For once, things are looking up in the Laloo land

For once, things are looking up in the Laloo land
Arun Srivastava

Patna, Feb 11: Nagari, finally, has got its own hero. The village joined the celebration as Dinanath Baitha went around the mahallas distributing sweets. He didn’t even mind taking loans to buy sweets for Bajrangbali, his guardian angel, and the fellow villagers. And why not? Former minister and RJD strongman Lalit Yadav, who brutally tortured Baitha seven months back, has finally landed up in jail. The entire village hailed the news as a victory of the poor against the tyranny of the nouveau riche a product of the prevailing political system in the state.

‘‘Bhagwan Bajrangbali has finally listened to my prayers. I am grateful to the National Human Rights Commission for finally doing justice,’’ grinned Baitha. His ancestral village shared the sentiments. With gulal smeared on their forehead, they hugged each other and congratulated Baitha for ‘‘accomplishing the impossible’’.

Nagari villagers claimed the state administration was out to let Lalit Yadav go scot-free. They are all praise for the NHRC for ensuring that the law finally caught up with him.

Baitha appeared so happy that he refused to recall the tortures perpetrated on him by Yadav and his henchmen. Baitha was confined to a room for a month and even forced to drink his urine. He suffered permanent injury in his legs. His immediate concern, however, was his financial insecurities. He could marry off his daughter because BJP leader Sushil Mody and the district magistrate of Bhojpur contributed some money. But her dwiragaman an essential ceremony before sending daughters to the in-laws is still pending for want of money.

Baitha recalled how the state government allotted one security guard for him: ‘‘A person himself not in the position to manage two square meal for his family was supposed to feed this security personnel also.’’ had no option but to return the guard. Baitha said the henchmen and the nephew of Lalit Yadav tried to kidnap him from his village. He suspected that they might return to ‘finish’ him unless he withdrew the case against Lalit.

Baitha and the villagers acknowledged the contribution of local BJP leader and lawyer Ghanashyam Ray who inspired Baitha to muster courage and fight his case against Yadav.