Jamuna Nishad
Encyclopedia
Jamuna Prasad Nishad was an India
n politician from the Bahujan Samaj Party
(BSP), representing the Pipraich
constituency in the Uttar Pradesh
Vidhan Sabha
(Legislative Assembly). Nishad became the Minister for Fisheries in the Mayawati
government, but was forced to resign after being named on charges of murdering a policeman. He was also named in eight other criminal charges.
s. Despite contesting in about fifteen elections, he had won only twice, once as a village mayor (gram pradhan) and then in 2007 to the state legislative assembly. He first contested in the Assembly elections in 1985 as an independent, and then again in 1989 and 1991, losing on all three occasions. Subsequently he was fielded by the Samajwadi Party
(SP), and lost Lok Sabha
elections to Yogi Adityanath in 1998, 1999 and 2004.
In 1996, he changed affiliations to the Bharatiya Janata Party
(BSP) but lost again from Pipraich. In 2002, he changed his assembly constituency to Paniyara as an SP candidate
and lost. He finally won as gram Pradhan from his native village and in the Uttar Pradesh Elections 2007, he won from the Pipraich constituency with a 7% (6,000 vote) margin over the criminal-politician and liquor-baron Jitendra Jaiswal alias Pappu, erstwhile minister under Kalyan Singh
of the Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP).
He was appointed as Minister of Fisheries by BSP leader Mayawati
.
district, near Gorakhpur
, demanding that the police pursue the perpetrators of a rape on a Dalit
girl. The rape had occurred on May 26, but the police resisted filing a First Information Report
until June 5. The girl testified to rape in court, but an initial medical report, contested by the Dalits, had determined that there was no rape. The police then downgraded the crime to eve-teasing and released the boy accused of the crime. However the Dalit community felt that the police were biased towards the perpetrator, and Nishad was there to protest.
At one stage, the group attempted to enter the strongroom in the police station, and
constable Krishnanand Rai, a noted hockey player, was apparently preventing their entry. In the ensuing altercations, someone from Nishad's group fired three rounds, and two bullets hit constable Rai in the chest, killing him. This was part of an attempt to "ransack the police station and loot the armoury,", according to Deputy Inspector General of Police, G L Meena.
Nishad could not be arrested until three days after the constable's death, since the concurrence of Mayawati was required. Nishad has six other cases of rioting and assault against him.
However, the cause Nishad was arguing at the police station appears to be viable. Two days later, the special medical board appointed by Mayawati reported that the girl had indeed been raped. Given the influence wielded by the Nishad caste, another Nishad politician, Dharmraj Nishad, was inducted as a full minister into the cabinet. The investigating police officer in the case, Munni Ram, was suspended.
Even at the time of his election, Jamuna Nishad had been identified as one of the many Criminal Politicians in Uttar Pradesh. He was the third minister to be dropped from the Mayawati cabinet on criminal grounds.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n politician from the Bahujan Samaj Party
Bahujan Samaj Party
The Bahujan Samaj Party is a centrist national political party in India with socialist leanings. It was formed to chiefly represent Bahujans , referring to people from the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Castes as well as Buddhists. The party claims to be inspired by the...
(BSP), representing the Pipraich
Pipraich
Pipraich is a town and a nagar panchayat in Gorakhpur district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is well known native placeof reputed "Sainthwar" kshatriya caste which is sangha of ancient democratic kshatriya clans like Malla, Lichchhavis, Shakya, Koliya etc...
constituency in the Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
Vidhan Sabha
Vidhan Sabha
The Vidhan Sabha or the Legislative Assembly is the lower house or the sole house of the provincial legislature in the different states of India. The same name is also used for the lower house of the legislatures for two of the union territories, Delhi and Pondicherry...
(Legislative Assembly). Nishad became the Minister for Fisheries in the Mayawati
Mayawati
Mayawati is the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, India. She heads the Bahujan Samaj Party, which represents the Bahujans or Dalits, the weakest strata of Indian society. This is her fourth term as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh...
government, but was forced to resign after being named on charges of murdering a policeman. He was also named in eight other criminal charges.
Political career
Nishad drew his political support from the Scheduled Caste community in eastern UP, and also from MuslimIslam in India
Islam is the second-most practiced religion in the Republic of India after Hinduism, with more than 13.4% of the country's population ....
s. Despite contesting in about fifteen elections, he had won only twice, once as a village mayor (gram pradhan) and then in 2007 to the state legislative assembly. He first contested in the Assembly elections in 1985 as an independent, and then again in 1989 and 1991, losing on all three occasions. Subsequently he was fielded by the Samajwadi Party
Samajwadi Party
Samajwadi Party is a political party in India. It is based in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It describes itself as a democratic socialist party...
(SP), and lost Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
elections to Yogi Adityanath in 1998, 1999 and 2004.
In 1996, he changed affiliations to the Bharatiya Janata Party
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...
(BSP) but lost again from Pipraich. In 2002, he changed his assembly constituency to Paniyara as an SP candidate
and lost. He finally won as gram Pradhan from his native village and in the Uttar Pradesh Elections 2007, he won from the Pipraich constituency with a 7% (6,000 vote) margin over the criminal-politician and liquor-baron Jitendra Jaiswal alias Pappu, erstwhile minister under Kalyan Singh
Kalyan Singh
Kalayan Singh is an Indian politician from the state of Uttar Pradesh. He has served 3 times as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.-Role in demolition of Babri Masjid:...
of the Bharatiya Janata Party
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...
(BJP).
He was appointed as Minister of Fisheries by BSP leader Mayawati
Mayawati
Mayawati is the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, India. She heads the Bahujan Samaj Party, which represents the Bahujans or Dalits, the weakest strata of Indian society. This is her fourth term as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh...
.
Murder of police constable
On the night of June 8, 2008, Nishad went in his official "red-beacon" car to the Kotwali police station in MaharajganjMaharajganj
Maharajganj is a town and a notified area in Siwan district in the Indian state of Bihar.-Geography:Maharajganj is located at . It has an average elevation of 66 metres .-Demographics:...
district, near Gorakhpur
Gorakhpur
Gorakhpur is a city in the eastern part of the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, near the border with Nepal. It is the administrative headquarters of Gorakhpur District and Gorakhpur Division. Gorakhpur is one of the proposed capitals of the Purvanchal state which is yet to be formed...
, demanding that the police pursue the perpetrators of a rape on a Dalit
Dalit
Dalit is a designation for a group of people traditionally regarded as Untouchable. Dalits are a mixed population, consisting of numerous castes from all over South Asia; they speak a variety of languages and practice a multitude of religions...
girl. The rape had occurred on May 26, but the police resisted filing a First Information Report
First Information Report
A First Information Report or FIR is a written document prepared by the police in India, Pakistan and Japan when they receive information about the commission of a cognizable offence. It is a report of information that reaches the police first in point of time and that is why it is called the First...
until June 5. The girl testified to rape in court, but an initial medical report, contested by the Dalits, had determined that there was no rape. The police then downgraded the crime to eve-teasing and released the boy accused of the crime. However the Dalit community felt that the police were biased towards the perpetrator, and Nishad was there to protest.
At one stage, the group attempted to enter the strongroom in the police station, and
constable Krishnanand Rai, a noted hockey player, was apparently preventing their entry. In the ensuing altercations, someone from Nishad's group fired three rounds, and two bullets hit constable Rai in the chest, killing him. This was part of an attempt to "ransack the police station and loot the armoury,", according to Deputy Inspector General of Police, G L Meena.
Sacked from the ministry
Subsequently, Mayawati summoned Nishad for discussions and later dropped him from the ministry, while appointing a special medical board to investigate the rape charges. Nishad has denied that he went to the Kotwali police station at all, claiming that he had merely "called up some officials and asked them to probe the rape case," and that the violence was instigated by angry locals. However, police inspector GP Sharma has said that the minister had "barged into the premises" of the police station. Nishad's denial has been contradicted by Mayawati herself, who said: “Since the minister was present on the spot, I have asked him to resign. He will not be re-inducted (into the ministry) till the time the inquiry is completed.”Nishad could not be arrested until three days after the constable's death, since the concurrence of Mayawati was required. Nishad has six other cases of rioting and assault against him.
However, the cause Nishad was arguing at the police station appears to be viable. Two days later, the special medical board appointed by Mayawati reported that the girl had indeed been raped. Given the influence wielded by the Nishad caste, another Nishad politician, Dharmraj Nishad, was inducted as a full minister into the cabinet. The investigating police officer in the case, Munni Ram, was suspended.
Even at the time of his election, Jamuna Nishad had been identified as one of the many Criminal Politicians in Uttar Pradesh. He was the third minister to be dropped from the Mayawati cabinet on criminal grounds.