'Dalits Need Not Be Scared': Nitish Government Arrests 15 After Nawada Houses Set Afire, Row Erupts

Fifteen people were arrested on Thursday in connection with the burning down of 21 houses in Bihar’s Nawada on Wednesday evening, the state government confirmed, saying that more arrests were likely. A fact-finding team was also dispatched to the spot, by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, to investigate the incident.

Rajiv Ranjan, spokesperson of the ruling JD(U), said that Dalits must not be scared, even as the Opposition accused the Bihar government of not being able to protect them. In a video message, Ranjan also assured of strict action against the accused.

Commenting on the incident, Nawada District Magistrate Ashutosh Kumar Verma told news agency PTI, “The district police has arrested 15 people for allegedly torching the houses. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate further, and searches are ongoing to apprehend the remaining suspects.”

“Approximately 21 houses, some of which were semi-pucca, were burned by a group in Manjhi Tola, Verma said, adding, that senior administrative and police officials on-site will provide a report detailing the exact number of damaged houses,” he added.

No one was injured in the incident, the police said.

LAND DISPUTE THE CAUSE?

Superintendent of Police (SP) Abhinav Dhiman, who visited the area after the incident was reported, said, “A call was received around 7.30 pm that some houses were set on fire in Manjhi Tola. Police immediately reached the spot along with fire engines. It took some time to douse the blaze.”

“According to villagers, a group of people started setting the houses on fire around 7 pm,” Dhiman said.

“Preliminary investigation suggests that land dispute is the reason for the incident. A case has been registered and an investigation is underway,” he said.

Another police officer said shots were also fired in the air when the houses were being torched.

Dhiman also said the situation was now under control and a large contingent of the police was deployed in the area to prevent any flare-up.

OPPOSITION SLAMS BJP

Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies of atrocities against the “Bahujans of India”, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in an X post, wrote, “The burning down an entire colony of Mahadalits in Nawada and destroying the houses of more than 80 families is highlighting the horrifying picture of injustice against the Bahujans in Bihar. The cries of the Dalit families who had lost their homes and property and the terror created in the deprived society by the echo of the fierce firing were also not successful in waking up the sleeping government of Bihar.”

“Such anarchist elements find shelter under the leadership of the BJP and its NDA allies – they intimidate and suppress the Bahujans of India so that they cannot even demand their social and constitutional rights. And, the silence of the Prime Minister is a seal of approval for this big conspiracy,” a rough translation of Rahul Gandhi’s post in Hindi suggested.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge also accused the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) of “jungle raj” and alleged that poor families were snatched of their valuables. Kharge also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was silent on the incident, while Nitish Kumar was carefree in his greed for power.

However, Kharge’s claims were refuted by BJP’s IT cell chief Amit Malviya, who said those who set fire were also Dalits.

In another X post, Malviya confronted Rahul Gandhi and said, “The Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and the Other Backward Classes are deeply hurt and angry by Rahul Gandhi’s statement ‘We will remove reservation’. To hide his sin, Rahul Gandhi is now trying to create confusion among Dalits. The Nawada incident is related to a land dispute between two Dalit groups. Not a caste conflict. Those whose houses were burnt are Dalits. Nandu Paswan and his men, who burnt the houses, are also Dalits. After Sikhs, now child-brained Rahul Gandhi is trying to bake his political bread in the name of Dalits.”

While the Opposition alleged the houses of Dalits were burnt down by miscreants, a report with News18 Hindi suggested that the accused also belonged to the same community, as the dispute was between ‘Manjhi’ and ‘Paswan’ communities.