept for the sixth festival, everything is destroyed.’
A land conflict burned the township
Manjhi and Ravidas caste live in the Dalit colony of Krishnanagar village in Nawada. The victims alleged that those who attacked the colony belonged to another caste from the neighboring village of Pranpur. Police have arrested 10 people including the main accused Nandu Paswan. The victims say that the settlement has been located on non-government land for centuries. The dignitaries of the surrounding village are keeping an eye on it under the pretext of land surveying. They alleged that some government documents have also been prepared by the goons along with the zonal office.
ADG law and order reached the village
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has held a high-level meeting regarding the Nawada incident. Nawada has been sent to ADG Law and Order. He has ordered strict action by arresting the culprits in any case. Anti-narcotics minister of Bihar government Ratnesh Sada reached the village. He met the families of the victims and heard their plight. He said that the kind of incident that has taken place is a very reprehensible incident. Anyone involved in this will not be spared.
