– Raheem Khan
Jaipur, Aug 28: Following a call from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Rajasthan, protests erupted at district and tehsil headquarters across Rajasthan on Tuesday, demanding justice in the case of Head Constable Babulal Bairwa. The protests were sparked by allegations that Bairwa, a Dalit, was driven to suicide due to harassment by senior officials within the police department.
The Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch, CPI(M), and other people’s organizations organized demonstrations demanding swift action against the accused and justice for Bairwa’s family. No action has been taken yet against those named in Bairwa’s suicide note. The CPI(M) condemned the government’s inaction, labelling it as insensitivity towards a serious caste atrocity.
The CPI(M) had previously termed Bairwa’s death as an “institutional murder” and called for the immediate arrest of the senior officials involved. In his six-page suicide note, Bairwa reportedly named several upper-caste officials who allegedly harassed and tortured him. The CPI(M) and other democratic organizations strongly oppose this caste-based atrocity and have pledged their full support to Bairwa’s family and the ongoing movement for justice.
Several ministers, MLAs, and government intermediaries were accused of intimidating and misleading Bairwa’s family and the protesters instead of seeking justice for the deceased. The CPI(M) warned that the people of Rajasthan would not tolerate such attempts to thwart justice.
All district committees of CPI(M) have demanded that the government cease its insensitive stance and address the increasing atrocities against Dalits and Adivasis in the state. The party reiterated that those who believe in the Constitution and democracy must join the fight against these injustices.
The CPI(M) presented a memorandum listing several demands, including:
- Immediate arrest and severe punishment of the officials responsible for Bairwa’s death under the SC-ST Act.
- Financial compensation of Rs. 2 crore for the victim’s family.
- Government jobs for Bairwa’s son and another family member.
- A CBI inquiry into the matters Bairwa mentioned in his suicide note.
- The formation of “Anti-Caste Discrimination Committees” in all departments and institutions to curb caste-based atrocities.
On Friday, Brinda Karat, a Politburo member of the CPI(M), and Amararam, the party’s state secretary and MP from Sikar, visited the mortuary of SMS Hospital to support a sit-in demanding the arrest of those responsible for Bairwa’s death. In her address, Comrade Karat demanded that the state government immediately arrest and severely punish the culprits.
MP Amararam, who also joined the protests, criticised the Bhajan Lal government for its lack of dialogue with the protesters. He reiterated the demand for the arrest of the officials named by Bairwa in his suicide note.
State Secretariat member Sumit Chopra, District Secretary Dr. Sanjay Madhav, and Ritansh Azad of the All India Democratic Youth Federation also addressed the gathering, reiterating the party’s full support for the movement for justice.
