Shankar Guha Niyogi – A Martyr

It was a murder by proxy – an unashamedly ghastly murder, which made mockery of our constitution, our government and our judicial system. Shankar Guha Niyogi, the legendary leader of Chattisgarh Mukti Morcha who fought against the state repression and for the upliftment of the adivasis of Chattisgarh, fell victim to the hired assassins of some influential people in Bhilai thirteen years back. Supreme Court after prolonged legal battle acquitted
the industrialists but sent the hired killer Paltan Malla for life–imprisonment.

He was killed on 28th September, 1991.Since early ‘70s Niyogi was raising his voice against the police atrocities in this district. The state machinary was instrumental in helping the industrialists to destroy labour movement in and around Bhilai.On 2nd August 1991 Niyogi was instructed by the BJP government at Bhopal to move out of the Durg district of erstwhile Madhya Pradesh. The Jabalpur high court granted Niyogi a stay on 9th August 1991 which eventually allowed him to continue his pro-labour & anti-liquor lobby activities.

Fearing his life and demanding justice, Niyogi went to New Delhi on 10th September. The President of India gave him a patient hearing on 13th and sought 15 days to look into the matter. A memorandum signed by 50000 people was handed over to President describing the sorry plight of workers and adivasis in the hand of industrialists & the police. Niyogi met P V Narasimha Rao, the then PM and L K Advani, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha. In each of these meeting Niyogi handed over the copy of letters containing death threats he had been receiving perennially. But, all his effort fallen in deaf ear as he was eliminated just a fortnight later.

Three incidents caused enough suspicion in the minds of Niyogi’s supporters.

First, Niyogi was killed early in the morning on 28th September 1991. Within an hour, the BJP Chief minister Mr Sunder Lal Patwa called a Press conference to condemn the murder of Niyogi. Many of the journalists doubted how Patwa came to know of his death so early and even arranged a full-fledged press meet. Embarrassed, Mr Patwa declared a Rs 25000 award against the head of Niyogi’s assasins.

Second, CBI enquiry was delayed since the MP govt filed an appeal to CBI, which was incomplete and also sent through improper channel.

Finally, the memorandum submitted to the president was found vanished from the Rashtrapati Bhavan.It was handed over to the President by Niyogi himself.

While the Supreme Court verdict exonerating the Simplex Group & Kedia Group owners raises more questions than answers, the final word was probably uttered by another legendary figure of Narmada Bachao Andolan, Baba Amte.
He wrote hearing the death of Niyogi –

Oh Supreme Shame, comrades like him
Are dyed in their blood in this nation of Gandhi.
Bloodhounds – the mafia gangs, industrialists
And the petty politicians-
Have started using their pet card-
“Eliminate, exterminate Ye, those
Who oppose the regime”
In Chhatissgarh – Or, here, in the Narmada valley.

The last sigh whispered
On the banks of narmada,
“Civility invites civility; Justice invites justice”.
Niyogis do not die, they might succumb

Tributes for them would be – reason and Resolve.
To sharpen the struggle, to widen the horizon
Tirelessly, as Luther said, “Rest I rust”.

The unshed tear in the eye of Narmada
Thus remembers
Their comrade in resolute silence.

Kolkata
January 26, 2004

First posted on Yahoogroup ‘IndiaSeminar’