Banjhi (Sahebganj), April 20: Twenty years on, people once more paid tribute to Father Antoni Murmu, former Member of Parliament from Rajmahal, and 14 other tribals, who were killed over a minor pond dispute at Banjhi.
It was April 19, 1985. Village veterans still remember the day on which they had to lose their near and dear ones. The day is being celebrated every year as the martyrs? day in the village. Yesterday was no exception.
The Sahid Diwas Samity, headed by Bibiyana Baski, the widow of Murmu, organised a programme to remember the victims. Local people, who participated in the function with full enthusiasm, however, remained confused. ?I came here to light a candle on the grave of my husband who died on the fateful morning of April 19, 1985. But I cannot understand why politicians made us fool every year with lofty words here. Even after 20 years of the incident, no one was able to fight for the causes of the victims,? lamented Surajmuni Marandi whose husband was another victim in the massacre. She narrated how she was compelled to left Banjhi and settle in nearby Dhogora Pahar.
The promise of the then chief minister of Bihar, Bindarshawari Dubey to punish the victims, cannot but be fulfilled in all these years, lamented another villager.
Surajmuni was not the isolated helpless victim who had no other option but to escape from the village by the pressure of the influential non-tribal landlords.
?The district and sessions court, Sahebganj, recently in March closed the Banjhi massacre case and the persons involved in the incident were acquitted,? alleged another villager who lost his father in the incident. According to him, the case lasted for the last 20 years and the victims could not continue their legal battle mainly due to penury.
Some veterans in Sahebganj alleged that the then Congress government remained a mute spectator despite Father Antoni Murmu being an active party worker and representing Rajmahal seat with party?s ticket for more than three terms. ?The non-tribal landlords had a great influence on the Bihar Congress leadership and justice was always delayed,? they pointed out.
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) was the single political party, which was able to make the issue live while being an instrument behind the martyrs? day every year. ?Shibu Soren has committed to provide justice to the victims,? said JMM district unit secretary, Sunil Singh.
In Banjhi, like any tribal hamlet in poverty-stricken Santhal Pargana, development still remains an elusive distant dream for the villagers.
