February 19 2007. Deep inside the jungles of Jharkhand bordering Orissa, one hundred delegates, comprising the core of the Maoist leadership in India had gathered. The event was the much awaited 9th Congress of the CPI(Maoist). A protective umbrella was thrown around by the armed People’s Liberation Guerilla Army(PLGA). Several sentry posts were put up inside the thick forest to keep a constant vigil. Patrolling teams formed by the comrades of the Central Military commune, called CM-KC commune, continuously scoured the area for any slightest sign of enemy movement and the villages surrounding the forest had been asked to act as “eyes and ears of the Party.” For any trespasser or any suspicious character, the order was :”Shoot to Kill.”
According to a document in possession of the TSI, homage was paid to two “martyrs”, comrade Chandramouli alias Naveen and his wife, a divisional committee member, Karuna, who were “arrested tortured and murdered” by the police. The document, while speaking about the meeting stated: “ All the guerilla zone areas were placed under the intelligence scanner with special surveillance on unusual movements in and around these zones.” The Congress was inaugurated by that elusive, dreaded commander, carrying a reward of Rs 50 lakhs on his head and whom none had seen so far. He was the CPI(Maoist) general secretary, Ganapathy. The Congress justified killing of the class enemies across the state including the brutal murder of JMM MP, Sunil Mahato. The meeting exhorted the comrades to “come forward to support the ongoing people’s war and free the society from the chains of imperialism and semi feudal bondage.”
And on July 10, 2007, inside the deep, dense forest of Chhattisgarh, the red band of Maoists trapped 115 policemen. “As we moved deeper into the woods, the Maoist guerillas suddenly started firing in the air. We all panicked.”, a policemen, who managed to escape, narrated. “There was an immediate silence. Only the sounds of our footsteps disturbed the silence,” he went on. “And then suddenly they attacked us with mortars and AK-47. Those who knew the terrain managed to flee, others were trapped,” the policeman told his tale. Fighting against the so called “class enemies” (read: rich landlords, bureaucrats and politicians), the Maoist disfigured the faces of the dead policemen with axe blows and stripped the corpses of shoes and socks (for their use in the jungle). The encounter left at least 24 policemen dead.
Forty eight hours later, they struck again by blowing up a TV transmission centre in Vizag. And on the same day, the Maoists called a bandh in Malkangiri in Orissa in protest against the killings of some comrades.
Over the years, the challenge thrown up by the red-ultras has taken a menacing shape. In the red corridor formed across the broad swathe in southern, central and eastern part of the country, this well organized extremist force have acquired the muscle to paralyse the state and its economic system. Flash strikes, bandhs, armed attacks, killings, destruction of the communication and transport network, jail breaks have become a regular feature in the Maoist infested states like, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Between 2002 to 2006, over 3000 people have been killed in the Naxalite-government conflicts in Andhra Pradesh. And this was the state, where the Congress sought the support of the red-ultras to come to power during the 2004 assembly elections. Following the breakdown of the peace process between the then People’s War Group, which later merged with MCCI to form CPI(Maoists), the killings resumed.
The uprising in Naxalbari, which began with the call-“land for the tillers”in 1967, continue to flourish amidst the alienated population, particularly in the tribal belts. Some of the NGOs, operating in Chhattisgarh claimed that the “poor tribals are often at the receiving end of both the police and the Maoists.” However, they argued that tribals “hit by the government apathy are also easy recruits for the extremist groups.”
For the past seven years, the tribal dominated Malkanagiri district in Orissa has continued to reel under the red-terror. Nearly 43 per cent of the total number of cases have been reported from this area alone. There had been over 230 attacks by the Left wing ultras in this particular area. Other naxalite infested zones are Raygada, Gajapati, Sambalpur and Koraput. Speaking to TSI, the director general of Orissa police, Amarananda Pattnaik said: “Combing operations have been intensified, there has also been a massive deployment of Special Operation Group (SOG).” Speculation is rife that the Maoists plan to establish a corridor linking Nepal, the northern states and the southern region through Orissa.
Though the Maoist rebels are concentrating their combat operations in Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, they are also making inroads into the states like Kerala, West Bengal, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
The declaration of "self-rule" in Muthanga forest by Adivasi Gothramaha Sabha, a tribal outfit in Kerala, is a case in point. The outfit entered the Muthanga forest on 19 February 2003 and declared 'self-rule' in the area. According to the tribal leaders, they were forced to the stand owing to the “step motherly” attitude of the Kerala government. The rebellion was crushed by the state administration and the area was reclaimed. However, Jacob Punnoose, additional director general of police, (Intelligence) told the TSI that "there are no Naxalite activities in Kerala for the last five years. No organisation has any direct nexus with the national naxalite outfits.”
The Tamil Nadu police recently arrested three persons alleged to be Maoists. They were reportedly planning to set up a training camp in the state. The state’s 'Q' Branch also arrested one Sundaramoorthy, believed to be the state secretary of a Maoist committee. The additional director general of police, Tamil Nadu, Nanchil Kumaran, however maintained that the Maoists “are not getting public support in the state.” On July 10, five Maoists were gunned down by the Karnataka police in the forest area of the Western Ghats.
The controversial policy of Special Economic Zone (SEZ) has become the latest rallying point for the Maoists. The policy has helped the ultras infiltrate into West Bengal, (reeling under Nandigram and Singur violence) the birthplace of the movement.
Though the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh has declared the Maoist threat as the “single biggest challenge to internal security,” there is however, no visible result of the Central or the state governments being able to curb the spread of the terror.
There has been no dearth of fund to tackle the growing menace. During 2006-07, a total amount of Rs.1065.25 crore was released to various state governments under the Modernization of State Police Forces (MPF) Scheme. This includes release of an additional amount of Rs.100 crore for purchase of equipment for fighting naxalism against the proposals received from the State Governments of Andhra Pradesh (Rs.15 crore), Bihar (Rs.15 crore), Chhatisgarh (Rs.24.75 crore), Jharkhand (Rs.15 crore), Maharashtra (Rs.6.75 crore), Orissa (Rs.15 crore) and West Bengal (Rs.8.50 crore). The Chhattisgarh government sponsored “Salwa Judum (peace march)” campaign have run into controversies. Allegations are rife that the government was rounding up tribals to turn them into armed vigilantes, against their wishes.
The success of the Maoists is the “lack of political will and a national strategy”, a senior intelligence official said. He pointed out that “there is neither a counter-Maoist operational grid nor a central intelligence network in the Maoist affected areas.” The capability of the Maoists to organize the daring Jehnabad jail break in Bihar and elimination of Rani Bodli post in Chhattisgarh are the “reflection of its military strength and motivation,” the official said. In addition, allegations and counter allegations among the Opposition parties continue to wreck havoc. The Minister of state for Home, Sri Prakash Jaisawal accused the Chhattisgarh government of “ not utilising the amount paid by the central government.” For him, the state BJP government “should learn” from Congress led Andhra Pradesh government . He went on to claim that the Chhattisgarh government has “also failed to accelerate the social upliftment programes.”
The experts claim that by 2010-15, nearly 30 to 35 per cent of India will be under the control of the red-ultras। There perhaps is still time for the governments to wake up from the slumber.
According to a document in possession of the TSI, homage was paid to two “martyrs”, comrade Chandramouli alias Naveen and his wife, a divisional committee member, Karuna, who were “arrested tortured and murdered” by the police. The document, while speaking about the meeting stated: “ All the guerilla zone areas were placed under the intelligence scanner with special surveillance on unusual movements in and around these zones.” The Congress was inaugurated by that elusive, dreaded commander, carrying a reward of Rs 50 lakhs on his head and whom none had seen so far. He was the CPI(Maoist) general secretary, Ganapathy. The Congress justified killing of the class enemies across the state including the brutal murder of JMM MP, Sunil Mahato. The meeting exhorted the comrades to “come forward to support the ongoing people’s war and free the society from the chains of imperialism and semi feudal bondage.”
And on July 10, 2007, inside the deep, dense forest of Chhattisgarh, the red band of Maoists trapped 115 policemen. “As we moved deeper into the woods, the Maoist guerillas suddenly started firing in the air. We all panicked.”, a policemen, who managed to escape, narrated. “There was an immediate silence. Only the sounds of our footsteps disturbed the silence,” he went on. “And then suddenly they attacked us with mortars and AK-47. Those who knew the terrain managed to flee, others were trapped,” the policeman told his tale. Fighting against the so called “class enemies” (read: rich landlords, bureaucrats and politicians), the Maoist disfigured the faces of the dead policemen with axe blows and stripped the corpses of shoes and socks (for their use in the jungle). The encounter left at least 24 policemen dead.
Forty eight hours later, they struck again by blowing up a TV transmission centre in Vizag. And on the same day, the Maoists called a bandh in Malkangiri in Orissa in protest against the killings of some comrades.
Over the years, the challenge thrown up by the red-ultras has taken a menacing shape. In the red corridor formed across the broad swathe in southern, central and eastern part of the country, this well organized extremist force have acquired the muscle to paralyse the state and its economic system. Flash strikes, bandhs, armed attacks, killings, destruction of the communication and transport network, jail breaks have become a regular feature in the Maoist infested states like, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Between 2002 to 2006, over 3000 people have been killed in the Naxalite-government conflicts in Andhra Pradesh. And this was the state, where the Congress sought the support of the red-ultras to come to power during the 2004 assembly elections. Following the breakdown of the peace process between the then People’s War Group, which later merged with MCCI to form CPI(Maoists), the killings resumed.
The uprising in Naxalbari, which began with the call-“land for the tillers”in 1967, continue to flourish amidst the alienated population, particularly in the tribal belts. Some of the NGOs, operating in Chhattisgarh claimed that the “poor tribals are often at the receiving end of both the police and the Maoists.” However, they argued that tribals “hit by the government apathy are also easy recruits for the extremist groups.”
For the past seven years, the tribal dominated Malkanagiri district in Orissa has continued to reel under the red-terror. Nearly 43 per cent of the total number of cases have been reported from this area alone. There had been over 230 attacks by the Left wing ultras in this particular area. Other naxalite infested zones are Raygada, Gajapati, Sambalpur and Koraput. Speaking to TSI, the director general of Orissa police, Amarananda Pattnaik said: “Combing operations have been intensified, there has also been a massive deployment of Special Operation Group (SOG).” Speculation is rife that the Maoists plan to establish a corridor linking Nepal, the northern states and the southern region through Orissa.
Though the Maoist rebels are concentrating their combat operations in Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, they are also making inroads into the states like Kerala, West Bengal, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
The declaration of "self-rule" in Muthanga forest by Adivasi Gothramaha Sabha, a tribal outfit in Kerala, is a case in point. The outfit entered the Muthanga forest on 19 February 2003 and declared 'self-rule' in the area. According to the tribal leaders, they were forced to the stand owing to the “step motherly” attitude of the Kerala government. The rebellion was crushed by the state administration and the area was reclaimed. However, Jacob Punnoose, additional director general of police, (Intelligence) told the TSI that "there are no Naxalite activities in Kerala for the last five years. No organisation has any direct nexus with the national naxalite outfits.”
The Tamil Nadu police recently arrested three persons alleged to be Maoists. They were reportedly planning to set up a training camp in the state. The state’s 'Q' Branch also arrested one Sundaramoorthy, believed to be the state secretary of a Maoist committee. The additional director general of police, Tamil Nadu, Nanchil Kumaran, however maintained that the Maoists “are not getting public support in the state.” On July 10, five Maoists were gunned down by the Karnataka police in the forest area of the Western Ghats.
The controversial policy of Special Economic Zone (SEZ) has become the latest rallying point for the Maoists. The policy has helped the ultras infiltrate into West Bengal, (reeling under Nandigram and Singur violence) the birthplace of the movement.
Though the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh has declared the Maoist threat as the “single biggest challenge to internal security,” there is however, no visible result of the Central or the state governments being able to curb the spread of the terror.
There has been no dearth of fund to tackle the growing menace. During 2006-07, a total amount of Rs.1065.25 crore was released to various state governments under the Modernization of State Police Forces (MPF) Scheme. This includes release of an additional amount of Rs.100 crore for purchase of equipment for fighting naxalism against the proposals received from the State Governments of Andhra Pradesh (Rs.15 crore), Bihar (Rs.15 crore), Chhatisgarh (Rs.24.75 crore), Jharkhand (Rs.15 crore), Maharashtra (Rs.6.75 crore), Orissa (Rs.15 crore) and West Bengal (Rs.8.50 crore). The Chhattisgarh government sponsored “Salwa Judum (peace march)” campaign have run into controversies. Allegations are rife that the government was rounding up tribals to turn them into armed vigilantes, against their wishes.
The success of the Maoists is the “lack of political will and a national strategy”, a senior intelligence official said. He pointed out that “there is neither a counter-Maoist operational grid nor a central intelligence network in the Maoist affected areas.” The capability of the Maoists to organize the daring Jehnabad jail break in Bihar and elimination of Rani Bodli post in Chhattisgarh are the “reflection of its military strength and motivation,” the official said. In addition, allegations and counter allegations among the Opposition parties continue to wreck havoc. The Minister of state for Home, Sri Prakash Jaisawal accused the Chhattisgarh government of “ not utilising the amount paid by the central government.” For him, the state BJP government “should learn” from Congress led Andhra Pradesh government . He went on to claim that the Chhattisgarh government has “also failed to accelerate the social upliftment programes.”
The experts claim that by 2010-15, nearly 30 to 35 per cent of India will be under the control of the red-ultras। There perhaps is still time for the governments to wake up from the slumber.
(this report first appeared in The Sunday Indian)
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