Patna: The Sabzibagh Government Christian Cemetery in Patna was closed in 1886 during the British rule as not much space was left there for more burial. The cemetery remained closed for 125 years and no burial took place — and it should have remained so forever — but for the last couple of months some ‘development work’ has been conducted here by the Bihar government apparently to ‘revive’ it. However, locals are skeptic about the real motive of the government move as a closed cemetery cannot be used again for burial, according to Christianity.
The Minority Welfare Department of the state government had sanctioned some amount for welfare of Christians. This past March the amount was going to lapse. An idea struck in the mind of Block Development Officer of Patna Sadar under whose jurisdiction falls this cemetery. And he came up with the plan to revive this closed cemetery without taking into account the fact that a closed cemetery cannot be used for burial anymore and that’s why it was not used since it was closed in 1886.
Old graves began to be covered with sand. A new mortuary was constructed. Old fencing walls were replaced with new ones and the strong iron gate whereon depicted the official announcement “The cemetery is closed†was also removed and a new entrance is being constructed.
The news spread and reached Abu Qaiser, president of Muslim United Front who lives in the area. On March 11, 2011 he wrote a letter to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and a copy of which was sent to Opposition Leader, heads of all political parties, state Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, Commissioner, Patna Division, and Patna DM. He informed them about the ‘loot’ of the minority welfare fund and urged for an enquiry
Taking notice of the letter, the state government ordered an enquiry and a Regional Development Officer in the office of Commissioner, Patna Division was assigned the probe.
On 30th April, RDO Uma Dattwar along with ADM, Patna visited the cemetery that is located in front of Pirbahor Police Station in Sabzibagh area. Locals and some representatives of social organizations informed the probe team about the history of the cemetery. They told the team that there may be a conspiracy to capture the land. They may be planning a mall here.
Mohd Abu Bashar, vice president, Minority Welfare Association, who also represented before the probe team, talked to TCN about the issue.
“It seems the BDO is making money out of it. The government cannot revive a closed cemetery. They want to grab it. They first want to change its face and then convert it into a market as they did with a Church land in the neighborhood in the past. The present Hathua Market (Khaitan Market) is standing on Church land,†Abu Bashar said.
Why doubt the intension of the government officer? “If they were really willing to spend the minority welfare fund on Christian graveyard, why didn’t they do it at those Christian graveyards which are in use? The Christian cemeteries in Agamkuan, Peermohani and Shahganj could have been developed,†answers Bashar.
He further alleged that more than Rs 22 lakh are being looted in the name of the revival of this closed graveyard.
The locals also say that this cemetery is closed for more than one hundred years and they never saw any burial in their lifetime. “No body has been brought here for burial. This cemetery is closed since the British rule,†says Mohd Jawed, a shopkeeper near the gate of the cemetery. Mohd Ibraheem, a saloon owner on the other side of the entrance, says: “I have never seen any dead body being brought here for burial. People are objecting the present development work at the cemetery because the old graves are being covered with sands. People still come even from London to visit the cemetery and lit candles on graves of their dear ones.â€
Mohd Neyazuddin is living inside the cemetery for generations. He is a sort of guard of the cemetery. “I have never seen any burial, nor had my father in his life time,†says Neyazuddin and adds: It is said some government fund has come and so they are doing this development work. I have no objection and how can I do any with a government work? But he taunts: “It is not certain if people are getting bread but the dead are being provided protection.â€
But what is surprising element of the story is the silence of Christians and the neighboring Church.
“Earlier they said they had no knowledge of the new work. In written I informed them about all is happening at the cemetery. Yet, they are not coming out to oppose it, says Bashar whose Minority Welfare Association is headed by Father Scaria Mamotil.
TCN team reached the Catholic Church cum Archbishop’s House at the stone’s throw from the cemetery to get their version. But they declined to meet citing some scheduled engagement.
Meanwhile, the ‘revival’ work is going on at the cemetery even nine days after the visit of the enquiry team. Bashar’s demand to halt the construction work pending the probe has remained unheeded.
What will you do if the work is not stopped? “We will launch protest and hold sit-ins. What else can we do? We cannot take on the government,†says Abu Bashar.
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