Sonbhadra killing: BJP-made massacre? CM Yogi & Union Minister Mahendra Nath Pandey ignored call for action

Is Sonbhadra killing a BJP made massacre? Documents accessed by National Herald prove so.

Not only the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, former UP BJP chief Mahendra Nath Pandey (who is now part of Modi cabinet) but also the leaders of the BJP ally Apna Dal were informed well in advance about the aggravating situation on the ground in Sonbhadra.

However, all of them in a stark similarity, ignored the signs of impending crisis and call for action, reveal documents.

Had the BJP leaders listened to the aggrieved Adivasis, the gory massacre could have been averted, believe social activists.

First published by mediavigil.com, the documents suggest that the BJP leaders did not pay any heed to the call for action against land grabbers despite several requests made by the Adivasis living in Umbha village.

As many as 22 residents of Umbha village where on July 17, people belonging to the Gond tribe were gunned down by the upper caste village head Yagya Dutta and his men, had written a letter to the former BJP chief Mahendra Nath Pandey, appealing him to “protect their life, honour of their wives and daughters from land grabbers and order of an inquiry in to the matter.”

Asking Pandey to take action against the land grabbers including Yagya Dutta, the letter written by the villagers on January 12, highlights how Adivasis have been running from pillar to post to get the justice but their demands fell into deaf ears.

The letter also explains how cooperative societies founded in late 60s fraudulently snatched land belonging to tribal and sold them to private owners/entities with the help of the local administration.

Adivasi leader Hariram Chero also shot off a letter to the UP CM, seeking his attention but the CM who takes no time to order encounters, kept mum.

On January 14, Chero, an Apna Dal MLA, wrote a letter to the Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, demanding justice for the Adivasis of the Umbha village and independent inquiry into the matter.

However, neither Pandey nor CM Adityanath took any action or did anything to protect the Adivasis.

“Negligence of the BJP leaders resulted in brutal killings of the Adivasis,” said a social activist.

Here are the copies of the letters sent to the authorities above mentioned: