BJP Fact Finding Team
Indicts Hooda government, flays attempts to shift responsibility

Following the unfortunate incidents at Gohana in Haryana where houses of poor Balmikis were burnt, the BJP President Shri Lal Krishna Advani constituted a high-level team to study the situation there and report the factual position. The team led by Shri Ram Nath Kovind (Member of Parliament and Rashtriya Adhyaksh, Anusuchit Jati Morcha) including Shri Ashok Pradhan (Member of Parliament and former Union Minister), Shri Krishna Lal Diler (Member of Parliament), Smt. Meera Kanwaria (former Mayor, Delhi), Shri Dushyant Kumar Gautam (National Secretary, Anusuchit Jaati Morcha) visited Gohana to study the situation arising out of the alleged murder of Shri Baijeet and in retaliation burning of about 40-50 houses of Balmiki community by a mob resulting in a heavy loss to property at Gohana. The President of BJP, Haryana, Prof. Ganeshi Lai, General Secretary Shri Veer Singh and Pradesh Morcha Adhyaksh Shri Krishan Lai Bedi also joined the team during their visit to different places. Here are the highlights of the report submitted by the team to Shri Lal Krishna Advani.

On 27-08-05 during preparation of the new Ration Cards in Gohana (Sonepat), Shri Lara and Shri Kaka of Balmiki Basti requested a photographer near the shop of Shri. Baljeet to accompany them to take photographs of their family members. Following an altercation there was a fight that caused the death of Shri Baljeet on the spot. A complaint was registered against six persons. There was resentment among local population on this unexpected incident. The local people demanded arrest of the persons against whom complaint was registered.

Next day on 28.08.2005 during the course of post mortem, the residents came to know that DIG (Police) was passing through Gohana. They blocked all the roads leading to Gohana and gheraoed him (DIG) and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits The DIG (P) assured people to arrest culprits within 48 hours but no action was taken by the police.

(i) That the local Police did not take any action to arrest the culprits who murdered Shri Baljeet on 27.8.2005, The next day the Panchayat asked the police to arrest the culprits within 48 hours, otherwise Maha Panchayat would be compelled to take further decision.

(ii) The police never took the issue to arrest the culprits. It resulted in the anti social elements taking advantage of the situation to spoil the atmosphere by way of looting and burning houses of Balmiki Basti, Gohana.

(iii) The local police is wholly responsible for this incident, because it has the support of Haryana Government. Due to in action none of the local police officers held responsible for not taking action and no police officer has been punished so far.

(iv) None of the local residents of area have indicated involvement of Shri Krishan Lal Sangwan and his family members in this incident. That is why Shri Sangwan, Member of Parliament demanded CBI investigation in the matter.

DEMANDS

1. The delegation is of the opinion that the Chief Minister, Haryana should take responsibility in the matter and resign on moral grounds.

2. Haryana Government should provide police protection to the affected families of the Balmiki Basti, Gohana and arrest the culprits responsible for looting and burning of houses of Balmikis.

3. The government should also provide financial assistance to the affected families. An independent agency may undertake assessment of loss caused to the affected families and the Haryana Government should also provide necessary financial assistance to them.

4. Either CBI should investigate the case or a judicial enquiry be ordered.

The meeting of Maha Panchayat was held on 30.08.2005. In that meeting a resolution condemning the action on the part of the State Government was passed. and demanded that State police should arrest all the culprits. In the Maha Panchayat of 52 villages it was also demanded that Haryana Chief Minister should immediately take stern action, otherwise, they will be compelled to resort to agitation. A meeting of the Maha Panchayat was again held on 31.8.2005, wherein a committee of 55 reputed persons was constituted and authorised to take appropriate action in the matter. The committee visited Gohana and also criticised Chief Minister, Haryana and police for not taking action to arrest the culprits. Some people spread the rumour that the name of culprit Lara has been removed from FIR. Taking advantage of this serious and sensational issue, the anti social elements burnt 45 50 houses of Balmiki Basti, The whole incident of burning and looting houses continued for three hours and local police did not act and remained a spectator. The police did not intervene to stop the mob and did not resort to use of any force. Even police did not make any efforts to get the fire extinguished. The anti social elements looted and burnt the selected houses. The local people and residents of the area said that there was no hand of area Member of Parliament, Shri Krishan Lai Sangwan or his any family member in this incident.

Being a Member of Parliament from this area and his village falling in that area, Shri Sangwan was present in the Maha Panchayat. The Chief Minister of Haryana is responsible for this whole incident. The delegation was informed by the people of the area that the police in connivance with the anti social elements was harassing the poor and Dalits. Acting on the directions of the Chief Minister, Haryana the police and the administration has included names of four brothers of deceased 'Baljeet' who were at their residences mourning the death of Shri Baljeet. Even the names of very old persons who are unable to walk have been included in FIR as confirmed by the people of the village of the deceased. The Study Team visited the village Gharwal of deceased Baljeet. The Pradhan of this village belongs to Scheduled Caste community. The delegation also met the residents of the Balmiki community of the village who informed that we live in this village as a family and none of us have any enmity with anybody. It also came to the notice of the team that no representative of any political party visited the family of the deceased Baljeet and expressed any sympathy with the family.