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Anand Mohan, former Member of Parliament (MP), who was serving a life sentence in the killing of IAS officer G Krishnaiah, is to be set free along with 26 others who have been lodged in different prisons in Bihar for more than 14 years.
A notification amending the prison rules was issued late Monday evening, when, incidentally, Mohan, who has been on parole, was celebrating the engagement of his son, Chetan Anand, a sitting MLA of the ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in the state.
The Telangana-born Dalit IAS officer, who was then the district magistrate of Gopalganj, was beaten to death by a mob in 1994, while his vehicle was passing through Muzaffarpur district. Mohan was allegedly present on the spot at the time of the killing as part of the funeral procession of Chhotan Shukla, a dreaded gangster who was pumped with bullets in Muzaffarpur town.
The sensational killing had acquired caste overtones in an era when Bihar was stirred by the Mandal wave.
As News18 spoke to Mohan about his release, he snapped over the use of the word “criminal”, citing his association with political leaders and long career.
Edited excerpts:
You have spent over 15 years in jail. How would you describe your journey?
It was my destiny and I completed my life term, which exceeded one-and-a-half years than the term of 14 years, very patiently. I tried to find positivity in the darkness and because of that I have written more than six novels from inside the jail. Today, people talk of Dalits. The first book I wrote was on Mountain Man Dashrath Manjhi, which was included in the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) syllabus. Similarly, I wrote a book on Madan Lal from our village, who was a cultural artiste and singer. He belonged to the Dhanuk community. I spent the time in jail with positivity.
You had the image of a criminal as well as messiah, but your conduct in jail was considered good. You wrote so many books. Was that an attempt to change the negative image?
How do you define a criminal? Were they any charges of rape or extortion against me? Would Atal ji embrace me if I were a criminal? If I was a criminal, how come Nitish ji, Lalu ji, Modi ji sat with me? I am the product of the Jai Prakash Narayan Andolan of 1974, I started my political career at the age of 17. I belong to a family of freedom fighters. When there was censorship on the media, I fought for the freedom of press at the age of 17. Can this be done by a criminal? Criminals cannot fight against the ruling parties continuously, but I did so. So I request you not to use the word ‘criminal’ for me. Even my friends or opposition leaders don’t use this word to describe me.
Would Atal ji embrace me if I were a criminal? If I was a criminal, how come Nitish ji, Lalu ji, Modi ji sat with me? I am the product of the Jai Prakash Narayan Andolan of 1974, I started my political career at the age of 17. I belong to a family of freedom fighters. When there was censorship on the media, I fought for the freedom of press at the age of 17. Criminals cannot fight against the ruling parties continuously, but I did so…I have spent 18 months more than what the punishment was and that too for a crime that I did not commit…. So I request you not to use the word ‘criminal’ for me. Even my friends or opposition leaders don’t use this word to describe me.
Political analysts say you are the face of Rajputs in North Bihar. Do you think that CM Nitish Kumar’s move to amend prison rules is an attempt to attract Rajput voters for the 2024 elections?
There is a change in the mood of politics every 10 years, at times, it is about backward forward classes, Hindu-Muslims…It is the people who address me as a Bahubali or Rajput face. Politicians address me by the term they feel like depending on the political benefits they seek. I won’t comment on this further.
Mayawati has tweeted, alleging that Nitish Kumar has taken an anti-Dalit decision. What do you have to say on these allegations?
Who is Mayawati? I don’t know any Mayawati. I have known a lady named Kalavati since my childhood in Satyanarayan Pooja.
1. बिहार की नीतीश सरकार द्वारा, आन्ध्र प्रदेश (अब तेलंगाना) महबूबनगर के रहने वाले गरीब दलित समाज से आईएएस बने बेहद ईमानदार जी. कृष्णैया की निर्दयता से की गई हत्या मामले में आनन्द मोहन को नियम बदल कर रिहा करने की तैयारी देश भर में दलित विरोधी निगेटिव कारणों से काफी चर्चाओं में है।— Mayawati (@Mayawati) April 23, 2023
The state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been evading questions and statements on you. The BJP at the Centre is alleging that criminals are being released from jail by the Nitish government. They say this is another example of gundaraj. What is your take on this?
These people should look at their history. I used to sit beside their stalwart leaders like Atal Bihari… On the election manifesto, there was my signature along with Atal ji.
Will there be a benefit to Mahagathbandhan after your release?
I won’t comment on that.
In 2015, when the same alliance government took Shahabuddin out of jail, it backfired on them. Do you think it won’t happen this time?
It is better if you people analyse who is going to benefit if I am released. What I know is that I have spent 18 months more than what the punishment was and that too for a crime that I did not commit. Every child at that time knew that when IAS G Krishnaiah was killed, I was arrested in Hajipur, which is 62 km away from Muzaffarpur.
You cannot contest elections for six years after your release. What will be your course of action as far as politics is concerned?
Nobody has gone to court to challenge this. One can be punished only once for a crime. The court has punished me for 14 years which I have served, so I can’t be punished again by any commission. I will appeal in the court against this.
Is it correct to say that Nitish Kumar has desperately amended the rules to bring you out of prison?
The list in the notification has my name on the 11th position. It includes persons from Dalit, Muslim, Yadav, EBC and other communities. This has not happened especially for me. The basic principles of our Constitution say that there should not be any discrimination between a common or special person. It also says that the value of life of a peon and a President is the same. Everyone has the same rights, the right to be punished should also be the same. There should be an equal law in every state is what the apex court has been saying. If you look carefully at the decision of the cabinet, it was mentioned that the amendment has been done taking care of the observation of both High Court as well as the Hon’ble Supreme Court. Secondly, this rule came into force in 2012, I was convicted in 2007, so the implementation can’t be done before 2012.
Chetan, do you believe that this particular amendment in the rules was made just to release your father Anand Mohan?
Why are you saying that? Not only my father, 26 others are also coming out because of this amendment. This amendment has been brought in because the Supreme Court and High Court have directed the government to do so. How can one connect this to me or my father and make such allegations?
Surbhi, being the daughter of Anand Mohan, what was it like to wait for over 16 years for your father to return from jail? Could you state this in brief?
It can’t be brief. It was a really long and tiresome journey full of struggle for both of us. We were emotional throughout, but now that he is getting released, we are joyous that we can spend time together like a normal family. I am extremely happy about that. My brother, Chetan, has really suffered a lot.
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