People in black stopped from entering Shah rally venue

Godda: Dressed in a black kurta, seven-year-old Nazmi was standing at the entrance of Gandhi Maidan near Godda's Kargil Chowk with her infant sibling in her lap when her family was not allowed to enter the venue for BJP president Amit Shah’s rally in Godda on Tuesday. A middle-aged Phalotun Biwi from Asanboni village was also stopped from entering the arena as she was in a black salwar and a green dupatta.
As the state government on Tuesday organised foundation laying ceremony of various development project at Godda’s historic Gandhi Maidan in presence of Shah, chief minister Raghubar Das and other dignitaries, its fear for everything black was evident once again.

In January, the Palamu administration issued a ban on black clothes order after leaders of the 80,000 para teachers demanding regularisation of their service vowed to show black flags to Prime Minister Narendra Modi durinh his visit to the state.

Be it jackets, belt, scarves or bags, people were asked to abandon anything before they could enter the venue in the tribal heartland.

“My bag has some important papers. Where will I keep them?,” remarked a jal sahiya, who didn't reveal her name, while negotiating at the gate. “I am not bothered. Either throw the bag or keep it whereever you want. We have orders to not allow anyone with black into the venue,” the woman cop told her.

Large piles of water bottles were also littered all around the entrance gates. “I came to the venue as the block development officer asked us to ensure we attended the programme. However, we were not informed that we could not carry water bottles or wear anything black to the rally,” said an anganwadi worker. A DSP-level officer, who did not wish to be named, said: “We are only following orders given to us.”

JMM’s Maheshpur MLA and a veteran leader from Santhal Parganas, Stephen Marandi said such acts expose BJP and its government's nervousness. “They claim they are working for the people and their development, so who are they afraid of? Such panic proves they aren’t confident about themselves. The CM always fears that people will show him black flags,” he said.