People’s democratic right to protest: Harelal Mahato

Mail News Service

Chandil, Feb 13:  In a press release, AJSU Party Union Secretary, Harelal Mahto went hammer and tongs at the police administration after the police-public clash on Saturday evening over the burning of an effigy of MLA Savita Mahto in Dobo.

In his press release, Harelal observed, “India is a democratic country and people have a right to oppose any people’s representative. If such representatives are held by loose strings they will oppress the people and protest is a democratic arm the oppressed can avail of. Police harassment on people is a reflection of power misuse and highly condemnable.”

 Harelal Mahto referred to the people’s move to burn the effigy of MLA Savita Mahto but without naming the MLA, released his ire while mentioning, “Almost 70 years ago, our brave martyr, Nirmal Da (Nirmal Mahto) had provided shelter to landless families by constructing houses for them in Dobo. Today, some people who are intoxicated with power, are bent on rendering these very people and their descendents homeless and the police is hand-in-glove with such scheming peo[ple’s representatives.”

The AJSU Party leader mentioned in his press release that he had gone to Dobo village on Sunday and met the families of those arrested by the police on Saturday evening. Harelal Mahato stated, “While talking to the family members, I came to know about the condemnable police atrocities including the use of abusive language and assault on women.”

Strongly condemning the incident, Harelal Mahto said that the administration should go to the bottom of the land dispute, check all the papers and take action accordingly. He warned, “If the villagers are harassed by the administration and the ruling authorities, they (the villagers) will not remain silent spectators but will organize violent agitations.”

Those who were with Harelal Mahto at the time were Union Secretary of AJSU Party Ravi Shankar Maurya, District President Sachin Mahato, Block President Duryodhan Gope, Mukhiya Harendra Singh, Laltu Mahto, Ashutosh Mahato and Biswanath Mahato.