New Delhi: Naval Kishore Kumar, Hindi editor of Forward Press, has been constantly receiving death threats over telephone and on social media platforms. Those issuing the threats call themselves supporters of Barmesar, alias Brahmeshwar Mukhiya, the founder of Ranvir Sena. Complaints in the regard have been made to the Delhi Police Commissioner, the cyber cell of the Delhi police and to the Director General of Police, Bihar.
Ranvir Sena is planning to install a life-size statue of Brahmeshwar Mukhiya at his place of birth, Khopira, in Bhojpur district of Bihar on 1 June 2018. It was on this day in 2012 that Mukhiya was murdered. His murderers are yet to be identified. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is investigating the incident. Naval Kishore Kumar had posted this news on his Facebook wall on 27 May and had described the death of Brahmeshwar, an accused in the murder of more than 300 Dalits and OBCs, as a “dog’s death”.
Expletive-ridden Facebook wall
Naval lives in Delhi while his family members and relatives reside in Patna, Bihar. In his complaint to the police, he has mentioned the names of many supporters of Ranvir Sena and their expletive-ridden comments. He wrote, “Raushan Pandey, who lives in Patna, commenting on my Facebook post on 30 May 2018 at 9.08am, wrote, ‘So many bullets will be pumped into your *** that *** your future generations will tremble with fear ***. The Bhumihar Ekta Manch takes the responsibility of liquidating you within the next 15 minutes.” Another comment made by one Bipin Kumar Singh at 9.38 am on 31 May 2018 says, “So much steel will be nailed into your *** that your ten future generations will be born mute.”
Naval Kishore Kumar, in his complaint, said: “On 31 May 2018, at 12.25 pm, a person called Roshan Sharma, sharing my number wrote, “7004975366 is the number of this ***, *** his …” This man’s profile picture says ‘Ranvir Sena’. At 9.45 am on 30 May 2018, Rishi Ranvir of Arrah shared a screenshot showing my WhatsApp number. I’ve also been receiving death threats on WhatsApp. Rajiv Kumar Singh and Manish Kumar are among those who have threatened to kill me and shoot my family members dead. On his Facebook page, Manish introduces himself as the former state president of Ranvir Sena.”
In the emailed complaint, Naval said that the way the threats are being issued indicates, “A particular organization of a particular caste is behind it. I and my family members living in Patna are feeling terrorized by these threats”.
‘We will not be cowed down’
On these threats issued to his colleague Naval Kishore Kumar, Pramod Ranjan, managing editor, FORWARD Press, wrote on his Facebook page: “A leading journalist, who has long been observing and writing about the Ranvir Sena, Naval Kishore Kumar conducted the first comprehensive video interview of Brahmeshwar Mukhiya. The interview was published in the March 2012 issue of the FORWARD Press magazine and the video is available on FORWARD Press’ YouTube channel.”
Ranjan wrote: “On May 27 2018, Kumar posted a comment on Facebook opposing the installation of Brahmeshwar Mukhiya’s statue in Khopira saying that the act is against humanity itself. In the post, he accused Brahmeshwar Mukhiya of the murder of more than 300 Dalits and OBCs, and called his death a ‘dog’s death’. Kumar also held the BJP-JDU government responsible for the growing morale of feudal forces.”
Ranjan reminded readers: “This is the same Brahmeshwar Mukhiya who had instructed his followers not to even spare Dalit children during these massacres. ‘They are snakelets who will eventually become Naxals,’ he used to say. Ranvir Sena is responsible for butchering dozens of children, attacking even pregnant women and severing breasts of young women.”
He clarified FORWARD Press’ stand on the matter: ‘Our stand against people like Brahmeshwar Mukhiya is very clear. The headline of the Forward Press cover story (July 2012) after his murder was titled “Whose ‘Magic Bullets’ Murdered ‘BUTCHER OF BIHAR’?” In the same issue, famous Dalit thinker Kanwal Bharti had written an article titled, “Why mourn the death of a murderer?” Mukhiya has always been a murderer, a monster for us.’
At the time of writing this news, the threats and phone calls and expletive-filled comments on Nawal Kishore Kumar’s Facebook page haven’t abated. The police also haven’t taken any action.
Forward Press also publishes books on Bahujan issues. Forward Press Books sheds light on the widespread problems as well as the finer aspects of Bahujan (Dalit, OBC, Adivasi, Nomadic, Pasmanda) society, culture, literature and politics. Contact us for a list of FP Books’ titles and to order. Mobile: +919968527911, Email: info@forwardmagazine.in)
The titles from Forward Press Books are also available on Kindle and these e-books cost less than their print versions. Browse and buy:
The Case for Bahujan Literature
Dalit Panthers: An Authoritative History
