News Compilation on Naxalite Activity in Jharkhand region of South Asia
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New Delhi, April 29: The battle-worthiness of the Central Reserve Police Force for anti-Naxalite operations is in doubt even as the Centre is giving final touches to a major offensive against the rebels.
According to a recent presentation made by the CRPF to Union home ministry officials, only 7 per cent of its personnel — approximately 14,700 — were able to complete a two-month compulsory training this year because of constant deployment.
Even fewer personnel — 12,600 or 6 per cent — were able to take the training last year.
A CRPF official said the two-month training is considered sacrosanct to keep the forces fighting fit, as it not only provides relief from the fatigue that they undergo during deployment but also sharpens their skill in tactical warfare and use of weaponry.
Occupied with deployment duty, only a small fraction of the force is able to train for extreme challenges like fighting Naxalites or militants.
With about 2.10 lakh personnel at its command, the CRPF is the main central paramilitary force dealing with security problems arising out of insurgency.
So heavy has been the deployment of CRPF during the last four to five years that even its director-general’s reserve battalions, which are meant for recreational duty and emergency situations, had to be deployed for counter-insurgency duty.
“When deployed in anti-insurgency operations, CRPF personnel are considered to be on duty seven days a week and 24 hours a day. This drains them. The refresher training course provides them the energy to go back to their highly demanding jobs again,” said the official.
Officials also consider this as a major reason for not achieving enough success in their operations against Naxalites and insurgent groups in Kashmir and the Northeast.
In its presentation, the CRPF asked the Centre to allow it to keep one company in reserve in every battalion so that it could be spared for the two-month training. On a rotational basis, it would take a year and two months to allow all the battalions to undergo the training.
With demands for deployment of more central paramilitary forces coming from Naxalism-affected states, the home ministry has assured to consider this suggestion
New Delhi, April 29: The battle-worthiness of the Central Reserve Police Force for anti-Naxalite operations is in doubt even as the Centre is giving final touches to a major offensive against the rebels.
According to a recent presentation made by the CRPF to Union home ministry officials, only 7 per cent of its personnel — approximately 14,700 — were able to complete a two-month compulsory training this year because of constant deployment.
Even fewer personnel — 12,600 or 6 per cent — were able to take the training last year.
A CRPF official said the two-month training is considered sacrosanct to keep the forces fighting fit, as it not only provides relief from the fatigue that they undergo during deployment but also sharpens their skill in tactical warfare and use of weaponry.
Occupied with deployment duty, only a small fraction of the force is able to train for extreme challenges like fighting Naxalites or militants.
With about 2.10 lakh personnel at its command, the CRPF is the main central paramilitary force dealing with security problems arising out of insurgency.
So heavy has been the deployment of CRPF during the last four to five years that even its director-general’s reserve battalions, which are meant for recreational duty and emergency situations, had to be deployed for counter-insurgency duty.
“When deployed in anti-insurgency operations, CRPF personnel are considered to be on duty seven days a week and 24 hours a day. This drains them. The refresher training course provides them the energy to go back to their highly demanding jobs again,” said the official.
Officials also consider this as a major reason for not achieving enough success in their operations against Naxalites and insurgent groups in Kashmir and the Northeast.
In its presentation, the CRPF asked the Centre to allow it to keep one company in reserve in every battalion so that it could be spared for the two-month training. On a rotational basis, it would take a year and two months to allow all the battalions to undergo the training.
With demands for deployment of more central paramilitary forces coming from Naxalism-affected states, the home ministry has assured to consider this suggestion
Saturday April 29 2006 14:56 IST
KADAPA: The CPI (Maoist) suffered a major setback with police gunning down as many as 11 of its cadres in the Bulusugunta forest of Tsundupalli mandal in Kadapa district this morning.
Though the slain radicals -- six women and five men -- were yet to be identified, police officials are of the view that some senior cadres of the outlawed Naxalite outfit could be among the deceased.
According to police sources, the joint committee of Kadapa and Anantapur district was camping at the site of the ‘encounter’, about 25 km deep in the forest from Tsundupalli, on the Kadapa-Chittoor border, for the last six days. Acting on information, Greyhounds teams had been combing the forest for the last two days.
This morning, around 8 am, the police team spotted about 30 Naxalites and there ensued a fierce exchange of fire lasting over an hour.
The encounter left 11 Naxalites dead while the rest managed to escape. The police suspect that CPI (Maoist) state committee member Ganesh and at least two other district-level leaders of the party could be among the dead, sources said.
Thirty kit bags, two self-loading rifles, five other weapons, Claymore mines, ‘tiffin’ bombs, six tents and Rs 3.5 lakh in cash were recovered, as also a map. However, sources did not reveal what the map was.
Though Tsundupalli is a Naxalite-affected area, it had not witnessed much activity during the last six months. This probably could be the reason for the Naxalites holding a camp deep in the forest. But police appeared to have received specific information resulting in the encounter, sources said.
Superintendent of Police Y Nagi Reddy rushed to the spot with additional forces to supervise the combing operations.
In Hyderabad, Director-Gerenal of Police Swaranjit Sen also hinted at the possibility of some senior Maoist leaders among the deceased.
“Police forces in Chittoor and Kadapa districts have been put on high alert. All the escape routes have been sealed to track down the fleeing Naxalites,” he said.
Police suspect that CPI (Maoist) state committee member Ganesh could be among the dead.
KADAPA: The CPI (Maoist) suffered a major setback with police gunning down as many as 11 of its cadres in the Bulusugunta forest of Tsundupalli mandal in Kadapa district this morning.
Though the slain radicals -- six women and five men -- were yet to be identified, police officials are of the view that some senior cadres of the outlawed Naxalite outfit could be among the deceased.
According to police sources, the joint committee of Kadapa and Anantapur district was camping at the site of the ‘encounter’, about 25 km deep in the forest from Tsundupalli, on the Kadapa-Chittoor border, for the last six days. Acting on information, Greyhounds teams had been combing the forest for the last two days.
This morning, around 8 am, the police team spotted about 30 Naxalites and there ensued a fierce exchange of fire lasting over an hour.
The encounter left 11 Naxalites dead while the rest managed to escape. The police suspect that CPI (Maoist) state committee member Ganesh and at least two other district-level leaders of the party could be among the dead, sources said.
Thirty kit bags, two self-loading rifles, five other weapons, Claymore mines, ‘tiffin’ bombs, six tents and Rs 3.5 lakh in cash were recovered, as also a map. However, sources did not reveal what the map was.
Though Tsundupalli is a Naxalite-affected area, it had not witnessed much activity during the last six months. This probably could be the reason for the Naxalites holding a camp deep in the forest. But police appeared to have received specific information resulting in the encounter, sources said.
Superintendent of Police Y Nagi Reddy rushed to the spot with additional forces to supervise the combing operations.
In Hyderabad, Director-Gerenal of Police Swaranjit Sen also hinted at the possibility of some senior Maoist leaders among the deceased.
“Police forces in Chittoor and Kadapa districts have been put on high alert. All the escape routes have been sealed to track down the fleeing Naxalites,” he said.
Police suspect that CPI (Maoist) state committee member Ganesh could be among the dead.
Ranchi, Apr 29: Jharkhand Minister Kamlesh Singh, whose ancestral house was raged to ground by ultras, today suggested immediate long-range patrolling and revival of police pickets as the Maoists are "wreaking havoc" in Hussainabad and Hariharganj in Palamu district.
"The Naxalites raged to ground three houses in these areas and are planning similar attacks. It is high time the security forces are sent for long-range patrolling and setting up pickets," the water resources minister told reporters here.
The Maoists had on April 20 blasted Singh's ancestral house at Karamgar village, destroying what the minister claimed property worth about Rs 45 lakh. Soon after, the ultras perpetrated two more such explosions in the houses of a trader and an ex-Mukhia in Palamau district.
Denying that it was a 'caste war', the minister said the Naxalites want to ruin the somewhat-well-to-do farmers to spread panic among the poor farming community.
"They want to create havoc among the people, so that they could dictate terms among them...I have sent a letter to the Director General of Police requesting him to step up patrolling and pickets to thwart the Naxalites' evil designs," he said.
Describing how the Naxalites have been taking advantage of the hilly terrains and close proximity with areas in Bihar, the minister called for joint operation by bordering states like Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal and Jharkhand.
"The joint effort will check Naxal activity in Hussainabad and Hariharganj as also other places," Singh said.
Bureau Report
"The Naxalites raged to ground three houses in these areas and are planning similar attacks. It is high time the security forces are sent for long-range patrolling and setting up pickets," the water resources minister told reporters here.
The Maoists had on April 20 blasted Singh's ancestral house at Karamgar village, destroying what the minister claimed property worth about Rs 45 lakh. Soon after, the ultras perpetrated two more such explosions in the houses of a trader and an ex-Mukhia in Palamau district.
Denying that it was a 'caste war', the minister said the Naxalites want to ruin the somewhat-well-to-do farmers to spread panic among the poor farming community.
"They want to create havoc among the people, so that they could dictate terms among them...I have sent a letter to the Director General of Police requesting him to step up patrolling and pickets to thwart the Naxalites' evil designs," he said.
Describing how the Naxalites have been taking advantage of the hilly terrains and close proximity with areas in Bihar, the minister called for joint operation by bordering states like Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal and Jharkhand.
"The joint effort will check Naxal activity in Hussainabad and Hariharganj as also other places," Singh said.
Bureau Report
Ajit Jogi
demands repeal of Public Security Act
Raipur, Apr 29: Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi today demanded repeal of the newly enacted Special Public Security Act, saying it was a draconian law.
''This legislation has every potential to be misused,'' the Congress leader told reporters here.
Replying to a question, Jogi admitted the opposition Congress did not protest against the legislation as was required against any such draconian law. He said the people of Chhattisgarh would raise their voice against the new law.
The BJP government has enacted Special Public Security Act to contain unlawful activities, including Naxalism which has spread its roots in 10 out of 16 districts in the state. The state government recently appointed former Punjab DGP K P S Gill as its security adviser to stamp out the Naxal menace.
Bureau Report
Raipur, Apr 29: Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi today demanded repeal of the newly enacted Special Public Security Act, saying it was a draconian law.
''This legislation has every potential to be misused,'' the Congress leader told reporters here.
Replying to a question, Jogi admitted the opposition Congress did not protest against the legislation as was required against any such draconian law. He said the people of Chhattisgarh would raise their voice against the new law.
The BJP government has enacted Special Public Security Act to contain unlawful activities, including Naxalism which has spread its roots in 10 out of 16 districts in the state. The state government recently appointed former Punjab DGP K P S Gill as its security adviser to stamp out the Naxal menace.
Bureau Report
Prakash Singh
Saturday, April 29, 2006 (Patna):
Maoists in Bihar have been increasingly targeting Railway property.
The rebels have blown up several railway stations and tracks in the state in the last few months, and most of these attacks have been carried out during the night.
Tired of the lack of security personnel at several stations, the Railway authorities have now decided to suspend Rail movement in the Maoist-affected areas during the night. Naxal targets
Jan 25: Track at Paraiya
Apr 3: Rail post at Nadaul
Apr 8: Rail post, track at Bansinala
Apr 25: Narganjo station
Apr 26: Dasrathpur track
"I want protection for my staff and passengers, which is why we are trying our best to run the trains in the Naxal-affected areas with the help of RPF or GRP," said K C Jena, General Manager, Eastern Central Railway.
"We will be forced to stop the rail services in the areas where we believe there is a lack of protection and security measures," he added.
Passing the buck
Railway authorities feel it is the state government's responsibility to provide security to trains running through Bihar.
But Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who once held the Railway portfolio, disagrees. He has instead advised Rail Minister Lalu Yadav to strengthen the Railway Police Force.
"Railways have adequate funds for security. The department should use the money to strengthen the RPF and the safety category vacancy should be filled so that the Railway tracks are properly manned and guarded," Kumar said.
"Employment of the gangman in the Railways, which was started during my tenure as Rail Minister, has now been stopped," he added.
The Naxal problem is only getting worse by the day, and it is now clear that passing the buck will not help improve the situation.
Saturday, April 29, 2006 (Patna):
Maoists in Bihar have been increasingly targeting Railway property.
The rebels have blown up several railway stations and tracks in the state in the last few months, and most of these attacks have been carried out during the night.
Tired of the lack of security personnel at several stations, the Railway authorities have now decided to suspend Rail movement in the Maoist-affected areas during the night. Naxal targets
Jan 25: Track at Paraiya
Apr 3: Rail post at Nadaul
Apr 8: Rail post, track at Bansinala
Apr 25: Narganjo station
Apr 26: Dasrathpur track
"I want protection for my staff and passengers, which is why we are trying our best to run the trains in the Naxal-affected areas with the help of RPF or GRP," said K C Jena, General Manager, Eastern Central Railway.
"We will be forced to stop the rail services in the areas where we believe there is a lack of protection and security measures," he added.
Passing the buck
Railway authorities feel it is the state government's responsibility to provide security to trains running through Bihar.
But Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who once held the Railway portfolio, disagrees. He has instead advised Rail Minister Lalu Yadav to strengthen the Railway Police Force.
"Railways have adequate funds for security. The department should use the money to strengthen the RPF and the safety category vacancy should be filled so that the Railway tracks are properly manned and guarded," Kumar said.
"Employment of the gangman in the Railways, which was started during my tenure as Rail Minister, has now been stopped," he added.
The Naxal problem is only getting worse by the day, and it is now clear that passing the buck will not help improve the situation.
Raipur, April. 29 (PTI): Naxalites today killed 13 of the 52 villagers they had abducted last Tuesday and released 37 others in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh.
"We have recovered 13 bodies from near the Manikonta village of Erroabore police station, about 550 km. from the state capital," Dornapal police station sources told PTI by phone.
The outlawed Maoists had killed two persons yesterday, they said adding, 37 villagers who were kidnapped from the village from opposing naxalites were released.
"The released villagers are in a state of shock and are not able to tell where they were and how they were treated," the sources said.
Senior officials have rushed to the spot as Chief Minister Raman Singh and many of his Ministers and top officials are in district headquarters in Dantewada in connection with a meeting of the Bastar Development Authority.
About 60 villagers, who are staying in Dornapal relief camps, had gone to their Manikonta village to look after their belongings on April 25.
The Maoists, who were present in the village, surrounded them and assaulted them, police said.
Three men and five women escaped and ran to nearby jungles and reached Dornapal relief camp and then informed the police.
These villagers were staying in government relief camps after naxal threat and were participating in peace campaign against the Maoists in Dantewada and Bijapur districts.
"We have recovered 13 bodies from near the Manikonta village of Erroabore police station, about 550 km. from the state capital," Dornapal police station sources told PTI by phone.
The outlawed Maoists had killed two persons yesterday, they said adding, 37 villagers who were kidnapped from the village from opposing naxalites were released.
"The released villagers are in a state of shock and are not able to tell where they were and how they were treated," the sources said.
Senior officials have rushed to the spot as Chief Minister Raman Singh and many of his Ministers and top officials are in district headquarters in Dantewada in connection with a meeting of the Bastar Development Authority.
About 60 villagers, who are staying in Dornapal relief camps, had gone to their Manikonta village to look after their belongings on April 25.
The Maoists, who were present in the village, surrounded them and assaulted them, police said.
Three men and five women escaped and ran to nearby jungles and reached Dornapal relief camp and then informed the police.
These villagers were staying in government relief camps after naxal threat and were participating in peace campaign against the Maoists in Dantewada and Bijapur districts.
Excerpts from the "Background Information: Country Reports on Terrorism and Patterns of Global Terrorism "
Naxalite (Maoist agrarian peasant movement) terrorism, which covers a broad region of eastern, central, and southern India, is growing in sophistication and lethality and may pose a significant long-term challenge. The Naxalites launched two mass attacks in the second half
of 2005, destroying buildings, capturing weapons, and killing several local policemen in an attack on an Uttar Pradesh village. They also attacked the Jehanabad Prison in Bihar, killing two persons, freeing more than 300 inmates, and abducting about 30 inmates who were members of an anti-Naxalite group.
India’s counterterrorism efforts are hampered by its outdated and overburdened law enforcement and legal systems. The Indian court system is slow, laborious, and prone to corruption; terrorism trials can take years to complete. An independent Indian think tank, for example, assesses that the estimated 12,000 civilians killed by terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir from 1988 to 2002 generated only 13 convictions through December 2002; most of the convictions were for illegal border crossing or possession of weapons or explosives. Many of India’s local police forces are poorly staffed, trained, and equipped to combat terrorism effectively. Despite these challenges, India scored major successes, including numerous arrests and the seizure of hundreds of kilos of explosives and firearms during operations against the briefly resurgent Sikh terrorist group Babbar Khalsa International.
In August, the Indian Government announced a new policy on airplane hijackings that included directing ground crews to obstruct a hijacked plane from taking off, and a clearance procedure for authorizing the shooting down of a hijacked plane in flight that might endanger
civilians on the ground.
The Indian Government has an excellent record of protecting its nuclear assets from terrorists, and is taking steps to improve further the security of its strategic systems. In May the Indian Parliament passed the Weapons of Mass Destruction and Their Delivery Systems (Prohibition
of Unlawful Activities) Bill, designed to prevent the transfer of WMD, delivery systems, and associated technologies to state and non-state actors, including terrorists.
Indian laws a handicap: US
S Rajagopalan
Washington, April 29, 2006
India’s fight against terrorism is “hampered by its outdated and overburdened law enforcement and legal systems”, says the US State Department's annual country reports on terrorism. But the report also praises India for improving its “tactics against terrorists and making significant arrests.”
While listing India as one of the worst victims of terrorism in 2005, it says militants staged “hundreds of attacks on people and property”. Unlike previous years, the report does not provide country-specific data on the number of incidents and casualties, but its South Asia section talks of increased activity by terrorist groups in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
While commending Pakistan for “significantly increasing the effectiveness of its counter-terrorism operation” by capturing or killing hundreds of terrorists, the report retains a host of Pakistan-based outfits including Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Tayyeba on the list of “Foreign Terrorist Organizations”. Indian outfits, the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) and the Communist Party of India (Maoist), figure on a companion list “Other Groups of Concern” after being under the State Department's scanner last year.
The report highlights the continuing activities of LeT and JeM in Jammu and Kashmir that also included attacks on politicians. “Hundreds of non-combatants were killed, most of were Kashmiri Muslims."
Apart from the terror let loose by separatist groups in Jammu and Kashmir, the report focuses on Maoists in the “Naxalite belt” in eastern India and ethno-linguistic nationalists in the North-East. Civilian fatalities in J&K, however, have continued a five-year decline, it says.
The report mentions that the growing sophistication and lethality of “Naxalite terrorism” may pose a significant long-term challenge.
S Rajagopalan
Washington, April 29, 2006
India’s fight against terrorism is “hampered by its outdated and overburdened law enforcement and legal systems”, says the US State Department's annual country reports on terrorism. But the report also praises India for improving its “tactics against terrorists and making significant arrests.”
While listing India as one of the worst victims of terrorism in 2005, it says militants staged “hundreds of attacks on people and property”. Unlike previous years, the report does not provide country-specific data on the number of incidents and casualties, but its South Asia section talks of increased activity by terrorist groups in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
While commending Pakistan for “significantly increasing the effectiveness of its counter-terrorism operation” by capturing or killing hundreds of terrorists, the report retains a host of Pakistan-based outfits including Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Tayyeba on the list of “Foreign Terrorist Organizations”. Indian outfits, the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) and the Communist Party of India (Maoist), figure on a companion list “Other Groups of Concern” after being under the State Department's scanner last year.
The report highlights the continuing activities of LeT and JeM in Jammu and Kashmir that also included attacks on politicians. “Hundreds of non-combatants were killed, most of were Kashmiri Muslims."
Apart from the terror let loose by separatist groups in Jammu and Kashmir, the report focuses on Maoists in the “Naxalite belt” in eastern India and ethno-linguistic nationalists in the North-East. Civilian fatalities in J&K, however, have continued a five-year decline, it says.
The report mentions that the growing sophistication and lethality of “Naxalite terrorism” may pose a significant long-term challenge.
HT Correspondent
Varanasi, April 28
UNION MINISTER of State for Home Sri Prakash Jaiswal said on Friday that the solution of Naxalite menace in different parts of country was not bullet but implementation of development and land reform schemes and removal of unemployment.
“All those elements trying to trouble the tribal populace in the Naxalite-affected areas of Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand, UP, Bihar and Jharkhand, must be dealt with strictly by the concerned State governments,” he said.
Talking to mediapersons at the residence of Bharat Ratna and Sehnai maestro Bismillah Khan here on Friday afternoon, the minister said, recently a meeting of chief ministers of Naxal-affected states was held in New Delhi in which they were asked by the Union government to deal strictly with the problem.
Speaking over the problem of electricity in UP, Jaiswal made it clear that the Union government was providing electricity to the State as per directions from the Centre. If it wants additional electricity, it should also suggest the centre for the specific State to be curtailed from the allotted electricity.
“UP government is itself fully responsible for the power crisis as no power generation unit has been set up in the State for last 15 years. Tall claims of State government to solve the electricity problem through the proposed Dadri Power Generation Project of Noida has proved to be flop show as not even a single brick has been placed on the site of the plant there,” he said. It would be cheating with the public if the UP government promised to solve the problem in next two years, he added.
The UP government should not blame the Centre for its failure on the matter of poor electricity scenario, he said.
Jaiswal said the Union government was ready to fulfill the desire of Bharat Ratna Bismillah Khan to perform at the India Gate. His performance would definitely strengthen the communal harmony, unity and integrity of the nation.
“Since Khan Saheb has devoted his entire life for strengthening the mutual harmony, unity and integrity, so the Union government would also felicitate him at the India gate on July 15. He had been making efforts to perform in New Delhi at India Gate for the last four-five years. Now the government has fulfilled his desire,” Jaiswal said. The minister, accompanied by local MP, Dr Rajesh Mishra landed at the Varanasi Airport by a special plane and directly went to Bismillah Khan’s house. The city president of Congress, Vijaya Shanker Mehta, Dr Daya Shanker Mishra, Javed Ahmad Faridi and Dr Om Prakash welcomed him.
Later, the minister also held a meeting with the officials of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at its office in Sigra.
Varanasi, April 28
UNION MINISTER of State for Home Sri Prakash Jaiswal said on Friday that the solution of Naxalite menace in different parts of country was not bullet but implementation of development and land reform schemes and removal of unemployment.
“All those elements trying to trouble the tribal populace in the Naxalite-affected areas of Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand, UP, Bihar and Jharkhand, must be dealt with strictly by the concerned State governments,” he said.
Talking to mediapersons at the residence of Bharat Ratna and Sehnai maestro Bismillah Khan here on Friday afternoon, the minister said, recently a meeting of chief ministers of Naxal-affected states was held in New Delhi in which they were asked by the Union government to deal strictly with the problem.
Speaking over the problem of electricity in UP, Jaiswal made it clear that the Union government was providing electricity to the State as per directions from the Centre. If it wants additional electricity, it should also suggest the centre for the specific State to be curtailed from the allotted electricity.
“UP government is itself fully responsible for the power crisis as no power generation unit has been set up in the State for last 15 years. Tall claims of State government to solve the electricity problem through the proposed Dadri Power Generation Project of Noida has proved to be flop show as not even a single brick has been placed on the site of the plant there,” he said. It would be cheating with the public if the UP government promised to solve the problem in next two years, he added.
The UP government should not blame the Centre for its failure on the matter of poor electricity scenario, he said.
Jaiswal said the Union government was ready to fulfill the desire of Bharat Ratna Bismillah Khan to perform at the India Gate. His performance would definitely strengthen the communal harmony, unity and integrity of the nation.
“Since Khan Saheb has devoted his entire life for strengthening the mutual harmony, unity and integrity, so the Union government would also felicitate him at the India gate on July 15. He had been making efforts to perform in New Delhi at India Gate for the last four-five years. Now the government has fulfilled his desire,” Jaiswal said. The minister, accompanied by local MP, Dr Rajesh Mishra landed at the Varanasi Airport by a special plane and directly went to Bismillah Khan’s house. The city president of Congress, Vijaya Shanker Mehta, Dr Daya Shanker Mishra, Javed Ahmad Faridi and Dr Om Prakash welcomed him.
Later, the minister also held a meeting with the officials of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at its office in Sigra.
Friday April 28 2006 13:39 IST
BELGAUM: Rangareddy, a Naxalite leader wanted by the Karnataka and Andhra police who is said to have entered Belgaum district is not true, said a senior police official here on Thursday.
Rumours are rife that Rangareddy was hiding in Bailhongal taluk.
The police clarified that Rangareddy has no connections with Bailhongal or with Belgaum district.
Rangareddy who was responsible for a series of bomb blasts in Bellary and Raichur is wanted by the police of both the states. He is reportedly supplying weapons to naxal groups.
The police combed the entire taluk and came to the conclusion that there was no naxal activities in Bailhongal.
BELGAUM: Rangareddy, a Naxalite leader wanted by the Karnataka and Andhra police who is said to have entered Belgaum district is not true, said a senior police official here on Thursday.
Rumours are rife that Rangareddy was hiding in Bailhongal taluk.
The police clarified that Rangareddy has no connections with Bailhongal or with Belgaum district.
Rangareddy who was responsible for a series of bomb blasts in Bellary and Raichur is wanted by the police of both the states. He is reportedly supplying weapons to naxal groups.
The police combed the entire taluk and came to the conclusion that there was no naxal activities in Bailhongal.
RAIPUR, APR 28 (PTI)
A day after suspending Superintendent of Police (SP) for not joining duty after transfer, the Raman Singh government in Chhattisgarh today transferred 17 senior police officers, including six district superintendents of police.
In a late evening development, the state BJP government today shifted the Durg senior superintendent of police Ramesh Chandra Sharma to the police headquarters (PHQ) and in his place posted DIG-PHQ Rajesh Mishra.
Om Prakash Pal is the new additional SP of Dantewada and Dantewada SP Praveer Das is made the SP special investigation branch, looking after naxal event at PHQ. However, no one is made the new Dantewada SP, according to the transfer order.
Removing Raj Kumar Dewangan from Surajpur district S K Brahme is made the new SP Surajpur. Dewangan is posted in PHQ.
P S Gautam to replace B S Thorat as SP anti-corruption Bureau and Thorat is sent to PHQ.
Shifting Narendra Khare from Narayanpur, Sunderraj P is made the new Narayanpur SP. Khare is sent to eighth battalion.
After suspending Sanjay Tiwari for not joining at Bijapur, Ratan Lal is made the new Bijapur SP.
A M Juri is made new SP of Korea to replace H K Rathor, who has been made Jashpur SP.
N K S Thakur is shifted to PHQ from firth battalion, B P S Pousharya is shifted from sixth battalion to state human rights commission as SP.
Mohammad Hussain has been shifted from eighth battalion to ninth battalion and former Bijapur SP Dasrath Lal Manhar is posted in sixth battalion, the transfer order said.
A day after suspending Superintendent of Police (SP) for not joining duty after transfer, the Raman Singh government in Chhattisgarh today transferred 17 senior police officers, including six district superintendents of police.
In a late evening development, the state BJP government today shifted the Durg senior superintendent of police Ramesh Chandra Sharma to the police headquarters (PHQ) and in his place posted DIG-PHQ Rajesh Mishra.
Om Prakash Pal is the new additional SP of Dantewada and Dantewada SP Praveer Das is made the SP special investigation branch, looking after naxal event at PHQ. However, no one is made the new Dantewada SP, according to the transfer order.
Removing Raj Kumar Dewangan from Surajpur district S K Brahme is made the new SP Surajpur. Dewangan is posted in PHQ.
P S Gautam to replace B S Thorat as SP anti-corruption Bureau and Thorat is sent to PHQ.
Shifting Narendra Khare from Narayanpur, Sunderraj P is made the new Narayanpur SP. Khare is sent to eighth battalion.
After suspending Sanjay Tiwari for not joining at Bijapur, Ratan Lal is made the new Bijapur SP.
A M Juri is made new SP of Korea to replace H K Rathor, who has been made Jashpur SP.
N K S Thakur is shifted to PHQ from firth battalion, B P S Pousharya is shifted from sixth battalion to state human rights commission as SP.
Mohammad Hussain has been shifted from eighth battalion to ninth battalion and former Bijapur SP Dasrath Lal Manhar is posted in sixth battalion, the transfer order said.
Friday April 28 2006 10:34 IST
BHUBANESWAR: A day after clandestinely circulating leaflets in the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, the Maoists made a brazen follow up attempt to shock the State administration on Thursday by sending campaign materials once again in which they urged people to join their guerrilla outfits to avenge death of their three cadre members in police encounter at Deogarh on April 18.
On Wednesday, the extremists had distributed leaflets in Twin City to celebrate last month’s R Udaygiri victory. They had even urged State police to alienate themselves from the Government and join hands with them.
On Thursday, a visibly-stirred State Government asked the Special Branch of Police to inquire into veracity of leaflets and verify the source.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said the State Government is vigilant and will take all measures required to ensure security of the people.
Home Secretary Santosh Kumar said the special branch will find out under what circumstances these materials reached the cities.
With the State Government putting up a brave face, the Left Wing ultras seemed in no mood to relent as they were busy circulating a second set of campaign materials. This time though their tone was stern.
The leaflets, sent to media organisations, urged people to join PLGA and PGA to avenge the death of their three cadre members at Riamal last week.
Signed by Sunil, convenor of Orissa Coordination Committee of CPI (Maoist), the letter said: “A martyr’s sacrifice can only be compensated by the lives of its enemies.”
Giving personal details of three slain Maoists of Deogarh, the letter said, the only way people can avenge their death is by joining PLGA and PGA in large numbers and convert the guerrilla war into a continuous struggle, which in turn can be transformed into a sustained war against the administration.
Meanwhile, the Home Secretary informed that the State Government will soon fill up the 915 vacancies in 83 police stations in Naxal-infested districts apart from fortifying six prisons where the ultras are lodged.
Asked if there are Maoists in the Twin City, Kumar said, it cannot be ruled out. In the forests, they wear fatigues but here they can be in plain clothes.
BHUBANESWAR: A day after clandestinely circulating leaflets in the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, the Maoists made a brazen follow up attempt to shock the State administration on Thursday by sending campaign materials once again in which they urged people to join their guerrilla outfits to avenge death of their three cadre members in police encounter at Deogarh on April 18.
On Wednesday, the extremists had distributed leaflets in Twin City to celebrate last month’s R Udaygiri victory. They had even urged State police to alienate themselves from the Government and join hands with them.
On Thursday, a visibly-stirred State Government asked the Special Branch of Police to inquire into veracity of leaflets and verify the source.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said the State Government is vigilant and will take all measures required to ensure security of the people.
Home Secretary Santosh Kumar said the special branch will find out under what circumstances these materials reached the cities.
With the State Government putting up a brave face, the Left Wing ultras seemed in no mood to relent as they were busy circulating a second set of campaign materials. This time though their tone was stern.
The leaflets, sent to media organisations, urged people to join PLGA and PGA to avenge the death of their three cadre members at Riamal last week.
Signed by Sunil, convenor of Orissa Coordination Committee of CPI (Maoist), the letter said: “A martyr’s sacrifice can only be compensated by the lives of its enemies.”
Giving personal details of three slain Maoists of Deogarh, the letter said, the only way people can avenge their death is by joining PLGA and PGA in large numbers and convert the guerrilla war into a continuous struggle, which in turn can be transformed into a sustained war against the administration.
Meanwhile, the Home Secretary informed that the State Government will soon fill up the 915 vacancies in 83 police stations in Naxal-infested districts apart from fortifying six prisons where the ultras are lodged.
Asked if there are Maoists in the Twin City, Kumar said, it cannot be ruled out. In the forests, they wear fatigues but here they can be in plain clothes.
Muzaffarpur (Bihar): Three Maoist rebels of Nepal were arrested in Bihar's Muzaffarpur town today, a senior police official said.
A police team raided a house at Sheoshan Kar Lane under Mithanpura police station here and captured them, Police superintendent Ratna Sanjay said adding that the raid was conducted after receiving a tip-off from intelligence sleuths that the militants were running an office there.
The arrested were identified as Jitendra Yadav, Amrit and Jivant Yadav, a self-styled commander of the Maoists, he said.
A computer, Rs two lakh in cash and some Naxal literature were seized in the raid, Sanjay said.
A police team raided a house at Sheoshan Kar Lane under Mithanpura police station here and captured them, Police superintendent Ratna Sanjay said adding that the raid was conducted after receiving a tip-off from intelligence sleuths that the militants were running an office there.
The arrested were identified as Jitendra Yadav, Amrit and Jivant Yadav, a self-styled commander of the Maoists, he said.
A computer, Rs two lakh in cash and some Naxal literature were seized in the raid, Sanjay said.
Friday April 28 2006 00:26 IST
NEW DELHI: CPM leader Sitaram Yechury, when he lands in Nepal on Friday to talk to the Seven Party Alliance and the Maoists, will be on firm ground. Yechury, who has been associated with the two parties since last year, said they are only returning to an earlier consensus - the 12-point agreement signed in November last year.
“A four-point roadmap has already been agreed upon by the SPA and the Maoists as the way out of the impasse. Now, we are looking forward towards realisation of those objectives,” Yechury told reporters on Thursday . One of the four points is an agenda to implement the 12-point agreement with the Maoists.
Yechury said after August last year, it became necessary to have the seven- party alliance and the insurgents move ahead together for the pro-democracy movement to build momentum. Even the Maoists at the time, he said, were looking for a way out of the impasse. It was from this that the need for a common agenda was felt and the 12-point agreement was signed.
“The 12-point agreement, that was reiterated after February, galvanised the people's movement,” said Yechury. The Maoists, expectedly, had reservations about the road ahead. There were long discussions on ideological issues to bring them out of the underground.
They were also encouraged to state their positions publicly, which says the CPI(M) leader, the Maoist leaders did through interviews. “They agreed that the revolution of the 21st century could not be a replica of the revolution of the 20th century,” said.
Yechury, whose association with Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai goes back a long way. Bhattarai and Yechury are both alumni of Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Yechury was more actively involved with the talks after March, around the time the pro-democracy movement picked up. “We (representatives of the all-party Nepal Democracy Solidarity Committee India headed by Harkishan Singh Surjeet) met the Prime Minister and told him of our position,” he said.
The PM was told that India could not just stand by and watch the turmoil in the neighbourhood; India would have to prevail upon the King to concede to the democracy movement.
When the Prime Minister went to Germany, he left instructions that Yechury and Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, the seniormost minister, should hold discussions. Yechury virtually got the government's sanction when Karan Singh's mission failed and the Nepalese political parties suggested the CPI(M) leader's name as interlocutor. That he had the Maoists' ear helped.
According to Yechury, the Maoist position will help the democratic movement. Besides, if the Nepal Maoists join the movement, he said, it would become ideologically untenable for the Indian Maoists to hold on to their present position.
NEW DELHI: CPM leader Sitaram Yechury, when he lands in Nepal on Friday to talk to the Seven Party Alliance and the Maoists, will be on firm ground. Yechury, who has been associated with the two parties since last year, said they are only returning to an earlier consensus - the 12-point agreement signed in November last year.
“A four-point roadmap has already been agreed upon by the SPA and the Maoists as the way out of the impasse. Now, we are looking forward towards realisation of those objectives,” Yechury told reporters on Thursday . One of the four points is an agenda to implement the 12-point agreement with the Maoists.
Yechury said after August last year, it became necessary to have the seven- party alliance and the insurgents move ahead together for the pro-democracy movement to build momentum. Even the Maoists at the time, he said, were looking for a way out of the impasse. It was from this that the need for a common agenda was felt and the 12-point agreement was signed.
“The 12-point agreement, that was reiterated after February, galvanised the people's movement,” said Yechury. The Maoists, expectedly, had reservations about the road ahead. There were long discussions on ideological issues to bring them out of the underground.
They were also encouraged to state their positions publicly, which says the CPI(M) leader, the Maoist leaders did through interviews. “They agreed that the revolution of the 21st century could not be a replica of the revolution of the 20th century,” said.
Yechury, whose association with Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai goes back a long way. Bhattarai and Yechury are both alumni of Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Yechury was more actively involved with the talks after March, around the time the pro-democracy movement picked up. “We (representatives of the all-party Nepal Democracy Solidarity Committee India headed by Harkishan Singh Surjeet) met the Prime Minister and told him of our position,” he said.
The PM was told that India could not just stand by and watch the turmoil in the neighbourhood; India would have to prevail upon the King to concede to the democracy movement.
When the Prime Minister went to Germany, he left instructions that Yechury and Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, the seniormost minister, should hold discussions. Yechury virtually got the government's sanction when Karan Singh's mission failed and the Nepalese political parties suggested the CPI(M) leader's name as interlocutor. That he had the Maoists' ear helped.
According to Yechury, the Maoist position will help the democratic movement. Besides, if the Nepal Maoists join the movement, he said, it would become ideologically untenable for the Indian Maoists to hold on to their present position.
Statesman News Service
PARALAKHEMUNDI, April 27: Radical activities continue to thrive in Gajapati despite claims of the police and the administration that there is a lull in such movements.
Security was upgraded after the R Udayagiri attack and a large number of armed security forces from the CRPF, OSAP and the Andhra Pradesh police force had conducted combing operations after the two hostages’ release.
The Police’s intention was to clear the area of cadres who may have stayed back in the district.
The SP Gajapati, Mr Amitendranath Sinha, accompanied the security forces during combing operations in the most interior villages of Mohona, R Udayagiri and Nuagada blocks of Gajapati.
But the radicals seem to be one step ahead of the police as they manage to maintain a safe distance from such combing operations and have divided themselves into smaller groups to avoid detection.
The R Udayagiri attack was planned and executed by radicals from different groups who had congregated in the area about a week before the incident and most of the active, radical cadres had been invited from outside Orissa.
While it is known that the commander of the Basadhara Anchalika Committee masterminded and headed the operations, there were a few more commanders who took a secondary role in the execution of the assault. While members of the Basadhara Anchalika Committee returned to their safe camps in Rayagada, many a cadre had crossed over to Andhra Pradesh before the security forces could take position. One or two groups from the CPI (Maoist) based in Andhra Pradesh continue to stay back in Gajapati. A few days back, there were posters on walls against a sarpanch and the village secretary, warning them of dire consequences for their involvement in corrupt deeds. Though signed by the CPI (Maoist), many believe that this could be the handiwork of political leaders out to settle scores.
But the same posters with warnings have sprung up again. This indicates that the intention of the warning is more serious. A few days back, there were reports from NGO volunteers that they had come face to face with armed persons who wanted food.
During the visit of the Union labour minister Mr Chandra Sekhar Sahu, there was total restriction on his itinerary. He was not even allowed to move out to the blocks of R Udayagiri and Nuagada where a few meetings were cancelled at the last moment. Even at Badagam village, where the minister was to inaugurate a cashew processing unit, armed police were posted at the site the day before the function and the entire 13-km road to the factory site from Paralakhemundi was cleared and police posted at strategic locations.
“There is intense police combing in the districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and many a senior leader and commanders leading CPI(Maoist) groups have been killed in encounters or have surrendered.
“It is possible that a few groups have entered Orissa, waiting for the heat to abate in Andhra Pradesh and initially, these groups stayed in Gajapati or Rayagada but are now fanning out to such districts as Kandhamala and Nayagarh to avoid mass congregation which may lead to detection,” a senior Intelligence officer of Gajapati police said. There is another theory that radical groups are regrouping in Gajapati with the intention of recharging and revitalising ground-level support that they had received in 1994-95. “There are many issues that the radical groups can depend on to get local support, especially from tribals living in remote villages of this backward district.
Despite the large number of government schemes and projects aimed at luring unemployed youths away from the radicals, they have become inconsequential mired by red tape and corruption and above all, high expectation from the government. As a result, there is again a ground swell of support for Naxalite groups which are recouping fast,” Mr RK Bhahidar (name changed), who has been following radical activities in this district for long, said. The recent pasting of posters is an indication of the unfolding of events where the radicals have warned the SP, Gajapati to stop police combing and also warned the Uppalada sarpanch to stop his corrupt acts.
They have also warned against the setting up of new cashew processing units which is detrimental to the environment. The posters have come up at the Satamile junction, Badagan junction and the Uppalada village, thereby proving that the radicals have no intention of quitting Gajapati. This can be bothersome for the administration. The SP, Gajapati said over the phone: “I am not worried about the contents of the posters. These merely reveal that the radicals are getting desperate and under no circumstances will the combing be stopped or slowed down. Rather, we will be more active in arresting the culprits.”
PARALAKHEMUNDI, April 27: Radical activities continue to thrive in Gajapati despite claims of the police and the administration that there is a lull in such movements.
Security was upgraded after the R Udayagiri attack and a large number of armed security forces from the CRPF, OSAP and the Andhra Pradesh police force had conducted combing operations after the two hostages’ release.
The Police’s intention was to clear the area of cadres who may have stayed back in the district.
The SP Gajapati, Mr Amitendranath Sinha, accompanied the security forces during combing operations in the most interior villages of Mohona, R Udayagiri and Nuagada blocks of Gajapati.
But the radicals seem to be one step ahead of the police as they manage to maintain a safe distance from such combing operations and have divided themselves into smaller groups to avoid detection.
The R Udayagiri attack was planned and executed by radicals from different groups who had congregated in the area about a week before the incident and most of the active, radical cadres had been invited from outside Orissa.
While it is known that the commander of the Basadhara Anchalika Committee masterminded and headed the operations, there were a few more commanders who took a secondary role in the execution of the assault. While members of the Basadhara Anchalika Committee returned to their safe camps in Rayagada, many a cadre had crossed over to Andhra Pradesh before the security forces could take position. One or two groups from the CPI (Maoist) based in Andhra Pradesh continue to stay back in Gajapati. A few days back, there were posters on walls against a sarpanch and the village secretary, warning them of dire consequences for their involvement in corrupt deeds. Though signed by the CPI (Maoist), many believe that this could be the handiwork of political leaders out to settle scores.
But the same posters with warnings have sprung up again. This indicates that the intention of the warning is more serious. A few days back, there were reports from NGO volunteers that they had come face to face with armed persons who wanted food.
During the visit of the Union labour minister Mr Chandra Sekhar Sahu, there was total restriction on his itinerary. He was not even allowed to move out to the blocks of R Udayagiri and Nuagada where a few meetings were cancelled at the last moment. Even at Badagam village, where the minister was to inaugurate a cashew processing unit, armed police were posted at the site the day before the function and the entire 13-km road to the factory site from Paralakhemundi was cleared and police posted at strategic locations.
“There is intense police combing in the districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and many a senior leader and commanders leading CPI(Maoist) groups have been killed in encounters or have surrendered.
“It is possible that a few groups have entered Orissa, waiting for the heat to abate in Andhra Pradesh and initially, these groups stayed in Gajapati or Rayagada but are now fanning out to such districts as Kandhamala and Nayagarh to avoid mass congregation which may lead to detection,” a senior Intelligence officer of Gajapati police said. There is another theory that radical groups are regrouping in Gajapati with the intention of recharging and revitalising ground-level support that they had received in 1994-95. “There are many issues that the radical groups can depend on to get local support, especially from tribals living in remote villages of this backward district.
Despite the large number of government schemes and projects aimed at luring unemployed youths away from the radicals, they have become inconsequential mired by red tape and corruption and above all, high expectation from the government. As a result, there is again a ground swell of support for Naxalite groups which are recouping fast,” Mr RK Bhahidar (name changed), who has been following radical activities in this district for long, said. The recent pasting of posters is an indication of the unfolding of events where the radicals have warned the SP, Gajapati to stop police combing and also warned the Uppalada sarpanch to stop his corrupt acts.
They have also warned against the setting up of new cashew processing units which is detrimental to the environment. The posters have come up at the Satamile junction, Badagan junction and the Uppalada village, thereby proving that the radicals have no intention of quitting Gajapati. This can be bothersome for the administration. The SP, Gajapati said over the phone: “I am not worried about the contents of the posters. These merely reveal that the radicals are getting desperate and under no circumstances will the combing be stopped or slowed down. Rather, we will be more active in arresting the culprits.”
Statesman News Service
BHUBANESWAR, April 27: Maoists came knocking at the door of the state capital over the last 24 hours by circulating two leaflets here asking people and police to join the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA).
The government directed the police Intelligence wing to probe the origin of the pamphlets and their distribution. While the chief minister, Mr Naveen Patnaik, insisted that the government was vigilant and closely monitoring developments as well as security arrangements, the home secretary, Mr Santosh Kumar, said he had asked the police to probe the distribution of the leaflets.
The first four-paged pamphlet was circulated here yesterday while another was doing the rounds today even as senior administrative officers were busy holding meetings and reviewing the security.
The radicals provided details of the R Udayagiri attack in the first leaflet and called upon the people as well as the police to join the PLGA.
The second narrated the Deogarh district incident where three Maoists were shot dead by the police and said the sacrifice of these martyrs should be avenged. The three dead were named in the leaflet as Raju alias Sanjeev Biswal, Tuna and Jayanta. The deceased, with others, were holding a jan adalat (people’s court) in five villages.
They were all tired and returning when villagers asked them to stop over and have food. While waiting for the food, police(described as goondas in the leaflet) attacked and killed them.
The pamphlet states that the police disclosed the incident and seizure of arms and ammunition but did not reveal that they had also recovered Rs 2 lakh left behind by those who escaped but left their bags behind. It urged people to avenge the death of the three comrades.
The earlier pamphlet, circulated here yesterday evening, had dealt with the R Udayagiri incident and asked people to celebrate the successful operation as Vijay Divas.
It said that the police were not its enemy and that the entire police force should join the PLGA to fight the dalals and exploiters.
For the first time in the history of the state, Maoist leaflets had been circulated here. Till date, the practice has been confined to Naxalite-infested areas of the state and remote districts where they are active.
Senior police officers held meetings to take stock of security measures in Bhubaneswar and certain VVIP residences.
A senior police officer confided that the preparedness level in Bhubaneswar was virtually nil. At least in the Naxalite-infested districts, police have learnt it the hard way and today, there is some level of preparedness, but here security measures are woefully inadequate, he said.
BHUBANESWAR, April 27: Maoists came knocking at the door of the state capital over the last 24 hours by circulating two leaflets here asking people and police to join the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA).
The government directed the police Intelligence wing to probe the origin of the pamphlets and their distribution. While the chief minister, Mr Naveen Patnaik, insisted that the government was vigilant and closely monitoring developments as well as security arrangements, the home secretary, Mr Santosh Kumar, said he had asked the police to probe the distribution of the leaflets.
The first four-paged pamphlet was circulated here yesterday while another was doing the rounds today even as senior administrative officers were busy holding meetings and reviewing the security.
The radicals provided details of the R Udayagiri attack in the first leaflet and called upon the people as well as the police to join the PLGA.
The second narrated the Deogarh district incident where three Maoists were shot dead by the police and said the sacrifice of these martyrs should be avenged. The three dead were named in the leaflet as Raju alias Sanjeev Biswal, Tuna and Jayanta. The deceased, with others, were holding a jan adalat (people’s court) in five villages.
They were all tired and returning when villagers asked them to stop over and have food. While waiting for the food, police(described as goondas in the leaflet) attacked and killed them.
The pamphlet states that the police disclosed the incident and seizure of arms and ammunition but did not reveal that they had also recovered Rs 2 lakh left behind by those who escaped but left their bags behind. It urged people to avenge the death of the three comrades.
The earlier pamphlet, circulated here yesterday evening, had dealt with the R Udayagiri incident and asked people to celebrate the successful operation as Vijay Divas.
It said that the police were not its enemy and that the entire police force should join the PLGA to fight the dalals and exploiters.
For the first time in the history of the state, Maoist leaflets had been circulated here. Till date, the practice has been confined to Naxalite-infested areas of the state and remote districts where they are active.
Senior police officers held meetings to take stock of security measures in Bhubaneswar and certain VVIP residences.
A senior police officer confided that the preparedness level in Bhubaneswar was virtually nil. At least in the Naxalite-infested districts, police have learnt it the hard way and today, there is some level of preparedness, but here security measures are woefully inadequate, he said.
Friday April 28 2006 00:00 IST
Kamlendra Kanwar
Whatever else may have been the fallout of the recent developments in Nepal leading to the re-convening of the dissolved Parliament and the humiliation of the King, one disconcerting outcome is the legitimacy and respectability with which the Maoists have been clothed.
Their consistent anti-monarchy campaign has got the stamp of public approval as never before, thanks to the muddle-headedness of King Gyanendra and his wayward son. They now hold the gun even to the seven-party alliance to comply with their demand to set up a constituent assembly to make monarchy irrelevant or else face renewed street battles.
The ascendancy of the Maoists can only contribute to disorder and instability in Nepal and jeopardize India’s security both through the Chinese route and this country’s own brand of Maoists or Naxalites who now hold virtual sway over 160 of the country’s 604 districts spread across 13 states.
As Sitaram Yechury of the CPM commiserates with the Nepalese Maoists and the Manmohan Singh Government looks the other way while the nexus between Nepalese and Indian Maoists grows, there is a lurking danger for India that we can ignore only at our peril.
For Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to cry ‘wolf’ as he did recently at a conference of ministers of 13 Naxalite-affected states, describing Naxalism as the single biggest internal security challenge ever faced by the country, while flirting with the CPM and CPI for political survival is foolhardiness at its worst.
It is not for nothing that even a former director of India’s Intelligence Bureau, Ajit Doval wrote in the Hindustan Times recently that left-wing extremism was now a bigger threat to the country than Islamic militancy in Kashmir or separatist militancy in the northeast.
‘‘Unless some master strategic response is formulated and executed, the nation may find most of its rural hinterland overrun by an avalanche,’’ he wrote. Intelligence agencies believe that Maoists of India and Nepal have indeed begun joint operations. Sri Lanka’s LTTE and French Maoists provide full support to the Indian and Nepalese Maoists and Indian Maoists provide shelter and training camps to Nepal’s Maoists.
With Maoists levying taxes on every truck that passes through their area in the 160 districts in which they call the shots, distributing private land and now even government land through pattas and virtually hijacking the judicial system, the credibility of the administration is at its lowest ebb.
Central and state governments which have abdicated responsibility for years are now greatly rattled by some recent incidents like the massive Naxalite raids on a prison complex in Bihar, the hijacking of a train in Jharkhand, the killing of 30 tribals in one incident in Chhattisgarh and abduction of police officials and factory workers in Orissa.
The time to act is now because any further delay will have serious repercussions on the nation’s security. The Prime Minister has all the right answers. What he needs is the resolute will, drive and initiative to act which is where the administration is always found wanting.
As he put it at the conference of state ministers: ‘‘Our strategy has to be to walk on two legs.---to have an effective police response while at the same time focusing on reducing the sense of deprivation and alienation (among the people).’’
What is vital, however, is to ensure that the state governs in a true sense and restores order while reclaiming the regions lost to the Naxalites. For this the police force needs to be better trained and equipped and clothed with adequate authority. Social justice and development must doubtlessly follow after the administration has re-established its hold, so that the alienated masses could be won back.
Kamlendra Kanwar
Whatever else may have been the fallout of the recent developments in Nepal leading to the re-convening of the dissolved Parliament and the humiliation of the King, one disconcerting outcome is the legitimacy and respectability with which the Maoists have been clothed.
Their consistent anti-monarchy campaign has got the stamp of public approval as never before, thanks to the muddle-headedness of King Gyanendra and his wayward son. They now hold the gun even to the seven-party alliance to comply with their demand to set up a constituent assembly to make monarchy irrelevant or else face renewed street battles.
The ascendancy of the Maoists can only contribute to disorder and instability in Nepal and jeopardize India’s security both through the Chinese route and this country’s own brand of Maoists or Naxalites who now hold virtual sway over 160 of the country’s 604 districts spread across 13 states.
As Sitaram Yechury of the CPM commiserates with the Nepalese Maoists and the Manmohan Singh Government looks the other way while the nexus between Nepalese and Indian Maoists grows, there is a lurking danger for India that we can ignore only at our peril.
For Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to cry ‘wolf’ as he did recently at a conference of ministers of 13 Naxalite-affected states, describing Naxalism as the single biggest internal security challenge ever faced by the country, while flirting with the CPM and CPI for political survival is foolhardiness at its worst.
It is not for nothing that even a former director of India’s Intelligence Bureau, Ajit Doval wrote in the Hindustan Times recently that left-wing extremism was now a bigger threat to the country than Islamic militancy in Kashmir or separatist militancy in the northeast.
‘‘Unless some master strategic response is formulated and executed, the nation may find most of its rural hinterland overrun by an avalanche,’’ he wrote. Intelligence agencies believe that Maoists of India and Nepal have indeed begun joint operations. Sri Lanka’s LTTE and French Maoists provide full support to the Indian and Nepalese Maoists and Indian Maoists provide shelter and training camps to Nepal’s Maoists.
With Maoists levying taxes on every truck that passes through their area in the 160 districts in which they call the shots, distributing private land and now even government land through pattas and virtually hijacking the judicial system, the credibility of the administration is at its lowest ebb.
Central and state governments which have abdicated responsibility for years are now greatly rattled by some recent incidents like the massive Naxalite raids on a prison complex in Bihar, the hijacking of a train in Jharkhand, the killing of 30 tribals in one incident in Chhattisgarh and abduction of police officials and factory workers in Orissa.
The time to act is now because any further delay will have serious repercussions on the nation’s security. The Prime Minister has all the right answers. What he needs is the resolute will, drive and initiative to act which is where the administration is always found wanting.
As he put it at the conference of state ministers: ‘‘Our strategy has to be to walk on two legs.---to have an effective police response while at the same time focusing on reducing the sense of deprivation and alienation (among the people).’’
What is vital, however, is to ensure that the state governs in a true sense and restores order while reclaiming the regions lost to the Naxalites. For this the police force needs to be better trained and equipped and clothed with adequate authority. Social justice and development must doubtlessly follow after the administration has re-established its hold, so that the alienated masses could be won back.
But only out of the borders of the state into adjoining ones - or underground. The Maoists may have sustained reverses, but the red menace is far from dead. But it shows how an apolitical decision changes performance of the police
SAJI CHERIAN
Andhra Pradesh, for long the Naxalite (Maoist) heartland, has recently witnessed a relatively low dose of violence, though the Maoist presence continues across the state. In a stark contrast with the preceding year, when there were 114 incidents of Maoist violence in the first two months of 2005, year 2006 saw just 26 incidents over the same period, according to Ministry of Home Affairs data. The contrast is the more dramatic when compared to other affected states, such as Chhattisgarh which recorded 95 incidents (86 in the same period in 2005) and Jharkhand, with 56 incidents (72 in 2005). It would, of course, be presumptuous to conclude that the state has turned the tide in Andhra; but recent developments certainly reflect a marked change.
The ‘peace process’ in Andhra Pradesh over the period May 2004 - January 2005 had significantly weakened the position of the state forces vis-ą-vis the Maoists, who had used the interregnum for a massive drive of political and military consolidation. As such when the ‘honeymoon’ ended, the state had to come up with an effective response to recover the ground earlier vacated. In contrast to the halting of all combing operations during the ‘peace process’, the Andhra Pradesh Police, with the help of intelligence inputs from across the state and country, resumed these operations, emphasizing improvements in the local intelligence network, so that they could pinpoint the movement of Maoist dalams (armed squads).
The resumption of police operations came even as Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy unveiled a ‘two-pronged strategy’ to tackle the Maoists, on September 19, 2005. Reddy declared that the strategy included the implementation of developmental programmes in Maoist-affected districts to wean away potential recruits from Left Wing extremist groups and strict law and order enforcement to check violence. As part of the strategy to speed up development in Maoist-affected areas, a new department of Remote and Interior Areas Development was created. 15 districts were identified under the scheme on the basis of the Naxalite-related incidents: Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, Guntur, Prakasam, Nellore, Anantapur, Kurnool, Mahabubnagar, Warangal, Nizamabad, Adilabad, Karimnagar and Khammam. About 500,000 families in 3,000 villages across 280 mandals (blocks) in these Districts were identified as affected and sought to be brought under the scheme, for which a sum of four billion rupees was budgeted. Given the record of ‘developmental schemes’ in these regions in the past, the eventual impact of these measures remains uncertain. However, the ‘second prong’ – strict law and order enforcement – has already shown demonstrable results.
Outlining the police strategy, Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police Swaranjit Sen stated, "We are very careful about whom we arrest. We made a decision to arrest only hardcore Naxals and not those who might have helped Naxals by providing them food or shelter out of fear… We have recruited about 3,000 tribals from Naxal-affected areas in the Andhra Pradesh Special Police Battalion. Physical and educational requirements were relaxed for them. Such measures would further dry up the recruiting ground for Naxals." Moreover, close to 894 extremists surrendered in 2005, as compared to 396 in 2004 and 1,035 in 2003.
As in the late 1990s, an apolitical decision to tackle the Naxalites has allowed the police to apply the squeeze, especially in the Telengana region. The region also witnessed the highest number of Naxalite fatalities in 2005, with 93 out of the 167 Naxalites (ICM data) killed across the ten Districts
Significant improvement was also witnessed in the ‘heartland districts’, such as Karimnagar, Nizamabad and Adilabad.
According to Superintendent of Police Devendra Singh Chauhan, Naxalite violence has come down drastically over the years in Karimnagar district. During 2005, out of 12 incidents of exchange of fire, a total of 20 Naxalites, including 10 CPI-Maoist, six Janasakthi and the remaining Singareni Karmika Samakhya (Sikasa) activists were killed. Among the top cadres who were killed in encounters were the Janashakti ‘state committee member’ Riaz and the Maoist ‘east division committee member’ Dharmula Mallikarjun. There was a record number of 104 surrenders during the year.
Similarly, in the Nizamabad District, Naxalite activity was brought under control in 2005, with the exception of the encounter at Manala hills on March 7, in which 10 Maoists were killed. The Maoists received a major setback in this operation as its ‘district committee secretary’ Ramesh was eliminated. 17 Maoists surrendered in the District, opting to join the mainstream, as compared to just one in 2004. The police also arrested 79 Maoists and two Janashakti Naxalites in 2005.
In Adilabad District, police action over the past five years has led to the neutralisation of 50 Maoists, including three of ‘district committee secretary’ rank, three of ‘district committee member’ rank and nine ‘dalam commanders’. Some 242 Naxalites surrendered over this period.
Successes were also seen in Warangal District, when on March 19, 2005, CPI-Maoist ‘North Telangana Special Zonal Committee’ member, Damera Vijaykumar Swamy alias Yadanna, and three of his associates were killed in an encounter. Similarly, in Mahabubnagar District, on April 2, ‘district committee’ and ‘action team’ member, Gajji Srisailam and his wife, Puspakka were killed at Achampet.
Following reverses in the Telengana region, the Maoist ‘hideouts’ in the Nallamalla Forest region, spanning five districts, also came under increased combing operations. This sustained operation has been achieved through inter-district cooperation between the police officials at the highest level. For instance, following reports of movement of cadres from the Telengana region to the Nallamala forests, senior police officials of the five districts of Kurnool, Mahabubnagar, Chittoor, Cuddapah and Anantapur met in February 2006, and prepared an action plan to deal with the development. Intensive combing operations in the Nallamalla Forest have achieved positive results. February 2006 reports indicated that the CPI-Maoist had to postpone its ‘AP state committee’ meeting due to the heightened security presence. The ‘state committee’ meet was supposed to be held in February at Erragundlapalem in Prakasam district, but was cancelled at the last minute after police moved their forces to the meeting venue in the Nallamalla Forest. All alternative plans for the meeting also fell through due to intensified combing operations.
The Maoist threat in Andhra, however, is far from being neutralized, or even adequately contained. As in the past (in 2002, for instance), the outfit has cleverly shifted its operations towards the Rayalaseema and the coastal districts (especially the districts adjoining Orissa), as it comes under pressure in the ‘heartland’ areas. According to police intelligence reports, in the month of February 2006, Maoist dalams from Mahabubnagar and the South Telangana Districts were moving into Guntur and Prakasam district areas, while some of the top cadres of CPI-Maoist migrated into the Andhra-Orissa Border (AOB) region which, due to the hilly terrain and presence of easy escape routes, combined with weaker policing in Orissa, provides significant advantage to the Maoists.
To further strengthen and consolidate their presence in this region, the Maoists have also formed a separate ‘Orissa state committee’.
Increased Maoist activities have been witnessed in the districts adjoining Orissa for quite some time now, interspersed with major attacks like the one at Kuneru. On December 25, 2005, Maoists shot dead four Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, and critically wounded another two in an attack at the Kuneru Railway Station in Vizianagaram district. The extremists also took away INR 1.3 million and eight weapons being carried by the police personnel. The incident happened within hours on the heels of a Maoist attack on the Sileru police station in Visakhapatnam District on December 24 night, in which one policeman was injured. Srikakulam district has also witnessed significant Maoist activity, especially in the Uddahanam area, Bhamini, Vajrapukotthuru, Palasa, Mandasa and Sitampeta mandals.
Following the attack on the Ramagiri Udaigiri town in Orissa on March 24, the Andhra Pradesh Police had to intensify its efforts to prevent the movement of cadres into Andhra through the Srikakulam, Vishakhapatnam and Vizianagaram Districts.
The Maoist tactics to strengthen and expand in Orissa, with the help of the cadres operating in Andhra Pradesh, have also borne fruit, as revealed in a White Paper on the law and order situation tabled in the Orissa State Assembly in March 2006, which noted: "Naxalite activities, which were reported from southern and northern districts of the state, have affected (the) law and order situation of the state. Of the 30 districts of the state, Naxalites were active in 14 districts in 2005."
The diminution in violence in Andhra does not, consequently, indicate that the Maoists are in any measure a spent force. There has, in fact, been a conscious decision on the part of the Maoists to retreat into the forests and safer areas, rather than emerge in village areas, where police presence could lead to losses. Although, this ‘moderate’ or tactical line of retreat may suggest a temporary setback, there are other areas transcending state boundaries (Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh), where the consolidation continues.
The Maoists have also continued with weapons upgradation and improvements in their technological capacities, as revealed, for instance, when the Nizamabad district police seized a mobile frequency modulation (FM) set following the arrest of a Maoist from Akkannapet railway station on March 6. Nizamabad Range DIG Anjani Kumar stated that the seizure was the "tip of the iceberg", and the Maoists are able to listen in on police communications through improvised communication systems manufactured by in-house experts. Further, the Maoists have acquired the technology to blast claymore mines using wireless sets as remote controlling devices. They can now blast a claymore mine from a distance of five km making use of the US-made Icom IC-V8 wireless sets, considered to be the best in the world. Prakasam Superintendent of Police N. Balasubramanyam disclosed that the police had seized 30 such wireless sets from the place of an encounter in which three persons were killed in the district on February 7, 2006,. The seizure confirmed the fears of the police that Maoists now had the capacities to use the wireless sets not only for communications but also as remote control devices to blast claymore mines. A demonstration of this capability was provided on April 8, 2006, when a State Legislator belonging to the Congress Party, Udumula Sreenivas Reddy, narrowly survived a landmine attack at Kakarla in the Prakasam District.
Maoists have also continued with extortion and to maintain their linkages with their established sources of income in Andhra Pradesh.
On April 4, 2006, the Anantapur district police arrested a Maoist, Venkatrami Reddy, and seized Rs 300,000 in cash. Reddy was arrested when he was en route to hand over the cash collected from a contractor of the Hendri Niva irrigation project to the ‘Penna Area committee secretary’, Kranti. The police officer on special duty, G. Vijaykumar, disclosed that the Maoist was acting as a key member of the dalam (squad) and had already extorted about Rs 5 million from contractors executing works in Uravakonda, Guntakal, Vajrakarur, Pamidi and Garladinne and had handed it over to the Penna Ahobilam dalam. In a similar operation on April 3, 2006, police had recovered Rs five million from two Maoists in Mahabubnagar district.
Andhra Pradesh has had cyclical periods in its history, when the state machinery has been able to gain a transient upper hand over the Naxalites, only to be circumvented by political opportunism, and the failure to implement the very reforms that are loudly proclaimed whenever Naxalite violence peaks. Focused counter-insurgency campaigns fractured by intervals of political interference and slackness have contributed to a patchy record. The state machinery has once again succeeded in making life difficult for the Maoists, but their existence is not in question. The top rung Maoist leadership in the ‘state committee’ continues to survive and operate, although the police have neutralized a few ‘district committee’ leaders. The state has also failed to comprehensively root out their presence in any of their areas of activity. The Maoists continue to display high levels of ingenuity and craft, lying low, as in the past, in times of stress, devising means to sustain their existence till a favourable and lame polity allows them to hit back again.
Saji Cherian is Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management. Courtesy, the South Asia Intelligence Review of the South Asia Terrorism Portal
SAJI CHERIAN
Andhra Pradesh, for long the Naxalite (Maoist) heartland, has recently witnessed a relatively low dose of violence, though the Maoist presence continues across the state. In a stark contrast with the preceding year, when there were 114 incidents of Maoist violence in the first two months of 2005, year 2006 saw just 26 incidents over the same period, according to Ministry of Home Affairs data. The contrast is the more dramatic when compared to other affected states, such as Chhattisgarh which recorded 95 incidents (86 in the same period in 2005) and Jharkhand, with 56 incidents (72 in 2005). It would, of course, be presumptuous to conclude that the state has turned the tide in Andhra; but recent developments certainly reflect a marked change.
The ‘peace process’ in Andhra Pradesh over the period May 2004 - January 2005 had significantly weakened the position of the state forces vis-ą-vis the Maoists, who had used the interregnum for a massive drive of political and military consolidation. As such when the ‘honeymoon’ ended, the state had to come up with an effective response to recover the ground earlier vacated. In contrast to the halting of all combing operations during the ‘peace process’, the Andhra Pradesh Police, with the help of intelligence inputs from across the state and country, resumed these operations, emphasizing improvements in the local intelligence network, so that they could pinpoint the movement of Maoist dalams (armed squads).
The resumption of police operations came even as Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy unveiled a ‘two-pronged strategy’ to tackle the Maoists, on September 19, 2005. Reddy declared that the strategy included the implementation of developmental programmes in Maoist-affected districts to wean away potential recruits from Left Wing extremist groups and strict law and order enforcement to check violence. As part of the strategy to speed up development in Maoist-affected areas, a new department of Remote and Interior Areas Development was created. 15 districts were identified under the scheme on the basis of the Naxalite-related incidents: Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, Guntur, Prakasam, Nellore, Anantapur, Kurnool, Mahabubnagar, Warangal, Nizamabad, Adilabad, Karimnagar and Khammam. About 500,000 families in 3,000 villages across 280 mandals (blocks) in these Districts were identified as affected and sought to be brought under the scheme, for which a sum of four billion rupees was budgeted. Given the record of ‘developmental schemes’ in these regions in the past, the eventual impact of these measures remains uncertain. However, the ‘second prong’ – strict law and order enforcement – has already shown demonstrable results.
Outlining the police strategy, Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police Swaranjit Sen stated, "We are very careful about whom we arrest. We made a decision to arrest only hardcore Naxals and not those who might have helped Naxals by providing them food or shelter out of fear… We have recruited about 3,000 tribals from Naxal-affected areas in the Andhra Pradesh Special Police Battalion. Physical and educational requirements were relaxed for them. Such measures would further dry up the recruiting ground for Naxals." Moreover, close to 894 extremists surrendered in 2005, as compared to 396 in 2004 and 1,035 in 2003.
As in the late 1990s, an apolitical decision to tackle the Naxalites has allowed the police to apply the squeeze, especially in the Telengana region. The region also witnessed the highest number of Naxalite fatalities in 2005, with 93 out of the 167 Naxalites (ICM data) killed across the ten Districts
Significant improvement was also witnessed in the ‘heartland districts’, such as Karimnagar, Nizamabad and Adilabad.
According to Superintendent of Police Devendra Singh Chauhan, Naxalite violence has come down drastically over the years in Karimnagar district. During 2005, out of 12 incidents of exchange of fire, a total of 20 Naxalites, including 10 CPI-Maoist, six Janasakthi and the remaining Singareni Karmika Samakhya (Sikasa) activists were killed. Among the top cadres who were killed in encounters were the Janashakti ‘state committee member’ Riaz and the Maoist ‘east division committee member’ Dharmula Mallikarjun. There was a record number of 104 surrenders during the year.
Similarly, in the Nizamabad District, Naxalite activity was brought under control in 2005, with the exception of the encounter at Manala hills on March 7, in which 10 Maoists were killed. The Maoists received a major setback in this operation as its ‘district committee secretary’ Ramesh was eliminated. 17 Maoists surrendered in the District, opting to join the mainstream, as compared to just one in 2004. The police also arrested 79 Maoists and two Janashakti Naxalites in 2005.
In Adilabad District, police action over the past five years has led to the neutralisation of 50 Maoists, including three of ‘district committee secretary’ rank, three of ‘district committee member’ rank and nine ‘dalam commanders’. Some 242 Naxalites surrendered over this period.
Successes were also seen in Warangal District, when on March 19, 2005, CPI-Maoist ‘North Telangana Special Zonal Committee’ member, Damera Vijaykumar Swamy alias Yadanna, and three of his associates were killed in an encounter. Similarly, in Mahabubnagar District, on April 2, ‘district committee’ and ‘action team’ member, Gajji Srisailam and his wife, Puspakka were killed at Achampet.
Following reverses in the Telengana region, the Maoist ‘hideouts’ in the Nallamalla Forest region, spanning five districts, also came under increased combing operations. This sustained operation has been achieved through inter-district cooperation between the police officials at the highest level. For instance, following reports of movement of cadres from the Telengana region to the Nallamala forests, senior police officials of the five districts of Kurnool, Mahabubnagar, Chittoor, Cuddapah and Anantapur met in February 2006, and prepared an action plan to deal with the development. Intensive combing operations in the Nallamalla Forest have achieved positive results. February 2006 reports indicated that the CPI-Maoist had to postpone its ‘AP state committee’ meeting due to the heightened security presence. The ‘state committee’ meet was supposed to be held in February at Erragundlapalem in Prakasam district, but was cancelled at the last minute after police moved their forces to the meeting venue in the Nallamalla Forest. All alternative plans for the meeting also fell through due to intensified combing operations.
The Maoist threat in Andhra, however, is far from being neutralized, or even adequately contained. As in the past (in 2002, for instance), the outfit has cleverly shifted its operations towards the Rayalaseema and the coastal districts (especially the districts adjoining Orissa), as it comes under pressure in the ‘heartland’ areas. According to police intelligence reports, in the month of February 2006, Maoist dalams from Mahabubnagar and the South Telangana Districts were moving into Guntur and Prakasam district areas, while some of the top cadres of CPI-Maoist migrated into the Andhra-Orissa Border (AOB) region which, due to the hilly terrain and presence of easy escape routes, combined with weaker policing in Orissa, provides significant advantage to the Maoists.
To further strengthen and consolidate their presence in this region, the Maoists have also formed a separate ‘Orissa state committee’.
Increased Maoist activities have been witnessed in the districts adjoining Orissa for quite some time now, interspersed with major attacks like the one at Kuneru. On December 25, 2005, Maoists shot dead four Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, and critically wounded another two in an attack at the Kuneru Railway Station in Vizianagaram district. The extremists also took away INR 1.3 million and eight weapons being carried by the police personnel. The incident happened within hours on the heels of a Maoist attack on the Sileru police station in Visakhapatnam District on December 24 night, in which one policeman was injured. Srikakulam district has also witnessed significant Maoist activity, especially in the Uddahanam area, Bhamini, Vajrapukotthuru, Palasa, Mandasa and Sitampeta mandals.
Following the attack on the Ramagiri Udaigiri town in Orissa on March 24, the Andhra Pradesh Police had to intensify its efforts to prevent the movement of cadres into Andhra through the Srikakulam, Vishakhapatnam and Vizianagaram Districts.
The Maoist tactics to strengthen and expand in Orissa, with the help of the cadres operating in Andhra Pradesh, have also borne fruit, as revealed in a White Paper on the law and order situation tabled in the Orissa State Assembly in March 2006, which noted: "Naxalite activities, which were reported from southern and northern districts of the state, have affected (the) law and order situation of the state. Of the 30 districts of the state, Naxalites were active in 14 districts in 2005."
The diminution in violence in Andhra does not, consequently, indicate that the Maoists are in any measure a spent force. There has, in fact, been a conscious decision on the part of the Maoists to retreat into the forests and safer areas, rather than emerge in village areas, where police presence could lead to losses. Although, this ‘moderate’ or tactical line of retreat may suggest a temporary setback, there are other areas transcending state boundaries (Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh), where the consolidation continues.
The Maoists have also continued with weapons upgradation and improvements in their technological capacities, as revealed, for instance, when the Nizamabad district police seized a mobile frequency modulation (FM) set following the arrest of a Maoist from Akkannapet railway station on March 6. Nizamabad Range DIG Anjani Kumar stated that the seizure was the "tip of the iceberg", and the Maoists are able to listen in on police communications through improvised communication systems manufactured by in-house experts. Further, the Maoists have acquired the technology to blast claymore mines using wireless sets as remote controlling devices. They can now blast a claymore mine from a distance of five km making use of the US-made Icom IC-V8 wireless sets, considered to be the best in the world. Prakasam Superintendent of Police N. Balasubramanyam disclosed that the police had seized 30 such wireless sets from the place of an encounter in which three persons were killed in the district on February 7, 2006,. The seizure confirmed the fears of the police that Maoists now had the capacities to use the wireless sets not only for communications but also as remote control devices to blast claymore mines. A demonstration of this capability was provided on April 8, 2006, when a State Legislator belonging to the Congress Party, Udumula Sreenivas Reddy, narrowly survived a landmine attack at Kakarla in the Prakasam District.
Maoists have also continued with extortion and to maintain their linkages with their established sources of income in Andhra Pradesh.
On April 4, 2006, the Anantapur district police arrested a Maoist, Venkatrami Reddy, and seized Rs 300,000 in cash. Reddy was arrested when he was en route to hand over the cash collected from a contractor of the Hendri Niva irrigation project to the ‘Penna Area committee secretary’, Kranti. The police officer on special duty, G. Vijaykumar, disclosed that the Maoist was acting as a key member of the dalam (squad) and had already extorted about Rs 5 million from contractors executing works in Uravakonda, Guntakal, Vajrakarur, Pamidi and Garladinne and had handed it over to the Penna Ahobilam dalam. In a similar operation on April 3, 2006, police had recovered Rs five million from two Maoists in Mahabubnagar district.
Andhra Pradesh has had cyclical periods in its history, when the state machinery has been able to gain a transient upper hand over the Naxalites, only to be circumvented by political opportunism, and the failure to implement the very reforms that are loudly proclaimed whenever Naxalite violence peaks. Focused counter-insurgency campaigns fractured by intervals of political interference and slackness have contributed to a patchy record. The state machinery has once again succeeded in making life difficult for the Maoists, but their existence is not in question. The top rung Maoist leadership in the ‘state committee’ continues to survive and operate, although the police have neutralized a few ‘district committee’ leaders. The state has also failed to comprehensively root out their presence in any of their areas of activity. The Maoists continue to display high levels of ingenuity and craft, lying low, as in the past, in times of stress, devising means to sustain their existence till a favourable and lame polity allows them to hit back again.
Saji Cherian is Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management. Courtesy, the South Asia Intelligence Review of the South Asia Terrorism Portal
BATTALIONS
NEW DELHI, APR 27 (PTI)
The Centre today sanctioned raising of nine more battalions comprising 9,000 police personnel for naxalite-affected Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Karnataka, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana (one each) and two for badly-hit Chhattisgarh.
It is also considering sanctioning one India Reserve Battalion (IRB) each for Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, which are also affected by the menace.
In addition to these, the government has also given its nod for raising five IRBs for Jammu and Kashmir and six for the North-Eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura, where insurgency prevails. One battalion consists of approximately 1,000 personnel.
"The Centre has been assisting the naxalite-affected states to enable them to deal with the problem. The sanction to raise the additional battalions is also part of the exercise to wean away unemployed youth from attracted to alternative sources of livelihood offered by naxal elements," a Home Ministry spokesman said.
The battalions sanctioned for the eight states, facing naxal problem, is under a new scheme that will ensure higher central financial support of over Rs 20 crore per battalion towards the cost of raising and infrastructure assistance as compared to Rs 13 crore earlier. The previous scheme had 50 per cent loan component.
The spokesman said the naxalite-hit states have also been asked to progressively reduce their dependence on central paramilitary forces by raising the IRBs. These states have also been asked to arrange specialised commando-type of training to the new IRBs whose personnel are recruited locally and are better suited to tackle the extremist problem as they know the demography, customs and traditions, ethos and culture of the area.
The Centre, the spokesman, said has also offered support in training of these battalions by the paramilitary forces and the Army.
The battalions sanctioned for Jammu and Kashmir and the North-Eastern states will be totally funded by the Centre as per the scheme.
NEW DELHI, APR 27 (PTI)
The Centre today sanctioned raising of nine more battalions comprising 9,000 police personnel for naxalite-affected Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Karnataka, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana (one each) and two for badly-hit Chhattisgarh.
It is also considering sanctioning one India Reserve Battalion (IRB) each for Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, which are also affected by the menace.
In addition to these, the government has also given its nod for raising five IRBs for Jammu and Kashmir and six for the North-Eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura, where insurgency prevails. One battalion consists of approximately 1,000 personnel.
"The Centre has been assisting the naxalite-affected states to enable them to deal with the problem. The sanction to raise the additional battalions is also part of the exercise to wean away unemployed youth from attracted to alternative sources of livelihood offered by naxal elements," a Home Ministry spokesman said.
The battalions sanctioned for the eight states, facing naxal problem, is under a new scheme that will ensure higher central financial support of over Rs 20 crore per battalion towards the cost of raising and infrastructure assistance as compared to Rs 13 crore earlier. The previous scheme had 50 per cent loan component.
The spokesman said the naxalite-hit states have also been asked to progressively reduce their dependence on central paramilitary forces by raising the IRBs. These states have also been asked to arrange specialised commando-type of training to the new IRBs whose personnel are recruited locally and are better suited to tackle the extremist problem as they know the demography, customs and traditions, ethos and culture of the area.
The Centre, the spokesman, said has also offered support in training of these battalions by the paramilitary forces and the Army.
The battalions sanctioned for Jammu and Kashmir and the North-Eastern states will be totally funded by the Centre as per the scheme.
Patna: Expressing concern over the increasing Naxal activities in Bihar, the state's Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar, has
approached the Central Government for assistance in countering this menacing threat.
Condemning the April 24 Naxal killing of six people in Aurangabad, Kumar said that Bihar's Home Secretary Hem Chandra Sirohi is in New Delhi to seek more Central security forces for the state in view of the forthcoming local self-government elections.
"I condemn the killing (in Aurangabad). This is not the problem of a particular state now, but it is the problem of the entire nation. That is why the Prime Minister often holds discussions to deal with the Naxal menace. I have informed the Central Government about the increasing Naxal problem in the state. We have made some demands to the Central Government, which should be fulfilled. The state cannot tackle the problem alone. The state would do what it can in this matter and people should be prepared for it," Kumar said.
The Maoist Communist Centre is one of the most dreaded Naxal outfits in Bihar and neighbouring Jharkhand. Formed on October 20, 1969 with Kanhai Chatterjee and Amulya Sen as its founding members, the MCC entered Bihar in 1971, it has carried out a string of massacres, particularly targeting upper castes, in the state and is constantly at war with landlords' private army Ranvir Sena besides another ultra-leftist outfit PWG, contractors and traders. It is active in six naxalism-hit districts of Bihar and 14 districts in Jharkhand.
These districts include Patna, Jehanabad, Gaya, Aurangabad, Nalanda, Nawadah, Bhojpur and Rohtas in Bihar and Chhatra, Palamu, Garhwa, Hazaribagh, Dhanbad, Bokaro, Palamu, Dhumka, Sahebganj, Gumla, Lohardagga, and Ranchi in Jharkhand.
It has 300 professional revolutionaries, 60 armed squads and 30,000 members, informed sources in Bihar say.
Some of its frontal organizations are the Jan Pratirodh Sangharsh Manch, Krantikari Budhijivi Sangh, Krantikari Sanskritik Sangh, Krantikari Chhatra League, Communist Yuva League, Naari Mukti Sangh and Mazdoor Mukti Sangh are affiliated to MCC.
Its Central Committee is the main decision making body. MCC leadership in Bihar lies mainly with backward castes, particularly Yadavs and Dalits. It has declared a liberated zone in Bihar, which include Aurangabad district. Its Bihar-Bengal Special Area Committee, Preparatory Committee for Revolutionary Peasant Struggles and Revolutionary Peasant Councils constantly monitor, review and enhance the MCC activities in the region.
Besides the MCC and the PWG, a number of other smaller ultra-left groups are also active in Bihar. They are as follows:
• CPI (ML) Provisional Central Committee: Formed in 1977, it is active in Bokaro and Dhanbad.
• CPI (ML) Red Flag: Formed in 1980, it has a presence in Jamshedpur.
• CPI (ML) 2nd Central Committee: Formed in 1972 by Mahadeo Mukerjee, it is active in Vaishali, Bhagalpur and Banka.
• CPI (ML) Santi Pal Group: It is active in Sahebganj, Godda, Saharsa and Purnea.
• CPI (ML) ND: Formed in 1988 by Yatendra Kumar, it is active in Rohtas, Kaumru, East Champaran, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Mazaffarpur, Dhanbad and Ranchi.
• CPI (ML) Bhaijee Group: Formed in 1990 by S R Bhaijee, it is active in West and East Champaran.
• CPI (ML) Jansakti: It is active in Kaimur and East Champaran.
• CPI (ML) Unity Initiative: Formed in 1990, it is active in Ranchi, Gumla and Dhanbad.
• CPI (ML) Organising Committee: It is active in Kaimur under the leadership of B N Sharma.
Condemning the April 24 Naxal killing of six people in Aurangabad, Kumar said that Bihar's Home Secretary Hem Chandra Sirohi is in New Delhi to seek more Central security forces for the state in view of the forthcoming local self-government elections.
"I condemn the killing (in Aurangabad). This is not the problem of a particular state now, but it is the problem of the entire nation. That is why the Prime Minister often holds discussions to deal with the Naxal menace. I have informed the Central Government about the increasing Naxal problem in the state. We have made some demands to the Central Government, which should be fulfilled. The state cannot tackle the problem alone. The state would do what it can in this matter and people should be prepared for it," Kumar said.
The Maoist Communist Centre is one of the most dreaded Naxal outfits in Bihar and neighbouring Jharkhand. Formed on October 20, 1969 with Kanhai Chatterjee and Amulya Sen as its founding members, the MCC entered Bihar in 1971, it has carried out a string of massacres, particularly targeting upper castes, in the state and is constantly at war with landlords' private army Ranvir Sena besides another ultra-leftist outfit PWG, contractors and traders. It is active in six naxalism-hit districts of Bihar and 14 districts in Jharkhand.
These districts include Patna, Jehanabad, Gaya, Aurangabad, Nalanda, Nawadah, Bhojpur and Rohtas in Bihar and Chhatra, Palamu, Garhwa, Hazaribagh, Dhanbad, Bokaro, Palamu, Dhumka, Sahebganj, Gumla, Lohardagga, and Ranchi in Jharkhand.
It has 300 professional revolutionaries, 60 armed squads and 30,000 members, informed sources in Bihar say.
Some of its frontal organizations are the Jan Pratirodh Sangharsh Manch, Krantikari Budhijivi Sangh, Krantikari Sanskritik Sangh, Krantikari Chhatra League, Communist Yuva League, Naari Mukti Sangh and Mazdoor Mukti Sangh are affiliated to MCC.
Its Central Committee is the main decision making body. MCC leadership in Bihar lies mainly with backward castes, particularly Yadavs and Dalits. It has declared a liberated zone in Bihar, which include Aurangabad district. Its Bihar-Bengal Special Area Committee, Preparatory Committee for Revolutionary Peasant Struggles and Revolutionary Peasant Councils constantly monitor, review and enhance the MCC activities in the region.
Besides the MCC and the PWG, a number of other smaller ultra-left groups are also active in Bihar. They are as follows:
• CPI (ML) Provisional Central Committee: Formed in 1977, it is active in Bokaro and Dhanbad.
• CPI (ML) Red Flag: Formed in 1980, it has a presence in Jamshedpur.
• CPI (ML) 2nd Central Committee: Formed in 1972 by Mahadeo Mukerjee, it is active in Vaishali, Bhagalpur and Banka.
• CPI (ML) Santi Pal Group: It is active in Sahebganj, Godda, Saharsa and Purnea.
• CPI (ML) ND: Formed in 1988 by Yatendra Kumar, it is active in Rohtas, Kaumru, East Champaran, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Mazaffarpur, Dhanbad and Ranchi.
• CPI (ML) Bhaijee Group: Formed in 1990 by S R Bhaijee, it is active in West and East Champaran.
• CPI (ML) Jansakti: It is active in Kaimur and East Champaran.
• CPI (ML) Unity Initiative: Formed in 1990, it is active in Ranchi, Gumla and Dhanbad.
• CPI (ML) Organising Committee: It is active in Kaimur under the leadership of B N Sharma.
BHUBANESWAR, APR 27 (PTI)
Orissa government today ordered its special branch of police to inquire into the circulation of Maoist leaflets which have justified the attack on Ramgiri Udaygiri subjail in Orissa's Gajapati district on March 24.
The leaflets also gave a detailed account of arms and ammunition looted from the Orissa State Armed Police Force camp.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said that they had not received any leaflet from Naxalites. "However, we are inquiring into the allegations of leaflet distribution." State Home Secretary Santosh Kumar meanwhile confirmed the distribution of the leaflets, saying the special branch would investigate the matter.
Yesterday, hundreds of leaflets allegedly addressed by the Orissa state organisational committee of CPI (Maoist) were posted to different people in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
The Maoists had called upon people to take part in what they said "people's war" against injustice meted out by "corrupt" ministers and bureaucrats.
The Maoists said in the leaflet that they retaliated against the police, killing three of them and injuring 12 because their call for surrender had gone unheeded and instead the policemen opened fire on March 24.
The home secretary said the state government was taking steps to fortify six jails situated in the Naxal-infested districts. Also, 915 vacant police posts in 83 police stations would be filled up.
Orissa government today ordered its special branch of police to inquire into the circulation of Maoist leaflets which have justified the attack on Ramgiri Udaygiri subjail in Orissa's Gajapati district on March 24.
The leaflets also gave a detailed account of arms and ammunition looted from the Orissa State Armed Police Force camp.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said that they had not received any leaflet from Naxalites. "However, we are inquiring into the allegations of leaflet distribution." State Home Secretary Santosh Kumar meanwhile confirmed the distribution of the leaflets, saying the special branch would investigate the matter.
Yesterday, hundreds of leaflets allegedly addressed by the Orissa state organisational committee of CPI (Maoist) were posted to different people in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
The Maoists had called upon people to take part in what they said "people's war" against injustice meted out by "corrupt" ministers and bureaucrats.
The Maoists said in the leaflet that they retaliated against the police, killing three of them and injuring 12 because their call for surrender had gone unheeded and instead the policemen opened fire on March 24.
The home secretary said the state government was taking steps to fortify six jails situated in the Naxal-infested districts. Also, 915 vacant police posts in 83 police stations would be filled up.
GAUTAM SARKAR
Jhajha (Jamui), April 26: In an alleged retaliation against the killing of a Naxalite leader, Maoist rebels struck twice blowing up a portion of railway tracks and setting fire on a railway cabin near Jhajha in Bihar last night.
Although no one was hurt during the twin raids, the rebels took three railway staff of Narganjo — 8 km from Jhajha under Kiul-Asansol section of the Eastern Railway — hostage soon after demolishing the cabin in the halt station. The hostages — assistant station manager Sanjeev Kumar, D.K. Panday and Harku Mahato — were, however, set free this morning. Panday said they were taken to an unknown place in a forest, some 7 km from Narganjo.
Santosh Kumar, a passenger of 8182 Chapra-Tata Express, said: “When the train reached Narganjo, we saw the cabin was aflame.”
According to Asansol assistant commissioner (security) Raj Kumar, the driver of 3021 Up Howrah-Raxaul Mithila Express who witnessed the cabin burning reported the incident to Jhajha and traffic on the section was immediately withheld. Kumar added that one platoon (20) of CRPF personnel, who were deployed for Simultalla, incidentally boarded the train at Jhajha to reach to their destination. “The CRPF personnel rushed to a nearby railway bridge to prevent further damage,” he said.
Jamui superintendent of police Sharukh Majid said two powerful bombs were also recovered from the tracks near Narganjo. “Two can bombs of 5 kg and 10 kg were fixed with the tracks and attached to detonators by a 100-metre-long wire,” he said.
In the other incident, the Maoists blew up railway tracks near Dashrathpur railway station on Kiul-Bhagalpur loop section around 3.30 am. Like the earlier incident, the explosion took place soon after Jamalpur-Kiul DMU Passenger passed from Dashrathpur station in Munger district. The Delhi-bound Guwahati Sampark Kranti Express, which was scheduled to pass the station at 3.45 am, was detained at Jamalpur.
Due to the twin raids, railway service remained disrupted for hours in both the sections, which were opened around 9 this morning.
Sources said that the attacks were pre-planned by the rebels, who seemed to be aware of the timings of the trains and did not want to hurt anyone except sending a message against the killing of their leader Manjit Hembrom, who was gunned down at Judapania village under Jhajha police station on April 14.
Senior police officers, on condition of anonymity, said that they had sent reports to the railways on a possible raid a few days ago after the encounter in which Hembrom was killed.
Blaming Jamui subdivisional police officer Ajoy Panday and CRPF deputy commandant Umashanker Kanth for killing Hembrom, a news release issued by the eastern Bihar zonal committee of CPI (Maoist) stated: “We have done what we had claimed earlier and will continue our struggle for the cause of the poor.
Jhajha (Jamui), April 26: In an alleged retaliation against the killing of a Naxalite leader, Maoist rebels struck twice blowing up a portion of railway tracks and setting fire on a railway cabin near Jhajha in Bihar last night.
Although no one was hurt during the twin raids, the rebels took three railway staff of Narganjo — 8 km from Jhajha under Kiul-Asansol section of the Eastern Railway — hostage soon after demolishing the cabin in the halt station. The hostages — assistant station manager Sanjeev Kumar, D.K. Panday and Harku Mahato — were, however, set free this morning. Panday said they were taken to an unknown place in a forest, some 7 km from Narganjo.
Santosh Kumar, a passenger of 8182 Chapra-Tata Express, said: “When the train reached Narganjo, we saw the cabin was aflame.”
According to Asansol assistant commissioner (security) Raj Kumar, the driver of 3021 Up Howrah-Raxaul Mithila Express who witnessed the cabin burning reported the incident to Jhajha and traffic on the section was immediately withheld. Kumar added that one platoon (20) of CRPF personnel, who were deployed for Simultalla, incidentally boarded the train at Jhajha to reach to their destination. “The CRPF personnel rushed to a nearby railway bridge to prevent further damage,” he said.
Jamui superintendent of police Sharukh Majid said two powerful bombs were also recovered from the tracks near Narganjo. “Two can bombs of 5 kg and 10 kg were fixed with the tracks and attached to detonators by a 100-metre-long wire,” he said.
In the other incident, the Maoists blew up railway tracks near Dashrathpur railway station on Kiul-Bhagalpur loop section around 3.30 am. Like the earlier incident, the explosion took place soon after Jamalpur-Kiul DMU Passenger passed from Dashrathpur station in Munger district. The Delhi-bound Guwahati Sampark Kranti Express, which was scheduled to pass the station at 3.45 am, was detained at Jamalpur.
Due to the twin raids, railway service remained disrupted for hours in both the sections, which were opened around 9 this morning.
Sources said that the attacks were pre-planned by the rebels, who seemed to be aware of the timings of the trains and did not want to hurt anyone except sending a message against the killing of their leader Manjit Hembrom, who was gunned down at Judapania village under Jhajha police station on April 14.
Senior police officers, on condition of anonymity, said that they had sent reports to the railways on a possible raid a few days ago after the encounter in which Hembrom was killed.
Blaming Jamui subdivisional police officer Ajoy Panday and CRPF deputy commandant Umashanker Kanth for killing Hembrom, a news release issued by the eastern Bihar zonal committee of CPI (Maoist) stated: “We have done what we had claimed earlier and will continue our struggle for the cause of the poor.
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Patna, April 26: Barely a few hours after the Nitish Kumar administration talked about taking on Left-wing rebels, suspected CPI(Maoist) guerrillas blasted a railway cabin and tracks in the eastern Bihar districts of Jamui and Munger early on Wednesday.
Deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi had yesterday announced that the government would provide arms to villagers of Naxalite-affected Aurangabad district, where he had gone after the rebels killed six persons in a Monday-night ambush.
Just after midnight, an unspecified number of extremists raided Narganjo station near Jhajha in the Asansol division of Eastern Railway (ER) in Jamui district, about 180 km east of Patna, and blew up its signalling cabin after ordering railway employees to vacate the place.
The chief public relations officer of ER, Soumitra Majumdar, told The Telegraph from Calcutta that all train movement was immediately stopped and, as a result, more than a dozen Up and Down trains remained stranded on the Howrah-Delhi route till morning.
Two live bombs were also recovered on the tracks, 1.5 km from Narganjo, railway officials said, adding that a police party defused the explosives around 8 am.
Traffic on the route resumed after 9 am and the Gangasagar Express was the first train that was allowed to pass, after a pilot run and foot-patrol combing.
Three hours later, another group of Naxalites detonated bombs near Dashrathpur station after Jamalpur, which falls in the same railway division, in Munger district and blew up nearly one metre of the Up track.
The two sites, though on different sections, are less than 100 km apart.
“As this route is not that busy, movement of only two trains was affected and traffic resumed around 7.30 in the morning. After the Narganjo incident, we diverted three trains — the Howrah-Amritsar Mail, Vibhuti Express and Himgiri Express — through the Dhanbad-Gaya-Mughalsarai route,” Majumdar said.
The attack by the rebels threw traffic on the Howrah-Delhi line out of gear and most of the trains reaching Patna — including the Howrah-Danapur Express, South Bihar Express, Howrah-Delhi Lal Quila Express, Hatia-Gorakhpur Maurya Express, Howrah-Delhi Janata Express, Chhapra-Tatanagar Express, Durg Express and Tata-Danapur Express — were running several hours behind schedule.
The Maoists have called a general strike in the eastern Bihar districts of Banka, Bhagalpur, Munger and Jamui in protest against alleged police excesses against their cadre.
A source close to the Naxalites said the recent string of incidents — the attack on a Janata Dal (United) leader in Aurangabad, abduction of villagers in Chhattisgarh and targeting of train movement in Jamui and Jamalpur — are the “outcome’ of decisions taken by the CPI(Maoist)’s “central command”.
“The Bihar government’s announcement to provide arms to five persons in each village of Aurangabad district smacks of a campaign on the lines of Salwa Judum (peace campaign) that the BJP government has initiated against the CPI(Maoist) in Chhattisgarh,” the source added.
Naxalites had been lying low in central Bihar for several weeks till they killed six persons in Aurangabad on Monday night.
The Jamui-Munger-Banka belt is relatively new territory for the Maoists but they are understood to be consolidating their influence in the area at a fast pace.
The government yesterday deferred the panchayat elections by a fortnight, citing security concerns, after the Naxalite attack in Aurangabad.
The administration also called for a massive deployment of central paramilitary forces and state police as a prerequisite for conducting rural polls, now staggered over 10 phases to facilitate force movement in the volatile state.
Patna, April 26: Barely a few hours after the Nitish Kumar administration talked about taking on Left-wing rebels, suspected CPI(Maoist) guerrillas blasted a railway cabin and tracks in the eastern Bihar districts of Jamui and Munger early on Wednesday.
Deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi had yesterday announced that the government would provide arms to villagers of Naxalite-affected Aurangabad district, where he had gone after the rebels killed six persons in a Monday-night ambush.
Just after midnight, an unspecified number of extremists raided Narganjo station near Jhajha in the Asansol division of Eastern Railway (ER) in Jamui district, about 180 km east of Patna, and blew up its signalling cabin after ordering railway employees to vacate the place.
The chief public relations officer of ER, Soumitra Majumdar, told The Telegraph from Calcutta that all train movement was immediately stopped and, as a result, more than a dozen Up and Down trains remained stranded on the Howrah-Delhi route till morning.
Two live bombs were also recovered on the tracks, 1.5 km from Narganjo, railway officials said, adding that a police party defused the explosives around 8 am.
Traffic on the route resumed after 9 am and the Gangasagar Express was the first train that was allowed to pass, after a pilot run and foot-patrol combing.
Three hours later, another group of Naxalites detonated bombs near Dashrathpur station after Jamalpur, which falls in the same railway division, in Munger district and blew up nearly one metre of the Up track.
The two sites, though on different sections, are less than 100 km apart.
“As this route is not that busy, movement of only two trains was affected and traffic resumed around 7.30 in the morning. After the Narganjo incident, we diverted three trains — the Howrah-Amritsar Mail, Vibhuti Express and Himgiri Express — through the Dhanbad-Gaya-Mughalsarai route,” Majumdar said.
The attack by the rebels threw traffic on the Howrah-Delhi line out of gear and most of the trains reaching Patna — including the Howrah-Danapur Express, South Bihar Express, Howrah-Delhi Lal Quila Express, Hatia-Gorakhpur Maurya Express, Howrah-Delhi Janata Express, Chhapra-Tatanagar Express, Durg Express and Tata-Danapur Express — were running several hours behind schedule.
The Maoists have called a general strike in the eastern Bihar districts of Banka, Bhagalpur, Munger and Jamui in protest against alleged police excesses against their cadre.
A source close to the Naxalites said the recent string of incidents — the attack on a Janata Dal (United) leader in Aurangabad, abduction of villagers in Chhattisgarh and targeting of train movement in Jamui and Jamalpur — are the “outcome’ of decisions taken by the CPI(Maoist)’s “central command”.
“The Bihar government’s announcement to provide arms to five persons in each village of Aurangabad district smacks of a campaign on the lines of Salwa Judum (peace campaign) that the BJP government has initiated against the CPI(Maoist) in Chhattisgarh,” the source added.
Naxalites had been lying low in central Bihar for several weeks till they killed six persons in Aurangabad on Monday night.
The Jamui-Munger-Banka belt is relatively new territory for the Maoists but they are understood to be consolidating their influence in the area at a fast pace.
The government yesterday deferred the panchayat elections by a fortnight, citing security concerns, after the Naxalite attack in Aurangabad.
The administration also called for a massive deployment of central paramilitary forces and state police as a prerequisite for conducting rural polls, now staggered over 10 phases to facilitate force movement in the volatile state.
Our Legal Correspondent
KOLKATA, April 26: The division bench of Mr Justice DP Sengupta and Mr Justice SK Gupta of Calcutta High Court today rejected the bail prayer of Mr Dinabandhu Biswas.
Police recovered Naxalite literature from his house in Nadia.
Police had submitted a chargesheet against Mr Biswas for waging war against the State.
The sessions judge, Krishnagar had framed the charges and fixed a date for his trial. Public prosecutor Kazi Safiullah produced a leaflet before the division bench showing that in April, supporters of Maoist Mr Biswas had threatened the witnesses with dire consequences if they deposed against Mr Biswas.
KOLKATA, April 26: The division bench of Mr Justice DP Sengupta and Mr Justice SK Gupta of Calcutta High Court today rejected the bail prayer of Mr Dinabandhu Biswas.
Police recovered Naxalite literature from his house in Nadia.
Police had submitted a chargesheet against Mr Biswas for waging war against the State.
The sessions judge, Krishnagar had framed the charges and fixed a date for his trial. Public prosecutor Kazi Safiullah produced a leaflet before the division bench showing that in April, supporters of Maoist Mr Biswas had threatened the witnesses with dire consequences if they deposed against Mr Biswas.
Soma Mookherjee
BARANAGAR, April 26: The public works minister and Baranagar’s Revolutionary Socialist Party candidate, Mr Amar Chaudhury, is now being projected as something of a “go-getter.”
That the constituency, sandwiched between Cossipore and Dunlop, is a traditional Left bastion mattered little when Naxalite rebels were butchered by the police, with active political support, here in a blood-curdling 1970s massacre which lasted for quite a few days.
Mr Jyoti Basu contested it till 1972, when he was defeated by a Communist Party of India candidate. The seat has been won by Leftist parties since 1952 but the three-time winner, Mr Chaudhury, is obliged to pull out all the stops yet. Mr Chaudhury became a member of the legislative Assembly for the first time in 1995, when Matish Roy, Baranagar’s previous RSP MLA, died. He was elected also in 1996 and 2001.
He also became PWD minister in 2001 but his winning margin had come down to 2,541 in the last election when the Trinamul and the Congress were together. “I am confident of victory and want to increase my margin,” said Mr Chaudhury, who had completed the second Vivekananda Setu and widened the Barrackpore Trunk Road and Jessore Road, with work on the Belghoria Expressway being close to conclusion.
He spent about Rs 28 lakh on improving roads in Baranagar’s municipal area.
His opponent, Mr Atin Ghosh of the Trinamul Congress, is equally optimistic, though. “In the last election, I got 83,106 votes and Mr Chaudhury, 85,647. I led in 24 out of 42 wards and the polling in 100 booths was rigged. If the voting pattern remains the same, I am sure I will win,” said Mr Ghosh.
He said a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate had polled 8,800 votes the last time around, undermining his chances. The BJP votes will now be his, he said. Though the Congress has Mr Purnendu Dutta in the fray, its workers have sided with the Trinamul. He alleged the PWD minister had failed to provide Baranagar with drinking water.
“Electrification of a crematorium and maintenance of municipal roads are among his unfulfilled objectives,” he said.
Mr Chaudhury, who started his campaign on 4 March, has visited all the constituency’s 42 wards, including nine in southern Dum Dum. The Trinamul candidate, in contrast, is being looked upon at as an “outsider.’’
Mr Ghosh lives in Shyampukur and such Baranagar Trinamul leaders as Mr Ram Krishna Pal and Mr Dipu Chatterjee are not campaigning for him.
BARANAGAR, April 26: The public works minister and Baranagar’s Revolutionary Socialist Party candidate, Mr Amar Chaudhury, is now being projected as something of a “go-getter.”
That the constituency, sandwiched between Cossipore and Dunlop, is a traditional Left bastion mattered little when Naxalite rebels were butchered by the police, with active political support, here in a blood-curdling 1970s massacre which lasted for quite a few days.
Mr Jyoti Basu contested it till 1972, when he was defeated by a Communist Party of India candidate. The seat has been won by Leftist parties since 1952 but the three-time winner, Mr Chaudhury, is obliged to pull out all the stops yet. Mr Chaudhury became a member of the legislative Assembly for the first time in 1995, when Matish Roy, Baranagar’s previous RSP MLA, died. He was elected also in 1996 and 2001.
He also became PWD minister in 2001 but his winning margin had come down to 2,541 in the last election when the Trinamul and the Congress were together. “I am confident of victory and want to increase my margin,” said Mr Chaudhury, who had completed the second Vivekananda Setu and widened the Barrackpore Trunk Road and Jessore Road, with work on the Belghoria Expressway being close to conclusion.
He spent about Rs 28 lakh on improving roads in Baranagar’s municipal area.
His opponent, Mr Atin Ghosh of the Trinamul Congress, is equally optimistic, though. “In the last election, I got 83,106 votes and Mr Chaudhury, 85,647. I led in 24 out of 42 wards and the polling in 100 booths was rigged. If the voting pattern remains the same, I am sure I will win,” said Mr Ghosh.
He said a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate had polled 8,800 votes the last time around, undermining his chances. The BJP votes will now be his, he said. Though the Congress has Mr Purnendu Dutta in the fray, its workers have sided with the Trinamul. He alleged the PWD minister had failed to provide Baranagar with drinking water.
“Electrification of a crematorium and maintenance of municipal roads are among his unfulfilled objectives,” he said.
Mr Chaudhury, who started his campaign on 4 March, has visited all the constituency’s 42 wards, including nine in southern Dum Dum. The Trinamul candidate, in contrast, is being looked upon at as an “outsider.’’
Mr Ghosh lives in Shyampukur and such Baranagar Trinamul leaders as Mr Ram Krishna Pal and Mr Dipu Chatterjee are not campaigning for him.
Rajesh Sinha
Wednesday, April 26, 2006 22:32 IST
NEW DELHI: A day after 52 villagers were abducted by Naxals in Dantewada, the Chhattisgarh Government on Wednesday sought several battalions of para-military forces and helicopters to tackle the menace in view of the increased incidents of left-extremism in the state. The Centre reportedly was agreeable to providing four Cheetah helicopters to the state.
At a security review meeting held specifically for the state, top officials of the state including the ‘supercop’ KPS Gill, who took over as security advisor to the state government last week, participated in the meeting and gave their presentation.
Reviewing the security situation at a meeting, convened by Union home secretary V K Duggal, state chief secretary R P Bagai demanded additional security forces and helicopters which could be deployed at various Naxal-sensitive places such as Dantewada.
Chhattisgarh has demanded that the state be provided seven additional battalions for fighting naxalism. For surveillance, evacuation, transportation of troops and other supporting roles, they also demanded helicopters. Models for local intelligence gathering and raising of a special task force on the lines of Andhra Pradesh’s Greyhounds were also discussed.
“We demanded additional support and more helicopters for immediate deployment of forces in remote areas at the time of any naxal attack. The Centre assured to provide all types of assistance,” Bagai said.
Meanwhile, Maoist guerrillas have blasted railway tracks in two different places in Bihar disrupting train services on the busy Patna-Howrah route. Both the incidents took place on Tuesday. In Jamui district, guerrillas damaged a railway building and blasted a portion of the track.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006 22:32 IST
NEW DELHI: A day after 52 villagers were abducted by Naxals in Dantewada, the Chhattisgarh Government on Wednesday sought several battalions of para-military forces and helicopters to tackle the menace in view of the increased incidents of left-extremism in the state. The Centre reportedly was agreeable to providing four Cheetah helicopters to the state.
At a security review meeting held specifically for the state, top officials of the state including the ‘supercop’ KPS Gill, who took over as security advisor to the state government last week, participated in the meeting and gave their presentation.
Reviewing the security situation at a meeting, convened by Union home secretary V K Duggal, state chief secretary R P Bagai demanded additional security forces and helicopters which could be deployed at various Naxal-sensitive places such as Dantewada.
Chhattisgarh has demanded that the state be provided seven additional battalions for fighting naxalism. For surveillance, evacuation, transportation of troops and other supporting roles, they also demanded helicopters. Models for local intelligence gathering and raising of a special task force on the lines of Andhra Pradesh’s Greyhounds were also discussed.
“We demanded additional support and more helicopters for immediate deployment of forces in remote areas at the time of any naxal attack. The Centre assured to provide all types of assistance,” Bagai said.
Meanwhile, Maoist guerrillas have blasted railway tracks in two different places in Bihar disrupting train services on the busy Patna-Howrah route. Both the incidents took place on Tuesday. In Jamui district, guerrillas damaged a railway building and blasted a portion of the track.
Express News Service
Posted online: Thursday, April 27, 2006 at 0000 hrs
RAIPUR/New delhi, APRIL 26: Even as supercop K P S Gill, security advisor to the Chhattisgarh Government, held talks with the Union Home Secretary in New Delhi over the Naxal conundrum today, the Chhattisgarh Police remained clueless about the whereabouts of 52 villagers abducted by Naxals on Tuesday afternoon.
These villagers, who were staying in Dornapal relief camp of the Salva Judum movement in Jagdalpur district, had left the camp on Tuesday morning to bring foodgrain from their native village Manikonta, about 13 km away from Dornapal.
Police sources told The Indian Express late this afternoon that Superintendent of Police Pravir Das himself was leading search operations in the Dornapal area but no information on whereabouts of the villagers was available.
Naxals belonging to the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoists) stopped the tribals around 6 km away from Manikonta and sent some of the female Judum members back to the relief camp. After the women broke the news at the camp, the police sent a search party towards Manikonta village but there was no information about the whereabouts of the abducted villagers till this afternoon.
At the Dornapal Judum camp, a large number of villagers from Manikonta have been staying for the last two months. The village falls in the heart of the Naxal-dominated Jagdalpur district and it is here that the Salva Judum movement has taken on the Maoists.
K P S Gill, who assumed charge as the security advisor to the Chhattisgarh Government on April 16, was in New Delhi today for a meeting with the Union Home Secretary on the Naxal menace along with other senior police officials from Chhattisgarh. Sources in the Chhattisgarh Government told The Indian Express that Gill and Director General of Police, Chhattisgarh, O P Rathore made a strong case for deploying more police force in the state. ‘‘Gill is working on an action plan with an emphasis on aerial survey of the Naxal bastions, intelligence inputs, and deployment of more force,’’ a senior police official told the paper.
The plan, it is learnt, will at least take a month or so to get finalised before which Gill is unlikely to make any public comment on the Naxal issue.
State Chief Secretary R P Bagai too was present in the meeting. ‘‘We have asked for more forces and helicopters. The Centre has assured us all assistance in our efforts,’’ Bagai said.
Posted online: Thursday, April 27, 2006 at 0000 hrs
RAIPUR/New delhi, APRIL 26: Even as supercop K P S Gill, security advisor to the Chhattisgarh Government, held talks with the Union Home Secretary in New Delhi over the Naxal conundrum today, the Chhattisgarh Police remained clueless about the whereabouts of 52 villagers abducted by Naxals on Tuesday afternoon.
These villagers, who were staying in Dornapal relief camp of the Salva Judum movement in Jagdalpur district, had left the camp on Tuesday morning to bring foodgrain from their native village Manikonta, about 13 km away from Dornapal.
Police sources told The Indian Express late this afternoon that Superintendent of Police Pravir Das himself was leading search operations in the Dornapal area but no information on whereabouts of the villagers was available.
Naxals belonging to the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoists) stopped the tribals around 6 km away from Manikonta and sent some of the female Judum members back to the relief camp. After the women broke the news at the camp, the police sent a search party towards Manikonta village but there was no information about the whereabouts of the abducted villagers till this afternoon.
At the Dornapal Judum camp, a large number of villagers from Manikonta have been staying for the last two months. The village falls in the heart of the Naxal-dominated Jagdalpur district and it is here that the Salva Judum movement has taken on the Maoists.
K P S Gill, who assumed charge as the security advisor to the Chhattisgarh Government on April 16, was in New Delhi today for a meeting with the Union Home Secretary on the Naxal menace along with other senior police officials from Chhattisgarh. Sources in the Chhattisgarh Government told The Indian Express that Gill and Director General of Police, Chhattisgarh, O P Rathore made a strong case for deploying more police force in the state. ‘‘Gill is working on an action plan with an emphasis on aerial survey of the Naxal bastions, intelligence inputs, and deployment of more force,’’ a senior police official told the paper.
The plan, it is learnt, will at least take a month or so to get finalised before which Gill is unlikely to make any public comment on the Naxal issue.
State Chief Secretary R P Bagai too was present in the meeting. ‘‘We have asked for more forces and helicopters. The Centre has assured us all assistance in our efforts,’’ Bagai said.
NAXAL-FORCES
NEW DELHI, APR 26 (PTI)
A day after 52 villagers were abducted by naxals in Dantewada, the Chhattisgarh Government today sought additional forces to tackle the menace in view of the increased incidents of left-extremism in the state.
Reviewing the security situation at a meeting, convened by Union Home Secretary V K Duggal, State Chief Secretary R P Bagai demanded additional security forces and helicopters which could be deployed at various naxal-sensitive places such as Dantewada.
Briefing the reporters after nearly a two-hour long meeting, Bagai said "the Centre has assured to provide additional forces and air support to the state to tackle the problem." Besides Bagai, the meeting was attended by Special Advisor to the state government K P S Gill, DGP O P Rathore and other senior Union Home Ministry officials.
"We demanded additional support and more helicopters for immediate deployment of forces in remote areas at the time of any naxal attack. The Centre assured to provide all types of assistance," Bagai said.
The meeting took stock of the situation in the state in view of increased naxal attacks occurring in the state. The naxals yesterday abducted 52 people from Manikonta village of Dantewada.
"Naxalism has become regular affair in the state," Bagai said.
RELATED STORIES
NEW DELHI, APR 26 (PTI)
A day after 52 villagers were abducted by naxals in Dantewada, the Chhattisgarh Government today sought additional forces to tackle the menace in view of the increased incidents of left-extremism in the state.
Reviewing the security situation at a meeting, convened by Union Home Secretary V K Duggal, State Chief Secretary R P Bagai demanded additional security forces and helicopters which could be deployed at various naxal-sensitive places such as Dantewada.
Briefing the reporters after nearly a two-hour long meeting, Bagai said "the Centre has assured to provide additional forces and air support to the state to tackle the problem." Besides Bagai, the meeting was attended by Special Advisor to the state government K P S Gill, DGP O P Rathore and other senior Union Home Ministry officials.
"We demanded additional support and more helicopters for immediate deployment of forces in remote areas at the time of any naxal attack. The Centre assured to provide all types of assistance," Bagai said.
The meeting took stock of the situation in the state in view of increased naxal attacks occurring in the state. The naxals yesterday abducted 52 people from Manikonta village of Dantewada.
"Naxalism has become regular affair in the state," Bagai said.
RELATED STORIES
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Army, weapons, funds, Maoists have 'em all
Navin Upadhyay | New Delhi
In the dense jungles and remote hills of India, hundreds of
hardcore Maoists are undergoing tough training in the art of guerrilla
warfare. Equipped with sophisticated weapons, these men have been
indoctrinated to wage a war against the nation, a protracted war that they hope to win in the next 30 to 40 years.
In the vanguard of the Maoist army is the hardcore People's Guerrilla
Army (PGA) with an estimated strength of 8000 cadres spread mainly across - Bihar, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Maharashtra and West Bengal. The PGA is responsible for carrying out all daring strikes, including setting up ambush against the police and para military forces, snatching their weapons, eliminating 'enemies', and letting loose a reign of terror.
The guerrilla army is equipped with sophisticated weapons like light
machine guns, self-loading rifles, rocket launchers, land mines, carbines,
grenades and Insas rifles. Police and intelligence agencies have learnt that most of these weapons have been acquired from militant outfits operating in the northeast and underworld elements. A large chunk of the their armoury also consists of weapons looted from the police and para military forces.
The Maoists are also involved in indigenous production of explosives
and rocket launchers through their own research and development programmes.
They also managed to acquire weapons from surrendered ULFA cadre between 1990 and 1996. Some of the weapons airdropped in Purulia also reached them, sources said.
At the second level of the Maoists army network is the 25,000-strong
Jan Militia, which is less heavily armed, but provides intelligence and
logistical support to the PGA. The militia performs pre-strike
reconnaissance, guards exit routes, blocks police entry and lends back up
support when the guerrilla army retreats.
Below them come 50,000 unarmed Sangam cadres who have been roped in by the Maoists in villages to spread the gospel of armed struggle. The exercise to spread public propaganda is carried out by the frontal organisations who have unidentified numbers of dedicated supporters.
The Maoists have also set in place money-minting mechanisms, which
rake in approximately Rs 750 cr each year. A study jointly carried out by
the Bihar Police and intelligence agencies in 2000, before the formation of
Jharkhand, showed that the MCC and PW, which later merged to form the
Communist Party of India (Maoist), used to raise Rs 250 cr each year from the State. As the ultras have grown both in size and influence, agencies estimate that at least Rs 750 cr is collected annually by the Maoists across the country.
Another major source of funding is collection of levy from those
awarded Government contracts. It is common knowledge that in the Maoist strongholds, nearly 15 to 20 per cent of development fund are pocketed by the ultras. In fact, even Central undertakings pay a "levy" to carry out their development activities and day-to-day functioning.
The ultras have also raise substantial sums of money through
membership and fine imposed on those who defy their diktats. Contractors and officials engaged in mining and coal extraction are also compelled to pay huge sums of money. Interrogations of the arrested Maoists have revealed that they collected Rs 1000 from each truck that rolls out from coal or metal mines in Jharkhand and Orissa.
The funds are used to acquire arms and infrastructure like satellite
phones, sustain cadres, provide training, run propaganda campaign,
distribute and print literature. The Maoists effectively use money power to
manipulate media and judicial organs. They are also spending a large chunk of money on expansion programmes to find a toehold in States where they have negligible presence.
Experts say the Government needs to work on a two pronged approach.
The first and foremost task was to restrict the Maoist area of influence
through effective governance and develop regions adjoining their domain.
"They need to be quarantined and areas falling outside their influences be
immunised to prevent the growth of the malice," an official said.
Side by side, the Government needs to raise Special Task Forces, on
the pattern of Grey Hounds of Andhra Pradesh and modernise the police force,
set up a Central coordination committee and put in place a long-term
strategy to deal with the Maoists.
But so far, apart from admitting the seriousness of the problem the
Governments seems to be doing precious little. This indifference could
internally bleed the nation and make it ineffective in taking on the full
fore of the Maoist onslaught as and when they decide to go for the final
coup.
Red alert
Maoist Army
People's Guerrilla Army ------------ 8000 men
Jan Militia ------------------------- -- 25,000 men
Village level cadres --------------- 50,000 men
Arms: Light machine guns, self-loading rifles, rocket launchers, land
mines, carbines, grenades and Insas rifles.
Fund: Rs 750 cr per year.
Source of fund: Extortion, Levy, penalty, membership, cut from
development fund, coal extraction and mining.
Army, weapons, funds, Maoists have 'em all
Navin Upadhyay | New Delhi
In the dense jungles and remote hills of India, hundreds of
hardcore Maoists are undergoing tough training in the art of guerrilla
warfare. Equipped with sophisticated weapons, these men have been
indoctrinated to wage a war against the nation, a protracted war that they hope to win in the next 30 to 40 years.
In the vanguard of the Maoist army is the hardcore People's Guerrilla
Army (PGA) with an estimated strength of 8000 cadres spread mainly across - Bihar, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Maharashtra and West Bengal. The PGA is responsible for carrying out all daring strikes, including setting up ambush against the police and para military forces, snatching their weapons, eliminating 'enemies', and letting loose a reign of terror.
The guerrilla army is equipped with sophisticated weapons like light
machine guns, self-loading rifles, rocket launchers, land mines, carbines,
grenades and Insas rifles. Police and intelligence agencies have learnt that most of these weapons have been acquired from militant outfits operating in the northeast and underworld elements. A large chunk of the their armoury also consists of weapons looted from the police and para military forces.
The Maoists are also involved in indigenous production of explosives
and rocket launchers through their own research and development programmes.
They also managed to acquire weapons from surrendered ULFA cadre between 1990 and 1996. Some of the weapons airdropped in Purulia also reached them, sources said.
At the second level of the Maoists army network is the 25,000-strong
Jan Militia, which is less heavily armed, but provides intelligence and
logistical support to the PGA. The militia performs pre-strike
reconnaissance, guards exit routes, blocks police entry and lends back up
support when the guerrilla army retreats.
Below them come 50,000 unarmed Sangam cadres who have been roped in by the Maoists in villages to spread the gospel of armed struggle. The exercise to spread public propaganda is carried out by the frontal organisations who have unidentified numbers of dedicated supporters.
The Maoists have also set in place money-minting mechanisms, which
rake in approximately Rs 750 cr each year. A study jointly carried out by
the Bihar Police and intelligence agencies in 2000, before the formation of
Jharkhand, showed that the MCC and PW, which later merged to form the
Communist Party of India (Maoist), used to raise Rs 250 cr each year from the State. As the ultras have grown both in size and influence, agencies estimate that at least Rs 750 cr is collected annually by the Maoists across the country.
Another major source of funding is collection of levy from those
awarded Government contracts. It is common knowledge that in the Maoist strongholds, nearly 15 to 20 per cent of development fund are pocketed by the ultras. In fact, even Central undertakings pay a "levy" to carry out their development activities and day-to-day functioning.
The ultras have also raise substantial sums of money through
membership and fine imposed on those who defy their diktats. Contractors and officials engaged in mining and coal extraction are also compelled to pay huge sums of money. Interrogations of the arrested Maoists have revealed that they collected Rs 1000 from each truck that rolls out from coal or metal mines in Jharkhand and Orissa.
The funds are used to acquire arms and infrastructure like satellite
phones, sustain cadres, provide training, run propaganda campaign,
distribute and print literature. The Maoists effectively use money power to
manipulate media and judicial organs. They are also spending a large chunk of money on expansion programmes to find a toehold in States where they have negligible presence.
Experts say the Government needs to work on a two pronged approach.
The first and foremost task was to restrict the Maoist area of influence
through effective governance and develop regions adjoining their domain.
"They need to be quarantined and areas falling outside their influences be
immunised to prevent the growth of the malice," an official said.
Side by side, the Government needs to raise Special Task Forces, on
the pattern of Grey Hounds of Andhra Pradesh and modernise the police force,
set up a Central coordination committee and put in place a long-term
strategy to deal with the Maoists.
But so far, apart from admitting the seriousness of the problem the
Governments seems to be doing precious little. This indifference could
internally bleed the nation and make it ineffective in taking on the full
fore of the Maoist onslaught as and when they decide to go for the final
coup.
Red alert
Maoist Army
People's Guerrilla Army ------------ 8000 men
Jan Militia ------------------------- -- 25,000 men
Village level cadres --------------- 50,000 men
Arms: Light machine guns, self-loading rifles, rocket launchers, land
mines, carbines, grenades and Insas rifles.
Fund: Rs 750 cr per year.
Source of fund: Extortion, Levy, penalty, membership, cut from
development fund, coal extraction and mining.
New Delhi, April 24, 2006, Pramod Kumar (Asian Age)
The Centre is considering the creation of a separate reserve commando force for each of the Naxal-affected states.
Talking to this correspondent, a high-ranking official of the Union home ministry said: "The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has constituted an elite anti-Naxal force on the pattern of Andhra Pradesh’s ‘Greyhounds’. The CRPF has trained 11 battalions of anti-Naxal force, which are expected to be deployed in all Naxal-affected states. Commandos of this force are being trained at ‘Silchar’ training camp. The matter was discussed at length at a recent meeting which was chaired by the Union home secretary."
It’s a dedicated commando force for anti-Naxal operations only, he said, adding that it will not be used for any other assignments at all.
The official further said: "Trained as a strike force capable of sustaining itself for days together in tough war-like conditions without reinforcements, it will be kept as reserve force in Naxal-affected states. It will be the first Central force exclusively dealing with Naxal insurgents."
Commandos of this elite force will soon be equipped with modern equipment, he added.
The Union home ministry has also asked all Naxal-affected state governments to train policeman in "jungle warfare". The expenditure incurred on training will be covered under the security-related expenditure scheme of the Central government.
"In the 19th meeting of the coordination centre with the chief secretaries and directors-general of police of the Naxal-affected states, they were asked to take immediate steps for imparting training to the police personnel engaged in anti-Naxalite operation in counter-insurgency and jungle warfare. For this purpose training facilities of Central security forces are being made available to the Naxal affected states," said the official.
Besides, in its effort to check increasing Naxal violence in the country, the Centre has started recruiting people from Naxal-affected areas in the Central police forces. A total 29,000 people from Naxal-affected areas were recruited in 2004.
"With a view to wean away youth from the path of violence by providing them gainful employment, the government has earmarked a certain quota of vacancies in Central police forces to be filled from Naxal-affected states," said the official.
The Centre is considering the creation of a separate reserve commando force for each of the Naxal-affected states.
Talking to this correspondent, a high-ranking official of the Union home ministry said: "The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has constituted an elite anti-Naxal force on the pattern of Andhra Pradesh’s ‘Greyhounds’. The CRPF has trained 11 battalions of anti-Naxal force, which are expected to be deployed in all Naxal-affected states. Commandos of this force are being trained at ‘Silchar’ training camp. The matter was discussed at length at a recent meeting which was chaired by the Union home secretary."
It’s a dedicated commando force for anti-Naxal operations only, he said, adding that it will not be used for any other assignments at all.
The official further said: "Trained as a strike force capable of sustaining itself for days together in tough war-like conditions without reinforcements, it will be kept as reserve force in Naxal-affected states. It will be the first Central force exclusively dealing with Naxal insurgents."
Commandos of this elite force will soon be equipped with modern equipment, he added.
The Union home ministry has also asked all Naxal-affected state governments to train policeman in "jungle warfare". The expenditure incurred on training will be covered under the security-related expenditure scheme of the Central government.
"In the 19th meeting of the coordination centre with the chief secretaries and directors-general of police of the Naxal-affected states, they were asked to take immediate steps for imparting training to the police personnel engaged in anti-Naxalite operation in counter-insurgency and jungle warfare. For this purpose training facilities of Central security forces are being made available to the Naxal affected states," said the official.
Besides, in its effort to check increasing Naxal violence in the country, the Centre has started recruiting people from Naxal-affected areas in the Central police forces. A total 29,000 people from Naxal-affected areas were recruited in 2004.
"With a view to wean away youth from the path of violence by providing them gainful employment, the government has earmarked a certain quota of vacancies in Central police forces to be filled from Naxal-affected states," said the official.
PATNA, APR 25 (PTI)
Bihar government today sounded an alert in the Naxalite-hit areas in south Bihar and asked the police to intensify anti-Naxalite operations following the killing of a JD(U) leader and five of his supporters by CPI (Maoist) guerrillas in Aurangabad district last night.
After visiting the spot, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, while condemning the incident, told reporters that he had directed the Inspector-General of Police (Patna zone) and DIG of Magadh range, besides other senior police officials to step up combing operations against the ultras.
He said that the authorities were also asked to provide licenses for weapons to five persons in each of the affected villages on a priority basis to counter the Naxalites.
Modi announced that the state government had decided to immediately pay a compensation of Rs one lakh and find suitable government employment for one family member of each of those killed in Naxalite violence.
Earlier, Modi, Panchayati Raj minister Ram Nath Thakur and zonal inspector general of police Rajvardhan Sharma flew in to Aurangabad for an on-the-spot inquiry, Amanullah said.
Heavily armed Naxalites had ambushed the convoy of Madanpur block JD (U) president Ashok Singh near Devjada village in the district around 10 pm last night when he was returning after campaigning for zila parishad election. Singh was a candidate in the election.
The underground rebels, who have called for a boycott of the elections to three-tier panchayati raj bodies scheduled next month, sprayed Singh's vehicle with bullets leading to a fierce exchange of fire for about an hour and a half in which six persons, including Singh, were killed.
Bihar government today sounded an alert in the Naxalite-hit areas in south Bihar and asked the police to intensify anti-Naxalite operations following the killing of a JD(U) leader and five of his supporters by CPI (Maoist) guerrillas in Aurangabad district last night.
After visiting the spot, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, while condemning the incident, told reporters that he had directed the Inspector-General of Police (Patna zone) and DIG of Magadh range, besides other senior police officials to step up combing operations against the ultras.
He said that the authorities were also asked to provide licenses for weapons to five persons in each of the affected villages on a priority basis to counter the Naxalites.
Modi announced that the state government had decided to immediately pay a compensation of Rs one lakh and find suitable government employment for one family member of each of those killed in Naxalite violence.
Earlier, Modi, Panchayati Raj minister Ram Nath Thakur and zonal inspector general of police Rajvardhan Sharma flew in to Aurangabad for an on-the-spot inquiry, Amanullah said.
Heavily armed Naxalites had ambushed the convoy of Madanpur block JD (U) president Ashok Singh near Devjada village in the district around 10 pm last night when he was returning after campaigning for zila parishad election. Singh was a candidate in the election.
The underground rebels, who have called for a boycott of the elections to three-tier panchayati raj bodies scheduled next month, sprayed Singh's vehicle with bullets leading to a fierce exchange of fire for about an hour and a half in which six persons, including Singh, were killed.
OUR CORRESPONDENT
Ranchi, April 24: Red alert has been sounded in the state following recovery of two bombs along the railway tracks between Jonha and Kita railway stations in Ranchi late last night even as Maoists blew up of a police picket at Mcluiskieganj under Khelari police station area in the wee hours today.
Railway traffic control officials said the bombs were not very powerful and the train services were not affected.
The Railway Protection Force and the Railway Protection Special Force have stepped up vigil along the railway tracks following the recovery of bomb.
State police sources said additional re-enforcement of Jharkhand Armed Police, Special Task Force and the para-military forces have been done in the sensitive districts, while important government establishments and jails have been placed under surveillance.
The recovery of the explosives is being linked to the ongoing martyrs’ week being observed by the CPI (Maoist), which will conclude on April 28.
Most of the police stations in the Naxalite-infested districts, especially Palamau, Chatra, Latehar, Garhwa, Simdega, West Singbhum, Giridih, Hazaribagh and Ranchi, have been put on a high alert following a tip-off that the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army could trigger blasts.
Though there have been reports of the Maoists organising meetings in remote forest areas of Latehar, Garhwa and Palamau districts besides taking out processions, the authorities denied having any such information.
Apparently, a bandh would mark the end of the martyrs’ day on April 28, but there has been no official communiqué from the outfit in this connection.
Ranchi, April 24: Red alert has been sounded in the state following recovery of two bombs along the railway tracks between Jonha and Kita railway stations in Ranchi late last night even as Maoists blew up of a police picket at Mcluiskieganj under Khelari police station area in the wee hours today.
Railway traffic control officials said the bombs were not very powerful and the train services were not affected.
The Railway Protection Force and the Railway Protection Special Force have stepped up vigil along the railway tracks following the recovery of bomb.
State police sources said additional re-enforcement of Jharkhand Armed Police, Special Task Force and the para-military forces have been done in the sensitive districts, while important government establishments and jails have been placed under surveillance.
The recovery of the explosives is being linked to the ongoing martyrs’ week being observed by the CPI (Maoist), which will conclude on April 28.
Most of the police stations in the Naxalite-infested districts, especially Palamau, Chatra, Latehar, Garhwa, Simdega, West Singbhum, Giridih, Hazaribagh and Ranchi, have been put on a high alert following a tip-off that the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army could trigger blasts.
Though there have been reports of the Maoists organising meetings in remote forest areas of Latehar, Garhwa and Palamau districts besides taking out processions, the authorities denied having any such information.
Apparently, a bandh would mark the end of the martyrs’ day on April 28, but there has been no official communiqué from the outfit in this connection.
- Ex-Naxal leader Ashim Chatterjee on same side as Ray
SUJAN DUTTA
(Top) Siddhartha Shankar Ray, Ashim Chatterjee
Calcutta, April 24: Former chief minister Siddhartha Shankar Ray has offered to campaign for former Naxalite leader Ashim Chatterjee and re-script years of bloodshed in Bengal’s modern history.
Chatterjee is contesting on a Trinamul Congress symbol from Beliaghata constituency and Ray, who says he is not a member of any party now, is campaigning for Mamata Banerjee and her friends against the Left Front.
“I am not in active politics any more. I am 86 years old. But I believe the Congress is wedded to the Left because of compulsions at the Centre. In this context, I am campaigning for Mamata Banerjee because I believe she is the only person sincerely fighting against the CPM. I am with all of her allies, including Ashim Chatterjee. I am willing to campaign for him. But I do not think his constituency is on the list given to me,” Ray told The Telegraph in an interview.
Last week, the former chief minister, who ordered Ashim Chatterjee’s arrest and who is still held responsible for “atrocities” against Left activists of all hues during his 1972-1977 tenure,campaigned in Maniktala — within earshot of adjoining Beliaghata.
When the question was put to Chatterjee, the former Naxalite leader was not a little stupefied.
In separate responses he first said “no” to such an offer. Later, he explained that “I do not want any support from the Congress in my campaign and Ray is a Congressman”.
The vision of Ray campaigning for Chatterjee is the equivalent of blasphemy in the language of Left radicals.
Azizul Haque, who knew Chatterjee even before the CPI(ML) was formed in 1969, was livid. “You should ask if he (Chatterjee) will contest elections also with Rabri Devi and Narendra Modi!”
In Chatterjee’s own constituency of Beliaghata, there are those who have not yet lived down the tragedies that overcame them in the 1970s. One of them is Nishith Bhattacharya, who formed the second central committee of the CPI(ML) with Azizul Haque after Charu Majumdar’s original party splintered.
Bhattacharya’s modest house is opposite the CIT quarters off Beliaghata Main Road. “In those quarters,” recalls Haque dramatically, “S.S. Ray’s police came and shot seven youths in cold blood. Then the constables tried to wash away the bloodstains but the stains remained. Ashim Chatterjee is now coming in to finish the job, broom in hand. The eyes of the dead and the martyred are watching".
Chatterjee, now 62, was arrested from Deogarh in Bihar in 1972. He was released in 1978.
A “reformed Naxalite”, he contested the elections in 1991 from Rashbehari, and lost, as a CPM-supported candidate. In 1995, his new outfit, the Communist Revolutionary League of India, was admitted into the Left Front but he was out of the coalition in the wake of a minor rebellion in the CPM by Saifuddin Choudhary.
“I was asked by somebody how come I am contesting elections after having supported the slogan of election boycott,” Chatterjee defends his position. “And I am surprised at the memory of people who recall my three or four years (from 1967 to 1971) of boycotting elections but conveniently forget my 40 years of association with mainstream politics.”
But Chatterjee, an alumnus of Presidency College, still sustains his image as the stormy petrel of seventies’ College Street. A handbill distributed by him among voters describes him as “a former Naxalite leader who has always been at the forefront of student movements, peasant movements and democratic rights movements”.
Chatterjee also heads a memorial committee that seeks to commemorate victims of the Cossipore-Baranagar massacre, one of several atrocities alleged to have been perpetrated by the police during Ray’s rule.
Such is the turn of the wheel that Chatterjee and Ray now speak the same language in politics.
“My aim in asking for votes is political, not electoral. I may lose in elections but I win in politics… But given the power equation between the Congress and the Left Front, the Congress cannot take a firm stand in Bengal. Therefore, I have entered into an alliance with the Trinamul,” says Chatterjee.
Asked if the bankruptcy of politics he accuses the Left of is also not applicable to him, he replies: “I am on a journey of exploration to find a democratic alternative.”
Says Ray: “The situation in Bengal today is such that it demands an end to the 30-year (Left) rule. I believe the Congress will not be able to say certain things against the CPM. Mamata, on the other hand, has given a call for all democratic forces to get together and oust the CPM.”
More than Ray’s it is Chatterjee’s shifting positions that is both a subject of ridicule and introspection among Bengal’s Left intelligentsia. Chatterjee and Ray have contributed to the politics of the state from antagonistic ends in the past but somehow their paths now converge.
Says political scientist Ranabir Samaddar of the Calcutta Research Group: “Insurgencies don’t die easily. The revival of the Maoist movement in Bengal shows that. But there aren’t too many options for the people of the past. You can choose to be a Medha Patkar, of course. Maybe Ashim Chatterjee’s problem is that he has to sustain his image as a Naxal without being a Naxalite.
SUJAN DUTTA
(Top) Siddhartha Shankar Ray, Ashim Chatterjee
Calcutta, April 24: Former chief minister Siddhartha Shankar Ray has offered to campaign for former Naxalite leader Ashim Chatterjee and re-script years of bloodshed in Bengal’s modern history.
Chatterjee is contesting on a Trinamul Congress symbol from Beliaghata constituency and Ray, who says he is not a member of any party now, is campaigning for Mamata Banerjee and her friends against the Left Front.
“I am not in active politics any more. I am 86 years old. But I believe the Congress is wedded to the Left because of compulsions at the Centre. In this context, I am campaigning for Mamata Banerjee because I believe she is the only person sincerely fighting against the CPM. I am with all of her allies, including Ashim Chatterjee. I am willing to campaign for him. But I do not think his constituency is on the list given to me,” Ray told The Telegraph in an interview.
Last week, the former chief minister, who ordered Ashim Chatterjee’s arrest and who is still held responsible for “atrocities” against Left activists of all hues during his 1972-1977 tenure,campaigned in Maniktala — within earshot of adjoining Beliaghata.
When the question was put to Chatterjee, the former Naxalite leader was not a little stupefied.
In separate responses he first said “no” to such an offer. Later, he explained that “I do not want any support from the Congress in my campaign and Ray is a Congressman”.
The vision of Ray campaigning for Chatterjee is the equivalent of blasphemy in the language of Left radicals.
Azizul Haque, who knew Chatterjee even before the CPI(ML) was formed in 1969, was livid. “You should ask if he (Chatterjee) will contest elections also with Rabri Devi and Narendra Modi!”
In Chatterjee’s own constituency of Beliaghata, there are those who have not yet lived down the tragedies that overcame them in the 1970s. One of them is Nishith Bhattacharya, who formed the second central committee of the CPI(ML) with Azizul Haque after Charu Majumdar’s original party splintered.
Bhattacharya’s modest house is opposite the CIT quarters off Beliaghata Main Road. “In those quarters,” recalls Haque dramatically, “S.S. Ray’s police came and shot seven youths in cold blood. Then the constables tried to wash away the bloodstains but the stains remained. Ashim Chatterjee is now coming in to finish the job, broom in hand. The eyes of the dead and the martyred are watching".
Chatterjee, now 62, was arrested from Deogarh in Bihar in 1972. He was released in 1978.
A “reformed Naxalite”, he contested the elections in 1991 from Rashbehari, and lost, as a CPM-supported candidate. In 1995, his new outfit, the Communist Revolutionary League of India, was admitted into the Left Front but he was out of the coalition in the wake of a minor rebellion in the CPM by Saifuddin Choudhary.
“I was asked by somebody how come I am contesting elections after having supported the slogan of election boycott,” Chatterjee defends his position. “And I am surprised at the memory of people who recall my three or four years (from 1967 to 1971) of boycotting elections but conveniently forget my 40 years of association with mainstream politics.”
But Chatterjee, an alumnus of Presidency College, still sustains his image as the stormy petrel of seventies’ College Street. A handbill distributed by him among voters describes him as “a former Naxalite leader who has always been at the forefront of student movements, peasant movements and democratic rights movements”.
Chatterjee also heads a memorial committee that seeks to commemorate victims of the Cossipore-Baranagar massacre, one of several atrocities alleged to have been perpetrated by the police during Ray’s rule.
Such is the turn of the wheel that Chatterjee and Ray now speak the same language in politics.
“My aim in asking for votes is political, not electoral. I may lose in elections but I win in politics… But given the power equation between the Congress and the Left Front, the Congress cannot take a firm stand in Bengal. Therefore, I have entered into an alliance with the Trinamul,” says Chatterjee.
Asked if the bankruptcy of politics he accuses the Left of is also not applicable to him, he replies: “I am on a journey of exploration to find a democratic alternative.”
Says Ray: “The situation in Bengal today is such that it demands an end to the 30-year (Left) rule. I believe the Congress will not be able to say certain things against the CPM. Mamata, on the other hand, has given a call for all democratic forces to get together and oust the CPM.”
More than Ray’s it is Chatterjee’s shifting positions that is both a subject of ridicule and introspection among Bengal’s Left intelligentsia. Chatterjee and Ray have contributed to the politics of the state from antagonistic ends in the past but somehow their paths now converge.
Says political scientist Ranabir Samaddar of the Calcutta Research Group: “Insurgencies don’t die easily. The revival of the Maoist movement in Bengal shows that. But there aren’t too many options for the people of the past. You can choose to be a Medha Patkar, of course. Maybe Ashim Chatterjee’s problem is that he has to sustain his image as a Naxal without being a Naxalite.
NDTV Correspondent
Tuesday, April 25, 2006 (Aurangabad):
Maoist guerillas killed seven people in Aurangabad district of Bihar on Monday.
Heavily armed Naxalites ambushed the convoy of Ashok Singh, a local JD(U) leader, when he was returning after campaigning for the Zila Parishad elections.
Singh and six supporters were killed in an exchange of fire that lasted 90 minutes.
The CPI (Maoist) have given a call for boycott of the Panchayati Raj elections scheduled next month.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006 (Aurangabad):
Maoist guerillas killed seven people in Aurangabad district of Bihar on Monday.
Heavily armed Naxalites ambushed the convoy of Ashok Singh, a local JD(U) leader, when he was returning after campaigning for the Zila Parishad elections.
Singh and six supporters were killed in an exchange of fire that lasted 90 minutes.
The CPI (Maoist) have given a call for boycott of the Panchayati Raj elections scheduled next month.
Rediff Interview/Former IB chief Ajit Doval
April 24, 2006
Last week, Ajit Doval, former chief of Intelligence Bureau, spoke about the threat of Bangladeshi infiltration to India's internal security.
Part I: 'Bangladeshi infiltration is the biggest threat'
Today he tells Managing Editor Sheela Bhatt about the Maoist threat to India's hinterland.
Besides Bangladeshi infiltration and border management, which are the other prime concerns to the managers of national security?
The Naxal menace, also called the Left extremist movement, is another extremely important issue bothering India. It is another dangerous area for internal security.
When you talk of securing India we ask ourselves what you are trying to secure. When we try to put up a fence on the border we are securing our territorial integrity, our sovereignty. We are trying to secure ourselves from Inter Services Intelligence activities. But when we tackle the Maoists, we are trying to secure our rule of law and our Constitution.
When we talk of taking on the Maoists, we talk about securing our system of governance. The Maoists threaten our Constitution, rule of law and our type of governance. Through use of violence, and not through the ballot boxes, they want to change the rules and governments.
How to wean youth away from the Maoists
There are grave implications of this thinking to India's national security.
First, the sheer geographical expanse of the Maoist influence affects 40 percent of India. In terms of actual operational area it's four times more than Punjab militancy, Kashmir terrorism and North-east insurgencies combined. Second, the response to this problem will be difficult.
When in the presence of 10,000 people jan adalats are formed and punishment by death is handed out and the Indian police doesn't file even an FIR, what do you expect? The official response to Maoists is the trickiest part of the issue. When the Punjab problem started, the Indian government could not cover the countryside of Punjab even with heavy deployment of paramilitary forces. In J&K only a small strip of the Valley is affected but we need 5 to 6 Army Corps and paramilitary forces. And still it's difficult to police and dominate the interiors of Kashmir.
The Maoist struggle is in the huge hinterland of India. If at any place, 10,000 people jointly attack and if 30 percent of them are armed, security men can't retaliate because the resultant killings will do more damage than good. Do you know why in the Jehanabad jail-break more than 1,000 people joined hands? They need only 25 to 30 trained and skilled people to break the cordons and attack the jail. But as Charu Majumdar said, every revolutionary must soak his hands in blood.
As happens in underworld gangs, when a newcomer comes they ask him to commit a murder so that he becomes an accused and then he will not have any option but to join the gang permanently. All those who joined hands in raiding the Jehanabad jail will remain with Naxalite movement all their life because all of them are co-accused in a serious crime.
South-Asia's Maoist Web
There have been more than 500 such incidents committed by Maoists in the last two years. Imagine what a force they have at their disposal! The Maoist leaders know that eventually if they have to fight the Indian military they can't win against the 'occupying State', all those 'liberated areas' cannot remain liberated if you don't have the 'shield' of the masses.
Do you agree that the Maoists movement is a political one?
It's a 100 percent political movement. The Maoists want to usurp power through the barrel of the gun.
Is it a structured movement?
It's a completely structured organisation. They have a politburo, they have a central committee. They have regional offices and now they have regional area commanders. They have troops and they have commanders for the troops.
Jehanabad signals deeper malaise
Why can't the intelligence agencies arrest them and put them on trial?
Can you do everything you want? There is a big gap between what you wish and what you are capable of doing.
Is India capable of controlling or taking counteraction against the Maoists?
If India decides to do it, India can.
What is the major action taken by the government so far?
The government has started some welfare measures. The government is sending central troops wherever required. A committee of chief ministers of the Maoist-affected states is being formed.
There is a committee in the home ministry meeting from time to time to discuss the Maoist problem.
But so far nothing seems to be effective.
The government's reaction has not been enough. When some incident happens 5 or 7 battalions of the Central Reserve Police Force is sent irrespective of whether these troops make any difference or not. As the prime minister has said, we will have to think out of the box. We have got, so far, conventional responses.
It is a problem entirely different in character. It has social, security, economic and communication dimensions. I consider it a very important national issue because it is in India's hinterland. India's geological and forest wealth lies here. All the surface arteries of communication pass through it. When Punjab, J&K and the Northeast were disturbed, it did not affect the rest of India much. The Maoists are levying tax on every truck that passes through their area. The judicial system is hijacked. Rail traffic can't function smoothly because most trains pass through the areas. They are collecting taxes now. They are not only distributing private land but also distributing pattas of government land. If you abdicate your judicial function, if you abdicate your legislative function and if you don't collect taxes then, where is India's sovereignty left? The legitimacy and credibility of the government is at stake.
Where is the situation leading to?
The day realisation comes that this problem is very serious, it requires a national response. The first thing that should emerge is a political consensus in India.
Do Maoists get support from jihadi organisations?
Not from jihadis but they do have tactical linkages. They had tactical linkages with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam for some kind of training.
How are they funded?
The government's development funds are their major source. They siphon off these funds because of poor governance. From the patwari to top government officials to local politicians, all keep quiet.
It's not a frightening scenario but it's a phenomenon requiring awareness.
They are treated as neither criminals nor terrorists.
There is no accepted definition of terrorism. If they use violence to achieve their political objectives then why do you say they are not terrorists? Terrorists are denounced because their means are unaccepted in civil society and their ends are therefore vitiated.
Home Minister Shivraj Patil has said the Maoists are the children of our country.
Well, Dawood Ibrahim is also the child of our country. The terrorists who killed Indira Gandhi were also the children of our country.
Let us have understanding at different levels. At the socio-economic level do the work. Build colleges and schools, provide employment and hospitals, and redress grievances of the people. But lack of these things doesn't give anybody a license to kill innocent people.
The Maoists think that beyond a point, they are unable to tolerate injustice.
Yes, they may think strongly about what they do but the Indian State can't accept their thinking. Anybody who resorts to violence cannot be accepted.
If the state tries to be soft then we should change India's Constitution. No person has a right to kill and no justification should be forwarded for their actions.
The bottom-line is to decide whether Indian society accepts violence as a justifiable instrument to achieve one's political objective. If the answer is no, then the Maoist movement is terrorism.
If you term them in black and white there will be much more reaction. It will be a kind of war.
This war has to be fought and won. When I am saying this it doesn't mean the Maoists don't have genuine problems or a cause. It doesn't mean that the government process has not failed in those parts of India.
In those parts we have failed in governing and we have failed on the economic front. But the question is of a framework to deal with the violence.
In other words, does it mean it is a civil war?
It is not a civil war, as yet. But it can lead to serious conflict. We have to set up the framework. We have to convince them to fight an election. It is possible to explain to them. After Charu Majumdar, when Vinod Mishra came in he formed the Maoist Communist Centre and fought elections. Some splinter ultra-left groups have joined the MCC in Bihar and the People's War Group in Andhra Pradesh.
Don't you think one of the major problems is that people in urban India have many more privileges, including access to technology, than these people who are joining or supporting the Maoists?
You have made a very valid point. The first task of the government is to reach out to the people. This job has to be done by political leaders. We need to access them and connect to them.
When you were IB chief, what do you remember most about the management of the Maoist issue?
At that point of time the government had decided to talk to them despite some discordant voices. Peace has to be given a chance but in conflict resolution clarity of mind is the most important thing. With whom to talk, what to offer and who can influence them the most should be decided clearly.
How well India is gearing up to tackle these problems?
India is capable of fighting back. How many countries have fought terrorism of so many varieties for so long and so successfully?
April 24, 2006
Last week, Ajit Doval, former chief of Intelligence Bureau, spoke about the threat of Bangladeshi infiltration to India's internal security.
Part I: 'Bangladeshi infiltration is the biggest threat'
Today he tells Managing Editor Sheela Bhatt about the Maoist threat to India's hinterland.
Besides Bangladeshi infiltration and border management, which are the other prime concerns to the managers of national security?
The Naxal menace, also called the Left extremist movement, is another extremely important issue bothering India. It is another dangerous area for internal security.
When you talk of securing India we ask ourselves what you are trying to secure. When we try to put up a fence on the border we are securing our territorial integrity, our sovereignty. We are trying to secure ourselves from Inter Services Intelligence activities. But when we tackle the Maoists, we are trying to secure our rule of law and our Constitution.
When we talk of taking on the Maoists, we talk about securing our system of governance. The Maoists threaten our Constitution, rule of law and our type of governance. Through use of violence, and not through the ballot boxes, they want to change the rules and governments.
How to wean youth away from the Maoists
There are grave implications of this thinking to India's national security.
First, the sheer geographical expanse of the Maoist influence affects 40 percent of India. In terms of actual operational area it's four times more than Punjab militancy, Kashmir terrorism and North-east insurgencies combined. Second, the response to this problem will be difficult.
When in the presence of 10,000 people jan adalats are formed and punishment by death is handed out and the Indian police doesn't file even an FIR, what do you expect? The official response to Maoists is the trickiest part of the issue. When the Punjab problem started, the Indian government could not cover the countryside of Punjab even with heavy deployment of paramilitary forces. In J&K only a small strip of the Valley is affected but we need 5 to 6 Army Corps and paramilitary forces. And still it's difficult to police and dominate the interiors of Kashmir.
The Maoist struggle is in the huge hinterland of India. If at any place, 10,000 people jointly attack and if 30 percent of them are armed, security men can't retaliate because the resultant killings will do more damage than good. Do you know why in the Jehanabad jail-break more than 1,000 people joined hands? They need only 25 to 30 trained and skilled people to break the cordons and attack the jail. But as Charu Majumdar said, every revolutionary must soak his hands in blood.
As happens in underworld gangs, when a newcomer comes they ask him to commit a murder so that he becomes an accused and then he will not have any option but to join the gang permanently. All those who joined hands in raiding the Jehanabad jail will remain with Naxalite movement all their life because all of them are co-accused in a serious crime.
South-Asia's Maoist Web
There have been more than 500 such incidents committed by Maoists in the last two years. Imagine what a force they have at their disposal! The Maoist leaders know that eventually if they have to fight the Indian military they can't win against the 'occupying State', all those 'liberated areas' cannot remain liberated if you don't have the 'shield' of the masses.
Do you agree that the Maoists movement is a political one?
It's a 100 percent political movement. The Maoists want to usurp power through the barrel of the gun.
Is it a structured movement?
It's a completely structured organisation. They have a politburo, they have a central committee. They have regional offices and now they have regional area commanders. They have troops and they have commanders for the troops.
Jehanabad signals deeper malaise
Why can't the intelligence agencies arrest them and put them on trial?
Can you do everything you want? There is a big gap between what you wish and what you are capable of doing.
Is India capable of controlling or taking counteraction against the Maoists?
If India decides to do it, India can.
What is the major action taken by the government so far?
The government has started some welfare measures. The government is sending central troops wherever required. A committee of chief ministers of the Maoist-affected states is being formed.
There is a committee in the home ministry meeting from time to time to discuss the Maoist problem.
But so far nothing seems to be effective.
The government's reaction has not been enough. When some incident happens 5 or 7 battalions of the Central Reserve Police Force is sent irrespective of whether these troops make any difference or not. As the prime minister has said, we will have to think out of the box. We have got, so far, conventional responses.
It is a problem entirely different in character. It has social, security, economic and communication dimensions. I consider it a very important national issue because it is in India's hinterland. India's geological and forest wealth lies here. All the surface arteries of communication pass through it. When Punjab, J&K and the Northeast were disturbed, it did not affect the rest of India much. The Maoists are levying tax on every truck that passes through their area. The judicial system is hijacked. Rail traffic can't function smoothly because most trains pass through the areas. They are collecting taxes now. They are not only distributing private land but also distributing pattas of government land. If you abdicate your judicial function, if you abdicate your legislative function and if you don't collect taxes then, where is India's sovereignty left? The legitimacy and credibility of the government is at stake.
Where is the situation leading to?
The day realisation comes that this problem is very serious, it requires a national response. The first thing that should emerge is a political consensus in India.
Do Maoists get support from jihadi organisations?
Not from jihadis but they do have tactical linkages. They had tactical linkages with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam for some kind of training.
How are they funded?
The government's development funds are their major source. They siphon off these funds because of poor governance. From the patwari to top government officials to local politicians, all keep quiet.
It's not a frightening scenario but it's a phenomenon requiring awareness.
They are treated as neither criminals nor terrorists.
There is no accepted definition of terrorism. If they use violence to achieve their political objectives then why do you say they are not terrorists? Terrorists are denounced because their means are unaccepted in civil society and their ends are therefore vitiated.
Home Minister Shivraj Patil has said the Maoists are the children of our country.
Well, Dawood Ibrahim is also the child of our country. The terrorists who killed Indira Gandhi were also the children of our country.
Let us have understanding at different levels. At the socio-economic level do the work. Build colleges and schools, provide employment and hospitals, and redress grievances of the people. But lack of these things doesn't give anybody a license to kill innocent people.
The Maoists think that beyond a point, they are unable to tolerate injustice.
Yes, they may think strongly about what they do but the Indian State can't accept their thinking. Anybody who resorts to violence cannot be accepted.
If the state tries to be soft then we should change India's Constitution. No person has a right to kill and no justification should be forwarded for their actions.
The bottom-line is to decide whether Indian society accepts violence as a justifiable instrument to achieve one's political objective. If the answer is no, then the Maoist movement is terrorism.
If you term them in black and white there will be much more reaction. It will be a kind of war.
This war has to be fought and won. When I am saying this it doesn't mean the Maoists don't have genuine problems or a cause. It doesn't mean that the government process has not failed in those parts of India.
In those parts we have failed in governing and we have failed on the economic front. But the question is of a framework to deal with the violence.
In other words, does it mean it is a civil war?
It is not a civil war, as yet. But it can lead to serious conflict. We have to set up the framework. We have to convince them to fight an election. It is possible to explain to them. After Charu Majumdar, when Vinod Mishra came in he formed the Maoist Communist Centre and fought elections. Some splinter ultra-left groups have joined the MCC in Bihar and the People's War Group in Andhra Pradesh.
Don't you think one of the major problems is that people in urban India have many more privileges, including access to technology, than these people who are joining or supporting the Maoists?
You have made a very valid point. The first task of the government is to reach out to the people. This job has to be done by political leaders. We need to access them and connect to them.
When you were IB chief, what do you remember most about the management of the Maoist issue?
At that point of time the government had decided to talk to them despite some discordant voices. Peace has to be given a chance but in conflict resolution clarity of mind is the most important thing. With whom to talk, what to offer and who can influence them the most should be decided clearly.
How well India is gearing up to tackle these problems?
India is capable of fighting back. How many countries have fought terrorism of so many varieties for so long and so successfully?
Monday April 24 2006 11:58 IST
KARIMNAGAR: Maoists have lost popularity among people. They are not being allowed to enter villages, Kontham Mallaiah alias Sudhir, member of CPI Maoist Karimnagar east division committee has said.
Mallaiah and two of his colleagues, Ajmeera Pul Singh alias Bhaskar and Vanaparti Sanyasi alias Rahim surrendered to Superintendent of Police DS Chouhan.
Mallaiah, who spent more than 10 years in anonymity, said he was surrendering due to health problems. He is involved in the Naxalite attack on CISF in Bailadilla in Chhatisgarh recently. He received a bullet injury during the incident and had some health complications.
He spoke to mediapersons and told them about the crisis in the party. There is a sharp dip in the number of people being recruited. “Earlier, villagers used to offer meals to Maoists but now the condition is different,” he said.
Mallaiah said that none of the educated were joining the party these days. Those who joined are not happy with the functioning, he said. Several of the party members are suffering from ill health, he added.
SP DS Chouhan urged the Maoists to join mainstream and promised to provide employment opportunities, if they did so. He made it clear that there was no life threat to those surrendering. He criticised the Maoists for luring innocent youths into their ranks.
KARIMNAGAR: Maoists have lost popularity among people. They are not being allowed to enter villages, Kontham Mallaiah alias Sudhir, member of CPI Maoist Karimnagar east division committee has said.
Mallaiah and two of his colleagues, Ajmeera Pul Singh alias Bhaskar and Vanaparti Sanyasi alias Rahim surrendered to Superintendent of Police DS Chouhan.
Mallaiah, who spent more than 10 years in anonymity, said he was surrendering due to health problems. He is involved in the Naxalite attack on CISF in Bailadilla in Chhatisgarh recently. He received a bullet injury during the incident and had some health complications.
He spoke to mediapersons and told them about the crisis in the party. There is a sharp dip in the number of people being recruited. “Earlier, villagers used to offer meals to Maoists but now the condition is different,” he said.
Mallaiah said that none of the educated were joining the party these days. Those who joined are not happy with the functioning, he said. Several of the party members are suffering from ill health, he added.
SP DS Chouhan urged the Maoists to join mainstream and promised to provide employment opportunities, if they did so. He made it clear that there was no life threat to those surrendering. He criticised the Maoists for luring innocent youths into their ranks.
Rajnandgaon (Chhattisgarh), Apr 22: Opposition BJP today asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take the Parliament into confidence on how his government was planning to tackle Naxalite menace in the country.
The Union Government must follow-up on the decisions taken at the Chief Ministers` conference and mount an effective assault on the Naxal problem, senior BJP leader L K Advani told reporters in this Naxalite-affected town.
"I would like Prime Minister to take Parliament into confidence in the forthcoming second part of the budget session on his government plans to deal with the threat of this magnitude," the leader of the opposition said.
Accusing the UPA of adopting a "soft approach" towards left-wing extremism by dismantling the unified and coordinated Centre-state strategy evolved by the previous NDA government, he said the government had belatedly realized the need for tough action.
The former Union Home Minister also alleged that Congress had entered into a "secret pact" with Naxalite organizations before the elections as part of its vote bank politics and the soft approach towards extremists had given them `respectability` and resulted in spurt in extremist violence.
He said terrorism and Naxalism should not be viewed as state-level law and order problems. Instead, there should be a unified command and a coordinated approach by the Centre and states to tackle the menace, Advani said.
While welcoming the Prime Minister`s proposal for a unified command, Advani said he was surprised as to why the UPA government had dismantled such a mechanism put in place by the previous NDA government.
In addition to firm action by security forces, efforts must be stepped up to promote good governance combined with rapid socio-economic development through people`s participation in the Naxalite-affected areas, Advani said.
Asked about a book by former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao in which allegations of his involvement in the demolition Babri Masjid were made, Advani said, "I have not read the book. I have already testified before the commission (going into the Babri case) and its final report is awaited."
Replying to another question on the sting operations involving his party leaders in the recent times, he said "there should be a law pertaining to such operations. However, irrespective of whether sting operations are allowed or not, the people in public life should lead a life of integrity and honesty."
Bureau Report
The Union Government must follow-up on the decisions taken at the Chief Ministers` conference and mount an effective assault on the Naxal problem, senior BJP leader L K Advani told reporters in this Naxalite-affected town.
"I would like Prime Minister to take Parliament into confidence in the forthcoming second part of the budget session on his government plans to deal with the threat of this magnitude," the leader of the opposition said.
Accusing the UPA of adopting a "soft approach" towards left-wing extremism by dismantling the unified and coordinated Centre-state strategy evolved by the previous NDA government, he said the government had belatedly realized the need for tough action.
The former Union Home Minister also alleged that Congress had entered into a "secret pact" with Naxalite organizations before the elections as part of its vote bank politics and the soft approach towards extremists had given them `respectability` and resulted in spurt in extremist violence.
He said terrorism and Naxalism should not be viewed as state-level law and order problems. Instead, there should be a unified command and a coordinated approach by the Centre and states to tackle the menace, Advani said.
While welcoming the Prime Minister`s proposal for a unified command, Advani said he was surprised as to why the UPA government had dismantled such a mechanism put in place by the previous NDA government.
In addition to firm action by security forces, efforts must be stepped up to promote good governance combined with rapid socio-economic development through people`s participation in the Naxalite-affected areas, Advani said.
Asked about a book by former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao in which allegations of his involvement in the demolition Babri Masjid were made, Advani said, "I have not read the book. I have already testified before the commission (going into the Babri case) and its final report is awaited."
Replying to another question on the sting operations involving his party leaders in the recent times, he said "there should be a law pertaining to such operations. However, irrespective of whether sting operations are allowed or not, the people in public life should lead a life of integrity and honesty."
Bureau Report
Staff Reporter
Exchange of fire with police; one of the dead is district committee secretary
WARANGAL: Four naxalites belonging to Praja Prathighatana Group were killed in an encounter with the police around 10 a.m. in the Katapur forest area in agency Tadvai mandal here on Friday.
Among the victims, one was identified as Paya Lakshmaiah alias Yadanna, who was Praja Prathighatana Warangal district committee secretary. He belonged to Damerathogu village of Gundala mandal in Khammam district and had been underground for the past one decade. He was involved in 36 criminal cases.
Three others, including a woman, are yet to be identified.
Superintendent of Police M.S. Ravindra said on reliable information about the movement of naxalites, special police parties were sent to comb the area. The police found the naxals moving in the forest abutting the Motlagudem village and there was an exchange of fire between the police and naxalites.
The police later recovered one Springfield rifle, two 8mm rifles, one pistol and one revolver and seven kitbags from the spot.
Later around 1p.m. again the police exchanged fire with naxals just 2 km distance from the first encounter spot. There were no casualties, but the police recovered one 8 mm rifle left by the fleeing naxals. Mr. Ravindra said unable to bear the pressure from the naxal groups for money, the local villagers informed the police about their movements. The revolutionary parties which claimed to be working for the people had now turned against the people since they left behind their ideology and grew greedy for money, he added.
Meanwhile, the police unearthed three landmines pitched reportedly by the Maoist party naxalites on the road between Moddulagudem and Oddugudem in Govindaraopet mandal in the afternoon. Each of the mine contained 5 kg of explosive material and probably aimed at targeting the police going that way for combing operations. A team of personnel headed by Circle Inspector V Tirupathi unearthed and defused the landmines.
Exchange of fire with police; one of the dead is district committee secretary
WARANGAL: Four naxalites belonging to Praja Prathighatana Group were killed in an encounter with the police around 10 a.m. in the Katapur forest area in agency Tadvai mandal here on Friday.
Among the victims, one was identified as Paya Lakshmaiah alias Yadanna, who was Praja Prathighatana Warangal district committee secretary. He belonged to Damerathogu village of Gundala mandal in Khammam district and had been underground for the past one decade. He was involved in 36 criminal cases.
Three others, including a woman, are yet to be identified.
Superintendent of Police M.S. Ravindra said on reliable information about the movement of naxalites, special police parties were sent to comb the area. The police found the naxals moving in the forest abutting the Motlagudem village and there was an exchange of fire between the police and naxalites.
The police later recovered one Springfield rifle, two 8mm rifles, one pistol and one revolver and seven kitbags from the spot.
Later around 1p.m. again the police exchanged fire with naxals just 2 km distance from the first encounter spot. There were no casualties, but the police recovered one 8 mm rifle left by the fleeing naxals. Mr. Ravindra said unable to bear the pressure from the naxal groups for money, the local villagers informed the police about their movements. The revolutionary parties which claimed to be working for the people had now turned against the people since they left behind their ideology and grew greedy for money, he added.
Meanwhile, the police unearthed three landmines pitched reportedly by the Maoist party naxalites on the road between Moddulagudem and Oddugudem in Govindaraopet mandal in the afternoon. Each of the mine contained 5 kg of explosive material and probably aimed at targeting the police going that way for combing operations. A team of personnel headed by Circle Inspector V Tirupathi unearthed and defused the landmines.
By Varun Gandhi
If free enterprise is to survive, if India has to remain a parliamentary democracy, then the poison of Naxalism must be countered immediately, otherwise as Naxalism spreads the India we know, would be increasingly threatened by the Red-bully.
The failure and reluctance of governments to recognise the Naxal threat and to deal with them immediately, effectively and ferociously, has permitted Naxalism to spread.
On September 4, 1999 Chandala-vada Umesh Chandra, a young IPS officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre, famous for his anti-Naxal operations was assassinated by Naxalites. In October 2004, the People’s War Group marked out 5,000 acres of land for ‘redistribution’, threatened landowners and corporates from Microsoft to Infosys. In January 2006, four Rajdhani Express trains were stopped near Gaya en route due to the Naxal threat. In the past 16 years, in Andhra Pradesh alone, the Naxals have killed over 2,000 civilians, 500 security personnel and destroyed property worth 200 crore rupees. In Bihar they have ransacked police armoury, freed their kin from jails and laid a siege of Jehanabad town. Police constables in Chhattisgarh refuse to take postings in areas of Naxal dominance.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, while speaking at a conclave of Chief Ministers of the 13 Naxal-affected Indian states said, It would not be an exaggeration to say that the problem of Naxalism is the single biggest internal security challenge ever faced by our country.
Who are these Naxals? Groups like, People’s Guerrilla Army, People’s War Group (PWG), Maoists Communist Center (MCC), Communist Party of India (Maoist), and the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Janashakti are the extreme leftists (ultra-leftists or Naxals). They aim the conquest of India by overthrowing parliamentary democracy through a communist revolution brought about by protracted guerrilla warfare, and the establishment of a communist state on lines of China.
The writings of Charu Mazumdar form the ideological base of the ultra-leftists. In 1965-66, Mazumdar argued that democracy in India was a sham, and postulated a parallel application of a mixture of Marxist-Leninist-Maoist thought in Indian politics. Mazumdar’s initiatives put forth revolution-based communist politics attempting a revision in the communist movement of India. The communists refer to his presentations as the “historic eight documents”.
In 1967, an armed tribal unrest took place in West Bengal’s Naxalbari area. It was sparked by an attack on a tribal youth Wimal Kesan by landlords, when the former had gone to reclaim his land. The tribals armed themselves, and started capturing back their lands. It was a fight between Mazumdar-backed tribal violence and the government. The name “Naxal” is derived from Naxalbari. The tribal uprising lasted for 72 days and is called the “Naxalbari Uprising”. Mazumdar was arrested in Calcutta (Kolkata) on July 16, 1972 and died in police custody eight days later. The same year, in Andhra Pradesh, Kondapalli Seetharamaiah, an influential Naxal leader, reorganised the ultra-leftists. By 1978, however, the Maoist movement was in shambles.
In the pre-Mazumdar days, the Indian communist movement was basically Marxist-Leninist oriented—or “Westernised”. Charu Mazumdar following the Maoist pattern attempted to “Easternise” it, while Seetharamaiah tried to “Indianise” even the Maoist outlook by seeking to spread agrarian-based communist revolutions through the Go to Village Campaigns. In 1980, unlike Mao, he discarded the total annihilation of “class enemies” as the only form of legitimate communist revolution, and stressed on floating mass organisations. He formed the People’s War Group (PWG).
Since then, the PWG has built up armed groups in Andhra villages, euphemistically called, Radical Youth League Units. The PWG builds bases in remote areas that are difficult to reach by security agencies, and transforms them into guerrilla zones. After over-running the local government machinery, it establishes a parallel government at the local level, terming these zones as to why the “liberated zones”. It then indulges in self-motivating operations such as “area-wise seizures” and “encircling cities”. The October 2004 putting of Red flags on plots at Hyderabad’s outskirts was an example of “encircling cities” aimed at boosting cadre morale and extorting money from landowners. In order to identify with the people, the PWG is supposedly fighting for, it aims to install a people’s government and calls it’s armed activities the people’s war. The PWG aims to usher in its communist revolution, calling it the “New Democratic Revolution” (NDR). Ironically, the PWG expelled Seetharamaiah, who died unsung on April 12, 2002.
The Central Committee (CC) is the highest policy-making body in the PWG. It comprises of 21 permanent and six alternate members. At present Muppala Lakshman Rao, alias Ganapathi is its General Secretary. It has two wings—the political and the armed. The armed wing is headed by a “Central Military Commission” (CMC). As General Secretary of the political wing, Ganapathi heads the CMC. The military commissions are present parallel to the political committees at each level. At the micro-level is the Village Defence Squad (VDS), organised as a militia group. The main fighting part of the outfit or a platoon comprises 25 to 30 highly-trained guerrillas. Formed in December 2000, the PWG’s fighting force is called the People’s Guerrilla Army (PGA). It has its own flag and an insignia, too. The estimated cummulative strength of the armed ultra-leftist groups is about 10,000 and is distributed in an area called the “Red corridor” influencing 27 per cent of India’s landmass!
The situation is grim. The Naxalite movement is increasing its tenacity to strike at will. Thousands of armed guerrilla warriors are no longer engaged in isolated attacks, but are resorting to large militarised assaults and have forged external links. In 2001, the Maoist Communist Center (MCC), and nine other Naxal outfits of India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka joined hands to form a trans-national umbrella organisation called the “Co-ordination Committee of Maoist Parties and Organisations (CCOMPOSA) with a purpose to unify and coordinate the left extremist activities in South Asia. The failure and reluctance of governments to recognise the Naxal threat and to deal with them immediately, effectively and ferociously, has permitted Naxalism to spread. When political parties need Naxal-support during elections, they describe Naxals as a social problem. After elections, Naxalism is treated like a law and order situation. Governmental response has been defocused.
The recent talk by the Prime Minister of adopting a walking on two legs strategy that would recognise Naxalism as not merely a law and order problem but relate Naxalism directly to under-development exhibits this defocus. How can the government seek to call Naxalism, a social problem when it possess central military commissions that aims at overthrowing Indian democracy?
The government must, therefore, draw up an anti-Naxal charter. A state-wise pro-active governmental initiative must be launched. It must be a tri-dandi initiative—a three fold one—educative, rehabilitative and combative.
On the educative front, special propaganda modules must be made to expose Naxalism’s true face, one that abducts, rapes, extorts and kills. The demonisation of the Naxalite movement is not difficult. Instances of Naxal atrocities can be documented and shown to people. Catchy anti-Naxal slogans, skits and songs must be developed and spread. Special groups of actors must go village to village and play out these skits. Bill-boards must be put up in towns and villages informing people about Naxalism and its true colours. The Naxals try to win over gullible village youth through false promises of a better life but end up making them brigands without a future. Similarly, there have been numerous cases of sexual exploitation of women cadres by the Naxalites An exposure at the village level would dry up the recruitment fields for the Naxals and make it difficult for them to lure away the youth. A complete chronology of Naxal brutality and attacks on rural infrastructure proving them to be not just anti-people, but also as anti-India, and anti-progress can be presented in a pocket-book form in local languages and distributed.
There must be a rehabilitative package for surrendered Naxals and provisions for their protection from retaliatory attacks by their former comrades. Regular taluka programmes should be held to keep avenues open for surrender. Surrendered Naxals must be debriefed and integrated back into society by imparting special vocational training and skills. The government must send out a clear message that it would not harass surrendered Naxals and their families. The better the rehabilitative package and its propaganda, the more Naxals cadres would abandon the ultra-leftist promises and return.
Women cadres, usually the victims of exploitation must be provided protection and alternate employment opportunities in various skilled and unskilled projects. Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) must be promoted in affected areas. A public-private partnership must be formed to evolve an economical rehabilitative package. Simultaneously, the government must also launch special purpose vehicles to look into the infrastructural development of Naxal-affected areas. Usually these areas are severely backward and poor. A collective economic improvement would automatically make people less inclined towards the false hopes of the communist revolution that the Naxals espouse. The rehabilitative package must extend to the families of security personnel killed in action against Naxals. Each security personnel should be insured for atleast Rs 10 lakh.
The combative step is like a surgeon’s knife, painful but effective. In Mao’s own words, the language of the bullet has universal understanding. A special task force must be formed at the Centre having multi-state functionality with the aim of taking the fight to the Naxals—to fight the guerrillas like guerrillas.
Elements from both the army and paramilitary forces should be included in the task force. It should have its own air wing. Additional air-strips must be built in Naxal-affected areas to shorten response time of security forces. The strategy should be quick deployment of battle-ready troops, encirclement and liquidation of the Naxal threat. Satellite tracking and monitoring of the affected areas is needed. Lately, the Maharashtra government has chalked out a Rs 733 crore anti-Naxal programme for the affected districts of Gadchiroli and Chandrapur. It has asked the Centre for setting up of a helicopter base in Nagpur, have medical support teams, and be provided with a team of the CRPF that was promised two years ago.
The intelligence agencies must improve their information gathering capabilities and launch a cash incentive scheme to garner information about Naxal leadership. Local village level defence and intelligence squads would form the frontline of such a combative strategy. Each Naxal attack must be traced to locate hideouts and training centres. The government’s combative focus must change from battling foot soldiers to leadership liquidation. A covert strategy must be evolved to specifically target Naxal leadership. Arrested Naxal leaders must be secretly removed to high security jails, so that when a rescue attempt is launched it can be encountered without risk of losing the arrested Naxals. A special fast track court must be set up to try Naxal cases. Surveillance of rail and road infrastructure along Naxal-affected areas must be increased to reduce chances of attacks. In order to squeeze the Naxal influence, an Inter-state Naxal Movement Deterrence plan must be drawn with an enhanced security presence not only along state borders but also along the hills and plains. This would deter Naxals from undertaking inter-state travel and thereby lock them in.
The government must precede the initiation of serious peace talks with Naxal leadership, with a well publicised programme for mass surrender, aimed at ending this armed rebellion. But before engaging in peace talks, the government must lay down three conditions. Disarm the cadres, dismantle combative capabilities and training centres, and disband the military commissions. The government must also seek return of stolen government arms and unspent ammunition. If such peace talks fail, the government must immediately adopt a zero tolerance policy towards the ultra-leftists, and order Naxal leadership liquidation. This would control the situation from spreading and severely dent Naxal strike capabilities.
If free enterprise is to survive, if India has to remain a parliamentary democracy, then the poison of Naxalism must be countered immediately, otherwise as Naxalism spreads the India we know, would be increasingly threatened by the Red-flag.
If free enterprise is to survive, if India has to remain a parliamentary democracy, then the poison of Naxalism must be countered immediately, otherwise as Naxalism spreads the India we know, would be increasingly threatened by the Red-bully.
The failure and reluctance of governments to recognise the Naxal threat and to deal with them immediately, effectively and ferociously, has permitted Naxalism to spread.
On September 4, 1999 Chandala-vada Umesh Chandra, a young IPS officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre, famous for his anti-Naxal operations was assassinated by Naxalites. In October 2004, the People’s War Group marked out 5,000 acres of land for ‘redistribution’, threatened landowners and corporates from Microsoft to Infosys. In January 2006, four Rajdhani Express trains were stopped near Gaya en route due to the Naxal threat. In the past 16 years, in Andhra Pradesh alone, the Naxals have killed over 2,000 civilians, 500 security personnel and destroyed property worth 200 crore rupees. In Bihar they have ransacked police armoury, freed their kin from jails and laid a siege of Jehanabad town. Police constables in Chhattisgarh refuse to take postings in areas of Naxal dominance.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, while speaking at a conclave of Chief Ministers of the 13 Naxal-affected Indian states said, It would not be an exaggeration to say that the problem of Naxalism is the single biggest internal security challenge ever faced by our country.
Who are these Naxals? Groups like, People’s Guerrilla Army, People’s War Group (PWG), Maoists Communist Center (MCC), Communist Party of India (Maoist), and the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Janashakti are the extreme leftists (ultra-leftists or Naxals). They aim the conquest of India by overthrowing parliamentary democracy through a communist revolution brought about by protracted guerrilla warfare, and the establishment of a communist state on lines of China.
The writings of Charu Mazumdar form the ideological base of the ultra-leftists. In 1965-66, Mazumdar argued that democracy in India was a sham, and postulated a parallel application of a mixture of Marxist-Leninist-Maoist thought in Indian politics. Mazumdar’s initiatives put forth revolution-based communist politics attempting a revision in the communist movement of India. The communists refer to his presentations as the “historic eight documents”.
In 1967, an armed tribal unrest took place in West Bengal’s Naxalbari area. It was sparked by an attack on a tribal youth Wimal Kesan by landlords, when the former had gone to reclaim his land. The tribals armed themselves, and started capturing back their lands. It was a fight between Mazumdar-backed tribal violence and the government. The name “Naxal” is derived from Naxalbari. The tribal uprising lasted for 72 days and is called the “Naxalbari Uprising”. Mazumdar was arrested in Calcutta (Kolkata) on July 16, 1972 and died in police custody eight days later. The same year, in Andhra Pradesh, Kondapalli Seetharamaiah, an influential Naxal leader, reorganised the ultra-leftists. By 1978, however, the Maoist movement was in shambles.
In the pre-Mazumdar days, the Indian communist movement was basically Marxist-Leninist oriented—or “Westernised”. Charu Mazumdar following the Maoist pattern attempted to “Easternise” it, while Seetharamaiah tried to “Indianise” even the Maoist outlook by seeking to spread agrarian-based communist revolutions through the Go to Village Campaigns. In 1980, unlike Mao, he discarded the total annihilation of “class enemies” as the only form of legitimate communist revolution, and stressed on floating mass organisations. He formed the People’s War Group (PWG).
Since then, the PWG has built up armed groups in Andhra villages, euphemistically called, Radical Youth League Units. The PWG builds bases in remote areas that are difficult to reach by security agencies, and transforms them into guerrilla zones. After over-running the local government machinery, it establishes a parallel government at the local level, terming these zones as to why the “liberated zones”. It then indulges in self-motivating operations such as “area-wise seizures” and “encircling cities”. The October 2004 putting of Red flags on plots at Hyderabad’s outskirts was an example of “encircling cities” aimed at boosting cadre morale and extorting money from landowners. In order to identify with the people, the PWG is supposedly fighting for, it aims to install a people’s government and calls it’s armed activities the people’s war. The PWG aims to usher in its communist revolution, calling it the “New Democratic Revolution” (NDR). Ironically, the PWG expelled Seetharamaiah, who died unsung on April 12, 2002.
The Central Committee (CC) is the highest policy-making body in the PWG. It comprises of 21 permanent and six alternate members. At present Muppala Lakshman Rao, alias Ganapathi is its General Secretary. It has two wings—the political and the armed. The armed wing is headed by a “Central Military Commission” (CMC). As General Secretary of the political wing, Ganapathi heads the CMC. The military commissions are present parallel to the political committees at each level. At the micro-level is the Village Defence Squad (VDS), organised as a militia group. The main fighting part of the outfit or a platoon comprises 25 to 30 highly-trained guerrillas. Formed in December 2000, the PWG’s fighting force is called the People’s Guerrilla Army (PGA). It has its own flag and an insignia, too. The estimated cummulative strength of the armed ultra-leftist groups is about 10,000 and is distributed in an area called the “Red corridor” influencing 27 per cent of India’s landmass!
The situation is grim. The Naxalite movement is increasing its tenacity to strike at will. Thousands of armed guerrilla warriors are no longer engaged in isolated attacks, but are resorting to large militarised assaults and have forged external links. In 2001, the Maoist Communist Center (MCC), and nine other Naxal outfits of India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka joined hands to form a trans-national umbrella organisation called the “Co-ordination Committee of Maoist Parties and Organisations (CCOMPOSA) with a purpose to unify and coordinate the left extremist activities in South Asia. The failure and reluctance of governments to recognise the Naxal threat and to deal with them immediately, effectively and ferociously, has permitted Naxalism to spread. When political parties need Naxal-support during elections, they describe Naxals as a social problem. After elections, Naxalism is treated like a law and order situation. Governmental response has been defocused.
The recent talk by the Prime Minister of adopting a walking on two legs strategy that would recognise Naxalism as not merely a law and order problem but relate Naxalism directly to under-development exhibits this defocus. How can the government seek to call Naxalism, a social problem when it possess central military commissions that aims at overthrowing Indian democracy?
The government must, therefore, draw up an anti-Naxal charter. A state-wise pro-active governmental initiative must be launched. It must be a tri-dandi initiative—a three fold one—educative, rehabilitative and combative.
On the educative front, special propaganda modules must be made to expose Naxalism’s true face, one that abducts, rapes, extorts and kills. The demonisation of the Naxalite movement is not difficult. Instances of Naxal atrocities can be documented and shown to people. Catchy anti-Naxal slogans, skits and songs must be developed and spread. Special groups of actors must go village to village and play out these skits. Bill-boards must be put up in towns and villages informing people about Naxalism and its true colours. The Naxals try to win over gullible village youth through false promises of a better life but end up making them brigands without a future. Similarly, there have been numerous cases of sexual exploitation of women cadres by the Naxalites An exposure at the village level would dry up the recruitment fields for the Naxals and make it difficult for them to lure away the youth. A complete chronology of Naxal brutality and attacks on rural infrastructure proving them to be not just anti-people, but also as anti-India, and anti-progress can be presented in a pocket-book form in local languages and distributed.
There must be a rehabilitative package for surrendered Naxals and provisions for their protection from retaliatory attacks by their former comrades. Regular taluka programmes should be held to keep avenues open for surrender. Surrendered Naxals must be debriefed and integrated back into society by imparting special vocational training and skills. The government must send out a clear message that it would not harass surrendered Naxals and their families. The better the rehabilitative package and its propaganda, the more Naxals cadres would abandon the ultra-leftist promises and return.
Women cadres, usually the victims of exploitation must be provided protection and alternate employment opportunities in various skilled and unskilled projects. Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) must be promoted in affected areas. A public-private partnership must be formed to evolve an economical rehabilitative package. Simultaneously, the government must also launch special purpose vehicles to look into the infrastructural development of Naxal-affected areas. Usually these areas are severely backward and poor. A collective economic improvement would automatically make people less inclined towards the false hopes of the communist revolution that the Naxals espouse. The rehabilitative package must extend to the families of security personnel killed in action against Naxals. Each security personnel should be insured for atleast Rs 10 lakh.
The combative step is like a surgeon’s knife, painful but effective. In Mao’s own words, the language of the bullet has universal understanding. A special task force must be formed at the Centre having multi-state functionality with the aim of taking the fight to the Naxals—to fight the guerrillas like guerrillas.
Elements from both the army and paramilitary forces should be included in the task force. It should have its own air wing. Additional air-strips must be built in Naxal-affected areas to shorten response time of security forces. The strategy should be quick deployment of battle-ready troops, encirclement and liquidation of the Naxal threat. Satellite tracking and monitoring of the affected areas is needed. Lately, the Maharashtra government has chalked out a Rs 733 crore anti-Naxal programme for the affected districts of Gadchiroli and Chandrapur. It has asked the Centre for setting up of a helicopter base in Nagpur, have medical support teams, and be provided with a team of the CRPF that was promised two years ago.
The intelligence agencies must improve their information gathering capabilities and launch a cash incentive scheme to garner information about Naxal leadership. Local village level defence and intelligence squads would form the frontline of such a combative strategy. Each Naxal attack must be traced to locate hideouts and training centres. The government’s combative focus must change from battling foot soldiers to leadership liquidation. A covert strategy must be evolved to specifically target Naxal leadership. Arrested Naxal leaders must be secretly removed to high security jails, so that when a rescue attempt is launched it can be encountered without risk of losing the arrested Naxals. A special fast track court must be set up to try Naxal cases. Surveillance of rail and road infrastructure along Naxal-affected areas must be increased to reduce chances of attacks. In order to squeeze the Naxal influence, an Inter-state Naxal Movement Deterrence plan must be drawn with an enhanced security presence not only along state borders but also along the hills and plains. This would deter Naxals from undertaking inter-state travel and thereby lock them in.
The government must precede the initiation of serious peace talks with Naxal leadership, with a well publicised programme for mass surrender, aimed at ending this armed rebellion. But before engaging in peace talks, the government must lay down three conditions. Disarm the cadres, dismantle combative capabilities and training centres, and disband the military commissions. The government must also seek return of stolen government arms and unspent ammunition. If such peace talks fail, the government must immediately adopt a zero tolerance policy towards the ultra-leftists, and order Naxal leadership liquidation. This would control the situation from spreading and severely dent Naxal strike capabilities.
If free enterprise is to survive, if India has to remain a parliamentary democracy, then the poison of Naxalism must be countered immediately, otherwise as Naxalism spreads the India we know, would be increasingly threatened by the Red-flag.
Raipur: A naxal commander was arrested from Balrampur police district, north of Chhattisgarh bordering Jharkhand, police said today.
Jai Prakash Nagesia alias Ram Chandra alias Anil was arrested yesterday from a house in Lavkushpur jungle, Sarguja range Inspector-General of Police A N Upadhyaya told PTI over phone.
Acting on certain information, a joint police team of CRPF and District Force raided the house and arrested him, Upadhyaya said.
A .32 bore revolver, two country made pistols and some ammunitions were recovered from Nagesia, he said.
Nagesia was involved in several killing and other offences, the IGP said.
Jai Prakash Nagesia alias Ram Chandra alias Anil was arrested yesterday from a house in Lavkushpur jungle, Sarguja range Inspector-General of Police A N Upadhyaya told PTI over phone.
Acting on certain information, a joint police team of CRPF and District Force raided the house and arrested him, Upadhyaya said.
A .32 bore revolver, two country made pistols and some ammunitions were recovered from Nagesia, he said.
Nagesia was involved in several killing and other offences, the IGP said.
The naxals have found tribal, as also some rural areas, as fertile ground for their operations, says MK Dhar.
With the Maoists stepping up violence and also enlarging their operational base, claims made by the Government that the situation is getting under control are not justified. It has a fairly correct assessment of the causes that breed and sustain naxalism, but seems to lack the will and determination to address them. It is not by police methods alone that violence can be countered because, experience shows, that violence breeds counter-violence and no amount of force will deter a determined, aggrieved, deprived and desperate tribal from indulging in violent acts to register his protest against continuing social injustice, economic deprivation and avoidable police harassment.
The naxals have found tribal, as also some rural areas, as fertile ground for their operations because their population faces a variety of problems related to their livelihood, way of living and, in many cases, starvation. About 7 per cent of India's population is tribal and wilderness-based and only 8 per cent of the country's geographical areas is left with dense forest cover. Therefore, one cannot argue that the tribal areas are less densely populated than the rest of the country, barring towns. The forest cover is decreasing every year, thereby depriving the tribals of their primary source of living derived from forest products and also marginal, mostly dry-land cultivation.
In the past 50 years, nearly 40 million people, including those living in semi-urban areas, have been deprived of their lands, homes and living as a result of activity related to mines, industries, large and medium-scale dams, wildlife sanctuaries and similar projects. Nearly 40 per cent of the people so deprived and displaced are tribals and only 25 per cent of them have so far been rehabilitated. The rest are wandering from place to place, or languishing in temporary settlements without work or mean of sustenance and awaiting implementation of assurances of full rehabilitation and generous compensation given by respective governments at the Centre and in the states.
With so many deprived and desperate people wandering aimlessly or knocking at the doors of the authorities for implementation of the promises made to them, little wonder that Naxals find them easy recruits for waging a violent struggle to secure their rights, with complete disregard for the consequences. To ward off criticism of the collective failure of the governments of the affected states to deal with Naxal violence, the Union Home Secretary recently tried to pat the government on the back by furnishing statistics to drive home the point that naxalite violence affecting as many as 13 states, was now under control. In the past few months Chhattisgarh has borne the brunt of naxalite violence and Bihar under the Nitish Kumar administration also has witnessed some serious incidents like raid on jails and train and station hold-up near the capital city of Patna. In Chhattisgarh as many as 162 incidents have been reported in the first quarter of this year compared to 97 during the corresponding period of last year and, countrywide, the number was 391 against 476. But the number of casualties went up from 114 to 157 and 47 security forces personnel were killed as against 45.
The number may have marginally come down but the ferocity and sophistication of the attacks has increased. The naxals have become bolder, as jail raids and train hold-up in Chhattisgarh and Bihar demonstrate. Presently, as many as 167 districts are affected and the expanding "Red Corridor" starting from Tamilnadu, Karnataka and running through several states including Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, UP, Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal extends right upto the Nepal border. The increase in the number of casualties is attributed to pro-active measures being taken by the state governments at the Centre's prodding. The states are being helped to bring about a coordinated counter-response and engage the Naxals in a no-holds barred battle.
This was after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's warning to those indulging in violence and killing that such activities will not be pardoned. Faced with mounting Maoist violence the government will have "no option other than to fight such groups and the ideology of hatred". Extremism of any form based on any divisive ideology could not be tolerated in any civilized democratic society. The states are being provided extra funds to recruit more policemen and equip them with sophisticated weapons, more Central para-military forces are deployed in the affected areas and specially trained police officers assigned to combing operations. But, experience shows that police measure alone will not suffice. In fact, sometimes excessive retaliatory police action leads to counter-violence at an escalated level.
The basic causes of discontent and frustration among a section of the population need to be redressed along with appropriate remedial measures of relief, rehabilitation and employment. A Cabinet Committee on Tribal Affairs headed by Home Minister Shivraj Patil regularly monitors the situation. A panel set up by the Prime Minister's Office under R. Mungaker on inter-sectoral issues of tribal development, with special reference to displacement of large sections of the people, has made some significant recommendations. One of them is a review of the National Resettlement and Rehabilitation Policy 2002. It was discovered that poor relief and rehabilitation of the displaced people is at the root cause of tribal anger against projects, such as, dams, mines, large industrial and infrastructure projects. The panel identified the loopholes to be plugged and wanted relief and rehabilitation to be completed before construction of a project, or a strictly-enforceable and monitored time-frame fixed for completing the task. Providing employment to the displaced should also be part of the R and R package.
The Government is also introducing legislation in Parliament to amend the Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of forest rights) Act to remove any ambiguity in determining the cut-off dates for tribal rights on land. Tribals will be given personal "pattas" recognizing their rights in national parks and sanctuaries and forest officials will henceforth be involved in grating land rights to tribals. The Centre's new 14-point policy to tackle the Naxal menace also recognizes the causes of violence, but expresses helplessness over improper execution of welfare projects involving large sums of money meant to mitigate poverty in rural and tribal areas. As regards social, development and political measures, the Centre has provided financial assistance of Rs 2,475 crores for 55 naxal - affected districts in Andhra, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Jharkhand, Maharashta, MP, UP and West Bengal under the Backward Districts Initiative. But, how much of this money has actually reached the intended beneficiaries? The general perception is that the bulk of its has gone to line the pockets of the disbursing officials.
The same is true of other Rozgar and Awas Yojanas for which the Centre provides thousands of crores of rupees every year but has not means of monitoring its use. The general assessment is that the intended beneficiaries, among them, displaced and unemployed tribals, gain very little, continue to remain dissatisfied and are prone to revolt in the absence of their anguished voice being heard. The Centre has again pointed out that naxal groups have been raising land and livelihood related issues and asked the states to take up land reforms on a priority basis. The states, by and large, have subverted land laws and the category of the landless keeps expanding, instead of shrinking. A belated recognition has dawned that naxalism is not purely a law and order problem, but must be tackled simultaneously on political, security, development and public perception management fronts in a holistic manner.
Even though the Andhra Pradesh Government's surrender and rehabilitation policy for naxalites showed promising results, it has had to break of negotiations with their leaders who persisted with their unacceptable demands. The Salva Judum (counter-resistence) movement started in Chhattisgarh is a commendable step towards organizing local resistence to Maoists who thrive on loot, extortion and plunder. The naxals have killed scores of Salva Judum activists, who have destroyed some of their bases. Most of them are now operating from relief camps set up by the government after being displaced from their homes.
It should be borne in mind that organizing self-resistence is also a good strategy, but to make it succeed, the government's concerned must initiate action on a broad front to remove genuine causes of disaffection among displaced and deprived tribals. A multi pronged approach is called for: go tough with those using the guns, wean away their support base among tribals and the poor through development and jobs, choke off their men and money supply and improve the civil and police administration.
With the Maoists stepping up violence and also enlarging their operational base, claims made by the Government that the situation is getting under control are not justified. It has a fairly correct assessment of the causes that breed and sustain naxalism, but seems to lack the will and determination to address them. It is not by police methods alone that violence can be countered because, experience shows, that violence breeds counter-violence and no amount of force will deter a determined, aggrieved, deprived and desperate tribal from indulging in violent acts to register his protest against continuing social injustice, economic deprivation and avoidable police harassment.
The naxals have found tribal, as also some rural areas, as fertile ground for their operations because their population faces a variety of problems related to their livelihood, way of living and, in many cases, starvation. About 7 per cent of India's population is tribal and wilderness-based and only 8 per cent of the country's geographical areas is left with dense forest cover. Therefore, one cannot argue that the tribal areas are less densely populated than the rest of the country, barring towns. The forest cover is decreasing every year, thereby depriving the tribals of their primary source of living derived from forest products and also marginal, mostly dry-land cultivation.
In the past 50 years, nearly 40 million people, including those living in semi-urban areas, have been deprived of their lands, homes and living as a result of activity related to mines, industries, large and medium-scale dams, wildlife sanctuaries and similar projects. Nearly 40 per cent of the people so deprived and displaced are tribals and only 25 per cent of them have so far been rehabilitated. The rest are wandering from place to place, or languishing in temporary settlements without work or mean of sustenance and awaiting implementation of assurances of full rehabilitation and generous compensation given by respective governments at the Centre and in the states.
With so many deprived and desperate people wandering aimlessly or knocking at the doors of the authorities for implementation of the promises made to them, little wonder that Naxals find them easy recruits for waging a violent struggle to secure their rights, with complete disregard for the consequences. To ward off criticism of the collective failure of the governments of the affected states to deal with Naxal violence, the Union Home Secretary recently tried to pat the government on the back by furnishing statistics to drive home the point that naxalite violence affecting as many as 13 states, was now under control. In the past few months Chhattisgarh has borne the brunt of naxalite violence and Bihar under the Nitish Kumar administration also has witnessed some serious incidents like raid on jails and train and station hold-up near the capital city of Patna. In Chhattisgarh as many as 162 incidents have been reported in the first quarter of this year compared to 97 during the corresponding period of last year and, countrywide, the number was 391 against 476. But the number of casualties went up from 114 to 157 and 47 security forces personnel were killed as against 45.
The number may have marginally come down but the ferocity and sophistication of the attacks has increased. The naxals have become bolder, as jail raids and train hold-up in Chhattisgarh and Bihar demonstrate. Presently, as many as 167 districts are affected and the expanding "Red Corridor" starting from Tamilnadu, Karnataka and running through several states including Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, UP, Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal extends right upto the Nepal border. The increase in the number of casualties is attributed to pro-active measures being taken by the state governments at the Centre's prodding. The states are being helped to bring about a coordinated counter-response and engage the Naxals in a no-holds barred battle.
This was after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's warning to those indulging in violence and killing that such activities will not be pardoned. Faced with mounting Maoist violence the government will have "no option other than to fight such groups and the ideology of hatred". Extremism of any form based on any divisive ideology could not be tolerated in any civilized democratic society. The states are being provided extra funds to recruit more policemen and equip them with sophisticated weapons, more Central para-military forces are deployed in the affected areas and specially trained police officers assigned to combing operations. But, experience shows that police measure alone will not suffice. In fact, sometimes excessive retaliatory police action leads to counter-violence at an escalated level.
The basic causes of discontent and frustration among a section of the population need to be redressed along with appropriate remedial measures of relief, rehabilitation and employment. A Cabinet Committee on Tribal Affairs headed by Home Minister Shivraj Patil regularly monitors the situation. A panel set up by the Prime Minister's Office under R. Mungaker on inter-sectoral issues of tribal development, with special reference to displacement of large sections of the people, has made some significant recommendations. One of them is a review of the National Resettlement and Rehabilitation Policy 2002. It was discovered that poor relief and rehabilitation of the displaced people is at the root cause of tribal anger against projects, such as, dams, mines, large industrial and infrastructure projects. The panel identified the loopholes to be plugged and wanted relief and rehabilitation to be completed before construction of a project, or a strictly-enforceable and monitored time-frame fixed for completing the task. Providing employment to the displaced should also be part of the R and R package.
The Government is also introducing legislation in Parliament to amend the Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of forest rights) Act to remove any ambiguity in determining the cut-off dates for tribal rights on land. Tribals will be given personal "pattas" recognizing their rights in national parks and sanctuaries and forest officials will henceforth be involved in grating land rights to tribals. The Centre's new 14-point policy to tackle the Naxal menace also recognizes the causes of violence, but expresses helplessness over improper execution of welfare projects involving large sums of money meant to mitigate poverty in rural and tribal areas. As regards social, development and political measures, the Centre has provided financial assistance of Rs 2,475 crores for 55 naxal - affected districts in Andhra, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Jharkhand, Maharashta, MP, UP and West Bengal under the Backward Districts Initiative. But, how much of this money has actually reached the intended beneficiaries? The general perception is that the bulk of its has gone to line the pockets of the disbursing officials.
The same is true of other Rozgar and Awas Yojanas for which the Centre provides thousands of crores of rupees every year but has not means of monitoring its use. The general assessment is that the intended beneficiaries, among them, displaced and unemployed tribals, gain very little, continue to remain dissatisfied and are prone to revolt in the absence of their anguished voice being heard. The Centre has again pointed out that naxal groups have been raising land and livelihood related issues and asked the states to take up land reforms on a priority basis. The states, by and large, have subverted land laws and the category of the landless keeps expanding, instead of shrinking. A belated recognition has dawned that naxalism is not purely a law and order problem, but must be tackled simultaneously on political, security, development and public perception management fronts in a holistic manner.
Even though the Andhra Pradesh Government's surrender and rehabilitation policy for naxalites showed promising results, it has had to break of negotiations with their leaders who persisted with their unacceptable demands. The Salva Judum (counter-resistence) movement started in Chhattisgarh is a commendable step towards organizing local resistence to Maoists who thrive on loot, extortion and plunder. The naxals have killed scores of Salva Judum activists, who have destroyed some of their bases. Most of them are now operating from relief camps set up by the government after being displaced from their homes.
It should be borne in mind that organizing self-resistence is also a good strategy, but to make it succeed, the government's concerned must initiate action on a broad front to remove genuine causes of disaffection among displaced and deprived tribals. A multi pronged approach is called for: go tough with those using the guns, wean away their support base among tribals and the poor through development and jobs, choke off their men and money supply and improve the civil and police administration.
THE HINDU
14th April,2006
14th April,2006
S. Harpal Singh
Officials see need for speedy trial in cases where naxals stand accused
Luxettipet Fast Track Court sentences Kamera Chandraiah to imprisonment in a case of arson
The conviction points out that people are willing to come out against naxalites, says an SI
ADILABAD: The Luxettipet Fast Track Court in Adilabad district sentenced on April 12 Kamera Chandraiah, alias Suresh, a Maoist to five years' imprisonment in a case of arson.
The rare conviction not only comes as a morale booster for the police force but also buttresses certain of their contentions. It also underscores the need for speedy trial in cases where Maoists stand accused.
Distant dream
Over three decades of Left wing extremism in the district has seen hundreds of cases registered against Maoists.
But, conviction of the accused in these cases has remained a distant dream for the law enforcement agency.
Chandraiah's conviction is only the fifth in the long list of cases that have come up for trial.
People's confidence
"The conviction clearly points out that people are willing to come out against naxalites and help the police," observes Ajay, Sub-Inspector of Nennel police station, to which Chandraiah's case belonged.
"The police have certainly succeeded in gaining people's confidence through its programmes that portrayed the department's humane angle," points out a senior police officer.
So far as the technical aspects of cases related to Maoist violence are concerned, police officers here feel that the arrest of the accused should be followed up by speedy trial if they were to be convicted.
The case
In the Luxettipet case, the trial ended some two years after committing the crime at Gangaram plantation in Audam of Nennel mandal.
The accused had participated in torching earth moving machinery at the VSS plantation. He was arrested while undergoing treatment at his house some time after the crime was committed.
His arrest denied him the chance to threaten the witnesses as happens often.
West Bengal example
"The case of three Maoists convicted in West Bengal in March this year is an example of how speedy trials can end up achieving desired result.
"The chargesheet was filed within 90 days of the arrest of the accused - Patitban Halder, Santosh Debnath and Sushil Roy - while the trial lasted just three months.
Friday April 21 2006 00:00 IST
ADILABAD: Accusing the UPA Government of being indifferent to the interests of tribals in the country, senior BJP leader and Opposition leader in the Lok Sabha L K Advani on Thursday demanded that the Centre implement the decisions taken by the previous NDA regime for their welfare.
He also demanded the Centre to formulate a comprehensive National Tribal Development Policy with livelihood security and land-ownership rights, as there can be no Bharat Suraksha without Tribal Suraksha.
Addressing a news conference at the end of his 832-km long Bharat Suraksha Yatra in Andhra Pradesh here, Advani said that the NDA Government had decided to regularise the ownership rights (pattas) of tribals and forest lands up to December 31, 1993 (as against the earlier cut-off date of October 25, 1980) which was challenged in the courts.
“Why is the UPA Government not removing the legal hurdles in its implementation?” he asked. He wanted the Centre to take effective steps, including punitive measures, to prevent tribal lands being grabbed by non-tribals. Advani further wanted prevention of religious conversion of tribals through inducements and coercion.
Summing up the reasons for the ‘scale and spirit of public response to his four-day yatra in Andhra Pradesh’ Advani said that the region was plagued by three problems - Hatya (killings by naxalites), Aatmahatya (suicide by farmers) and Vishwasghat (betrayal by the Congress on statehood to Telangana). He lashed out at the UPA Government for going soft on naxalite issue terming it as an issue of states whereas the NDA perceived it as a national problem. “We have set up a coordination committee and also a unified command to deal with the problem. But the UPA Government disbanded them after it came to power in 2004, he said.
When pointed out that the Congress was seeking a letter from BJP on statehood to Telangana, Advani said that Congress was cornered on the issue and was trying to get out of it by making such statements.
He advised Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) to pull out of the UPA Government if the latter failed to introduce the Bill on Telangana during the Lok Sabha Budget session beginning from May 10 lest it will be guilty of betrayal of its promise to the people.
“We will gladly join hands with TRS if it quits UPA,” he said
ADILABAD: Accusing the UPA Government of being indifferent to the interests of tribals in the country, senior BJP leader and Opposition leader in the Lok Sabha L K Advani on Thursday demanded that the Centre implement the decisions taken by the previous NDA regime for their welfare.
He also demanded the Centre to formulate a comprehensive National Tribal Development Policy with livelihood security and land-ownership rights, as there can be no Bharat Suraksha without Tribal Suraksha.
Addressing a news conference at the end of his 832-km long Bharat Suraksha Yatra in Andhra Pradesh here, Advani said that the NDA Government had decided to regularise the ownership rights (pattas) of tribals and forest lands up to December 31, 1993 (as against the earlier cut-off date of October 25, 1980) which was challenged in the courts.
“Why is the UPA Government not removing the legal hurdles in its implementation?” he asked. He wanted the Centre to take effective steps, including punitive measures, to prevent tribal lands being grabbed by non-tribals. Advani further wanted prevention of religious conversion of tribals through inducements and coercion.
Summing up the reasons for the ‘scale and spirit of public response to his four-day yatra in Andhra Pradesh’ Advani said that the region was plagued by three problems - Hatya (killings by naxalites), Aatmahatya (suicide by farmers) and Vishwasghat (betrayal by the Congress on statehood to Telangana). He lashed out at the UPA Government for going soft on naxalite issue terming it as an issue of states whereas the NDA perceived it as a national problem. “We have set up a coordination committee and also a unified command to deal with the problem. But the UPA Government disbanded them after it came to power in 2004, he said.
When pointed out that the Congress was seeking a letter from BJP on statehood to Telangana, Advani said that Congress was cornered on the issue and was trying to get out of it by making such statements.
He advised Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) to pull out of the UPA Government if the latter failed to introduce the Bill on Telangana during the Lok Sabha Budget session beginning from May 10 lest it will be guilty of betrayal of its promise to the people.
“We will gladly join hands with TRS if it quits UPA,” he said
- History is just not on the communists’ side
Swapan dasgupta
This is the strangest assembly election ever experienced in West Bengal.The Election Commission guidelines have drained this festival of democracy of colour and the usual carnival atmosphere. The evocative graffiti, which used to be the most cost-effective medium of political communications, have disappeared — outlawed by the application of a little-known law dating back to the time the Congress was last in control of Writers’ Buildings. Gone are the buntings, the huge cut-outs of competing symbols and even posters are scarce. If it wasn’t for the modest processions through the back streets, the odd padayatra by candidates and the occasional public meetings, you wouldn’t have guessed that West Bengal is in the throes of an election. The cacophony of street politics has been replaced by relatively sober duels in the print and electronic media. At the same time, voter turnout is unimpaired.
Maybe the restrictions were overdue. For the past 100 years the stereotype of the fractious, argumentative and over-politicized Bengali has been etched into the national consciousness. Whereas Bengalis debunked Rudyard Kipling’s banderlog caricature as colonialist disdain of enlightenment, the rest of India often equated loquaciousness with dementia. From the “revolutionary terrorism” during the raj and Naxalite adventurism in the Seventies to the unending spate of bandhs since 1966, Bengal has become a byword for disruption. The communist movement must hog most of the credit for protesting too much but, to be fair, the Congress and its offshoots haven’t lagged behind entirely. Being dysfunctional has become the Bengali consensus.
The state has paid an unacceptably high price for passing off perversity as common sense. A hundred years ago, Calcutta was the most happening place in India. It was the second city of the largest empire since Roman times. It was the hub of education, cosmopolitan culture, trade and a fledgling industry. It was the citadel of gracious living — a phenomenon by no means confined to the white man. Above all, it was the epitome of modern India.
In just a century Kolkata has not only lost its pre-eminence within India, it has been relegated to the status of a provincial backwater. In just three generations, a truncated Bengal has squandered away its profound historical advantages and lost out to Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Today, it lags behind resurgent India in everything except crowds in cricket matches, lost mandays and voter turnout. West Bengal is a state that has been crippled by the politics it professes.
When the history of West Bengal’s decline in the 20th century is written, it is certain to place the communist movement in the dock. Communism in Bengal has always been more than just a formidable election-winning machinery; it is a mindset centred on self-destruction, envy and a reckless disregard of all the laws of economics. Behind the veneer of bhadralok civility, Bengal’s middle-class communist leadership has snuffed life out of a people’s creative enterprise.
It has happened not because communists are inherently evil. Many of the left leaders are deeply compassionate individuals with a genuine commitment to improve the lives of the poor. They also have high ethical standards — a reason why the index of corruption in West Bengal has not reached the dizzying heights of, say, Delhi and southern India.
The root of the problem is the communist obsession with control. Starting from the personal lives of their cadres, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) aspired to control everything — the distribution of land, cropping patterns, the selection of teachers, and the appointments, transfers and postings of government employees. Even areas which traditionally came under the purview of civil society, like the composition of voluntary associations, and, occasionally, business decisions, were sought to be brought under the umbrella of party control.
In its 29-year rule, the Left Front boasts of having empowered those who were previously on the margins of society. At one level this may be true, but a strange corollary of this empowerment of the “toiling masses” is its emotional subordination to the party. Thus, when the party makes it a prestige issue to ensure 85 to 90 per cent polling in districts such as West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia — areas where the CPI(M) majority is weighed rather than counted — the faithful fall in line and do their bit for the local committee. If empowerment, however, also involves the freedom of individual choice and the right to be contrarian, the CPI(M) will have none of it. The element of control may be loose in urban and suburban West Bengal, but in the villages, communities have become frighteningly regimented and dependent on the party for both survival and growth. The space for individual initiative has shrunk.
This is not a situation which can endure indefinitely, and certainly not with the spread of literacy and market economics. On the surface, the CPI(M) strongholds appear completely impregnable. According to the opinion and exit polls, the Left Front is set to replicate its earlier victories on May 11-and that too without falling back on emotional motivation. Despite the stringent measures the EC has taken to prevent electoral malpractices, the opposition parties are just not in a position to take advantage of the wholesome environment. Going by the opposition’s own estimates, Left Front candidates will have a walkover in nearly 184 of the state’s 294 assembly constituencies. In three decades, the Left Front has crafted a system of one-party dominance.
Yet, ironically, it is this spectacular exercise of intrusive politics that carries the seeds of popular liberation. To many, the chief minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, is like a breath of fresh air. In the course of five years, he has begun the process of dismantling Jyoti Basu’s crippling legacy. Almost every single tenet of CPI(M) orthodoxy, from the espousal of militant trade unionism to the disavowal of English, has been turned on its head. Bhattacharjee talks the language of Manmohan Singh in economics and shares Narendra Modi’s impatience with lax national security. He almost seems like a scientist in a flat-earth society.
That the chief minister has transcended the CPI(M) orthodoxy is undeniable. The question is: why has the CPI(M) given him the licence for heresy? The answer may lie in the party’s own recognition that it is impossible to keep West Bengal as a protected enclave much longer. The winds of change sweeping across India are whipping up fierce expectations, particularly a desire to catch up with the developed world. The CPI(M) may be only too aware that it can neither put a lid on dreams of a better life nor micro-manage communities with disposable incomes. In short, unless the party changes its tune and adapts to a market environment, it risks eventual obsolescence. Ironically, this is also a problem that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh faces.
Bhattacharjee has anticipated the process and not left it to the opposition to exploit a creeping anti-incumbency. In good communist tradition, he has assumed the mantle of the reformer and painted Mamata Banerjee as a hysterical populist who has internalized the very cussedness the CPI(M) leadership is anxious to discard. What makes this election unique is that we are seeing the CPI(M) for the first time hesitantly admitting that it has been 29 years of miscalculations and wasted opportunities.
Some three decades after China embraced the market and comm unists in western Europe discovered Euro-communism, Bhattacharjee is trying to make the CPI(M) come to terms with the charms of liberal capitalism. If he succeeds, it will be good for Bengal. For the CPI(M), however, the future is less rosy. History is not just on its side.
Swapan dasgupta
This is the strangest assembly election ever experienced in West Bengal.The Election Commission guidelines have drained this festival of democracy of colour and the usual carnival atmosphere. The evocative graffiti, which used to be the most cost-effective medium of political communications, have disappeared — outlawed by the application of a little-known law dating back to the time the Congress was last in control of Writers’ Buildings. Gone are the buntings, the huge cut-outs of competing symbols and even posters are scarce. If it wasn’t for the modest processions through the back streets, the odd padayatra by candidates and the occasional public meetings, you wouldn’t have guessed that West Bengal is in the throes of an election. The cacophony of street politics has been replaced by relatively sober duels in the print and electronic media. At the same time, voter turnout is unimpaired.
Maybe the restrictions were overdue. For the past 100 years the stereotype of the fractious, argumentative and over-politicized Bengali has been etched into the national consciousness. Whereas Bengalis debunked Rudyard Kipling’s banderlog caricature as colonialist disdain of enlightenment, the rest of India often equated loquaciousness with dementia. From the “revolutionary terrorism” during the raj and Naxalite adventurism in the Seventies to the unending spate of bandhs since 1966, Bengal has become a byword for disruption. The communist movement must hog most of the credit for protesting too much but, to be fair, the Congress and its offshoots haven’t lagged behind entirely. Being dysfunctional has become the Bengali consensus.
The state has paid an unacceptably high price for passing off perversity as common sense. A hundred years ago, Calcutta was the most happening place in India. It was the second city of the largest empire since Roman times. It was the hub of education, cosmopolitan culture, trade and a fledgling industry. It was the citadel of gracious living — a phenomenon by no means confined to the white man. Above all, it was the epitome of modern India.
In just a century Kolkata has not only lost its pre-eminence within India, it has been relegated to the status of a provincial backwater. In just three generations, a truncated Bengal has squandered away its profound historical advantages and lost out to Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Today, it lags behind resurgent India in everything except crowds in cricket matches, lost mandays and voter turnout. West Bengal is a state that has been crippled by the politics it professes.
When the history of West Bengal’s decline in the 20th century is written, it is certain to place the communist movement in the dock. Communism in Bengal has always been more than just a formidable election-winning machinery; it is a mindset centred on self-destruction, envy and a reckless disregard of all the laws of economics. Behind the veneer of bhadralok civility, Bengal’s middle-class communist leadership has snuffed life out of a people’s creative enterprise.
It has happened not because communists are inherently evil. Many of the left leaders are deeply compassionate individuals with a genuine commitment to improve the lives of the poor. They also have high ethical standards — a reason why the index of corruption in West Bengal has not reached the dizzying heights of, say, Delhi and southern India.
The root of the problem is the communist obsession with control. Starting from the personal lives of their cadres, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) aspired to control everything — the distribution of land, cropping patterns, the selection of teachers, and the appointments, transfers and postings of government employees. Even areas which traditionally came under the purview of civil society, like the composition of voluntary associations, and, occasionally, business decisions, were sought to be brought under the umbrella of party control.
In its 29-year rule, the Left Front boasts of having empowered those who were previously on the margins of society. At one level this may be true, but a strange corollary of this empowerment of the “toiling masses” is its emotional subordination to the party. Thus, when the party makes it a prestige issue to ensure 85 to 90 per cent polling in districts such as West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia — areas where the CPI(M) majority is weighed rather than counted — the faithful fall in line and do their bit for the local committee. If empowerment, however, also involves the freedom of individual choice and the right to be contrarian, the CPI(M) will have none of it. The element of control may be loose in urban and suburban West Bengal, but in the villages, communities have become frighteningly regimented and dependent on the party for both survival and growth. The space for individual initiative has shrunk.
This is not a situation which can endure indefinitely, and certainly not with the spread of literacy and market economics. On the surface, the CPI(M) strongholds appear completely impregnable. According to the opinion and exit polls, the Left Front is set to replicate its earlier victories on May 11-and that too without falling back on emotional motivation. Despite the stringent measures the EC has taken to prevent electoral malpractices, the opposition parties are just not in a position to take advantage of the wholesome environment. Going by the opposition’s own estimates, Left Front candidates will have a walkover in nearly 184 of the state’s 294 assembly constituencies. In three decades, the Left Front has crafted a system of one-party dominance.
Yet, ironically, it is this spectacular exercise of intrusive politics that carries the seeds of popular liberation. To many, the chief minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, is like a breath of fresh air. In the course of five years, he has begun the process of dismantling Jyoti Basu’s crippling legacy. Almost every single tenet of CPI(M) orthodoxy, from the espousal of militant trade unionism to the disavowal of English, has been turned on its head. Bhattacharjee talks the language of Manmohan Singh in economics and shares Narendra Modi’s impatience with lax national security. He almost seems like a scientist in a flat-earth society.
That the chief minister has transcended the CPI(M) orthodoxy is undeniable. The question is: why has the CPI(M) given him the licence for heresy? The answer may lie in the party’s own recognition that it is impossible to keep West Bengal as a protected enclave much longer. The winds of change sweeping across India are whipping up fierce expectations, particularly a desire to catch up with the developed world. The CPI(M) may be only too aware that it can neither put a lid on dreams of a better life nor micro-manage communities with disposable incomes. In short, unless the party changes its tune and adapts to a market environment, it risks eventual obsolescence. Ironically, this is also a problem that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh faces.
Bhattacharjee has anticipated the process and not left it to the opposition to exploit a creeping anti-incumbency. In good communist tradition, he has assumed the mantle of the reformer and painted Mamata Banerjee as a hysterical populist who has internalized the very cussedness the CPI(M) leadership is anxious to discard. What makes this election unique is that we are seeing the CPI(M) for the first time hesitantly admitting that it has been 29 years of miscalculations and wasted opportunities.
Some three decades after China embraced the market and comm unists in western Europe discovered Euro-communism, Bhattacharjee is trying to make the CPI(M) come to terms with the charms of liberal capitalism. If he succeeds, it will be good for Bengal. For the CPI(M), however, the future is less rosy. History is not just on its side.
Manoj Joshi
April 20, 2006
Among the myriad of interesting facts and revelations in Bill Bryson’s Short History of Nearly Everything, the one that stuck most vividly in my mind is about a very rare condition in which benign bacteria within our bodies turn rogue and begin eating us, inside out. No known treatment works. The only cure is to surgically excise the portion affected and, since it is random and can be any part of the anatomy, a victim can be left with the most horrific consequences.
India seems to have become afflicted by that disease, and hostile organisms are now eating the system from within. The rogue bacteria are the Maoist extremists, or Naxalites who have established their presence in a vast swathe of the country. Despite much talk and exhortation, no cure seems to be in sight. But those in-charge of running this country, both in the state and Union governments, have not done anything but routine and hand-wringing till now. Indeed, by their acts of commission and omission, the political and governmental system is probably contributing to the spread of the disease.
The Naxalite phenomenon is not new. The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) led by Kanu Sanyal and Charu Mazumdar broke away from the CPI(M), which itself was a rump of the CPI. Following
the ‘Spring Thunder’ of 1967, idealistic youth took on the state with pipe guns and slogans. The movement was soon crushed and its leaders killed and imprisoned. In the past four decades or so, the generic Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) has split into several factions which periodically merge and split again. Some of its elements like the CPI(ML) Liberation led by Dipankar Bhattacharya has joined electoral politics and won a seat in the 1991 and 1999 elections to the Lok Sabha. Kanu Sanyal runs another faction which is also involved in electoral politics. Pockets of the militant movement, however, survived in Andhra Pradesh, via T. Nagi Reddy, an old-time communist leader of the state, and later resurfaced as the People’s War Group founded by Kondapalli Seetharamiah.
In Sept. 2004, the PWG merged with the Maoist Communist Centre, a group that had arisen in parallel to the Sanyal-Mazumdar CPI(ML). This merged entity is called the Communist Party of India (Maoist) and has consolidated its hold across large parts of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh with significant pockets of activity in Karnataka, West Bengal and Maharashtra.
The Naxalite of today is a far cry from the ill-armed zealot of Naxalbari. They have established sanctuaries in forest areas and are well armed, mainly with weapons seized from police personnel and have a well-knit organisation with an extensive cadre of sympathisers and supporters in the cities. Their strike capabilities come from their use of effective explosive devices which have taken a heavy toll of police personnel. Reportedly, the PWG reportedly learnt the use of such devices from the LTTE in the late Eighties.
But what the movement has gained in its ability to kill, it has lost in its ideology. Maoism has been definitively buried in its own home country, even if its prophet’s embalmed remains are used as a talisman by his successors to ward off the many evils he perpetrated. His Indian heirs are more focused on power, and how to obtain it through systematic brutality and extortion, all in the name of the Revolution rather than the fine points of Mao’s thought. In the process, unlike their forbears, they have sought to use the fissures of caste and community to serve their ends.
Failure of governance, effective policing and apathy of various state governments have enabled the scattered dalams and groups of the past to become efficient fighting groups sometimes operating in units of hundreds. In Nov. 2005, they demonstrated their capabilities in the spectacular attack on Jehanabad, a district headquarters, that succeeded in freeing hundreds of detained activists. In another attack in Giridih, they seized a police armoury by killing seven policemen and looting some 185 rifles and ammunition.
There is a time in every militant movement or insurgency when its operations are so scaled up, or when it consolidation is marked by an effective revenue gathering and administrative machinery. Insurgencies in large parts of the North-east have reached this stage. What happened in Punjab, or the present situation in Jammu and Kashmir are examples where this has failed to happen. While no one cause can explain why one fails and the other succeeds, one thing is clear — once a militant group is able to establish a parallel government with its justice dispensing and tax collection system, it is very difficult to dislodge it as it has now enmeshed a larger pool of sympathisers with a vested interest in the continuance of that system.
The Indian-State has to decide whether it wants to allow this state of affairs to continue and, as a first stage, spread to increasingly anarchic Uttar Pradesh, or do something about it. The time for a piecemeal response is over. With a united Maoist party operating in a ‘Compact Revolutionary Zone’ extending from the Nepalese border to Andhra Pradesh, there is need for a holistic response, as well as clarity in the ideological perspective of the Indian-State. Unfortunately, so thoroughly has the Indian political class debased the currency of secularism, socialism, social justice or any kind of justice that this is not any easy task.
On the other hand, the Maoists have been able to press their agenda with civil society groups and the intelligentsia in states like AP. Under their pressure, Chief Minister Y.S. Rajashekhara Reddy declared ceasefire in 2004 with the hope of negotiating a settlement. The Maoists used the respite to consolidate their operations and forge a tie-up with the MCC. Last month, when Reddy called on them to lay down their weapons before any talks, the cheeky Maoist response was that any ‘intellectual’ (read: civil society) push for talks would be “the equivalent of supporting the fascist rule” of the Congress. Their spokesman, Janardhan, also appealed to ‘civil rights organisations and democrats’ not to criticise Maoist ‘counter-violence’, but to be more understanding to why a revolutionary party took resort to violence.
To counter Maoism, we need to clearly understand its pernicious pseudo-ideology and the fundamental challenge the outfit poses to the body politic of the country. The Maoists are not seeking concessions, land reforms or social development — their aim is to seize political power. That possibility may be remote, but be clear about one thing: There is as much room for compromise with the Maoists as with Osama bin Laden.
The second item is the need for a quality response on the ground to, first, re-establish the writ of the state. Without law and order there is no chance that you will be able to either restore educational and public health institutions, build roads or undertake any development projects.
This is easier said than done because the Maoist dalams today are better organised, led and armed, than the police personnel in many of the states. There is obvious need for better training, leadership, and equipment. Under the cover of a qualitatively enhanced police effort a refurbished administrative and justice delivery systems can be reinserted and development plans executed. But all this can happen only if there is a realisation in the states and the Centre as to the life-threatening danger posed to the Indian body politic by the rogue bacteria eating us from within.
April 20, 2006
Among the myriad of interesting facts and revelations in Bill Bryson’s Short History of Nearly Everything, the one that stuck most vividly in my mind is about a very rare condition in which benign bacteria within our bodies turn rogue and begin eating us, inside out. No known treatment works. The only cure is to surgically excise the portion affected and, since it is random and can be any part of the anatomy, a victim can be left with the most horrific consequences.
India seems to have become afflicted by that disease, and hostile organisms are now eating the system from within. The rogue bacteria are the Maoist extremists, or Naxalites who have established their presence in a vast swathe of the country. Despite much talk and exhortation, no cure seems to be in sight. But those in-charge of running this country, both in the state and Union governments, have not done anything but routine and hand-wringing till now. Indeed, by their acts of commission and omission, the political and governmental system is probably contributing to the spread of the disease.
The Naxalite phenomenon is not new. The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) led by Kanu Sanyal and Charu Mazumdar broke away from the CPI(M), which itself was a rump of the CPI. Following
the ‘Spring Thunder’ of 1967, idealistic youth took on the state with pipe guns and slogans. The movement was soon crushed and its leaders killed and imprisoned. In the past four decades or so, the generic Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) has split into several factions which periodically merge and split again. Some of its elements like the CPI(ML) Liberation led by Dipankar Bhattacharya has joined electoral politics and won a seat in the 1991 and 1999 elections to the Lok Sabha. Kanu Sanyal runs another faction which is also involved in electoral politics. Pockets of the militant movement, however, survived in Andhra Pradesh, via T. Nagi Reddy, an old-time communist leader of the state, and later resurfaced as the People’s War Group founded by Kondapalli Seetharamiah.
In Sept. 2004, the PWG merged with the Maoist Communist Centre, a group that had arisen in parallel to the Sanyal-Mazumdar CPI(ML). This merged entity is called the Communist Party of India (Maoist) and has consolidated its hold across large parts of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh with significant pockets of activity in Karnataka, West Bengal and Maharashtra.
The Naxalite of today is a far cry from the ill-armed zealot of Naxalbari. They have established sanctuaries in forest areas and are well armed, mainly with weapons seized from police personnel and have a well-knit organisation with an extensive cadre of sympathisers and supporters in the cities. Their strike capabilities come from their use of effective explosive devices which have taken a heavy toll of police personnel. Reportedly, the PWG reportedly learnt the use of such devices from the LTTE in the late Eighties.
But what the movement has gained in its ability to kill, it has lost in its ideology. Maoism has been definitively buried in its own home country, even if its prophet’s embalmed remains are used as a talisman by his successors to ward off the many evils he perpetrated. His Indian heirs are more focused on power, and how to obtain it through systematic brutality and extortion, all in the name of the Revolution rather than the fine points of Mao’s thought. In the process, unlike their forbears, they have sought to use the fissures of caste and community to serve their ends.
Failure of governance, effective policing and apathy of various state governments have enabled the scattered dalams and groups of the past to become efficient fighting groups sometimes operating in units of hundreds. In Nov. 2005, they demonstrated their capabilities in the spectacular attack on Jehanabad, a district headquarters, that succeeded in freeing hundreds of detained activists. In another attack in Giridih, they seized a police armoury by killing seven policemen and looting some 185 rifles and ammunition.
There is a time in every militant movement or insurgency when its operations are so scaled up, or when it consolidation is marked by an effective revenue gathering and administrative machinery. Insurgencies in large parts of the North-east have reached this stage. What happened in Punjab, or the present situation in Jammu and Kashmir are examples where this has failed to happen. While no one cause can explain why one fails and the other succeeds, one thing is clear — once a militant group is able to establish a parallel government with its justice dispensing and tax collection system, it is very difficult to dislodge it as it has now enmeshed a larger pool of sympathisers with a vested interest in the continuance of that system.
The Indian-State has to decide whether it wants to allow this state of affairs to continue and, as a first stage, spread to increasingly anarchic Uttar Pradesh, or do something about it. The time for a piecemeal response is over. With a united Maoist party operating in a ‘Compact Revolutionary Zone’ extending from the Nepalese border to Andhra Pradesh, there is need for a holistic response, as well as clarity in the ideological perspective of the Indian-State. Unfortunately, so thoroughly has the Indian political class debased the currency of secularism, socialism, social justice or any kind of justice that this is not any easy task.
On the other hand, the Maoists have been able to press their agenda with civil society groups and the intelligentsia in states like AP. Under their pressure, Chief Minister Y.S. Rajashekhara Reddy declared ceasefire in 2004 with the hope of negotiating a settlement. The Maoists used the respite to consolidate their operations and forge a tie-up with the MCC. Last month, when Reddy called on them to lay down their weapons before any talks, the cheeky Maoist response was that any ‘intellectual’ (read: civil society) push for talks would be “the equivalent of supporting the fascist rule” of the Congress. Their spokesman, Janardhan, also appealed to ‘civil rights organisations and democrats’ not to criticise Maoist ‘counter-violence’, but to be more understanding to why a revolutionary party took resort to violence.
To counter Maoism, we need to clearly understand its pernicious pseudo-ideology and the fundamental challenge the outfit poses to the body politic of the country. The Maoists are not seeking concessions, land reforms or social development — their aim is to seize political power. That possibility may be remote, but be clear about one thing: There is as much room for compromise with the Maoists as with Osama bin Laden.
The second item is the need for a quality response on the ground to, first, re-establish the writ of the state. Without law and order there is no chance that you will be able to either restore educational and public health institutions, build roads or undertake any development projects.
This is easier said than done because the Maoist dalams today are better organised, led and armed, than the police personnel in many of the states. There is obvious need for better training, leadership, and equipment. Under the cover of a qualitatively enhanced police effort a refurbished administrative and justice delivery systems can be reinserted and development plans executed. But all this can happen only if there is a realisation in the states and the Centre as to the life-threatening danger posed to the Indian body politic by the rogue bacteria eating us from within.
Subodh Ghildiyal
[ Friday, April 21, 2006 12:09:14 amTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]
NEW DELHI: Booming guns may soon turn big projects costlier. Faced with an increasing demand for anti-terror security for big projects, the Union government is veering round to the idea that all mega ventures should include expenditure on security in their budget.
With twin terror threats — of extremist groups in urban areas and Naxalites in the hinterland — emerging as perennial problems, the Union home ministry has woken up to the hidden cost of providing men and guns to guard various industrial and infrastructure projects.
All major ventures being conceived in towns and villages — transport, skyrises, power stations, government installations, dams, mineral projects — are emerging as prime targets of terrorists and Naxalites.
The factoring in of security cost in the project estimates will have the source of funding it accounted for and not lead to a post-facto haggling between various arms of the government. At present, the major question on meeting the security demands revolve around costs and sanctioned posts for personnel.
The in-principle agreement on the issue comes in the wake of the Delhi Metro emerging as the key target of terror groups. Intelligence inputs on terrorist outfits keeping an eye on the intra-city rail transport have led to a demand for a dedicated 2,900-strong security force.
The choice is between raising a CISF-Delhi Police joint metro police force or raising a force on the lines of NSG. Anticipated now is a whopping security bill which has sent the home ministry racking its brains.
At a recent meeting the Centre held with representatives of Naxal-affected states, Andhra Pradesh raised the demand for factoring in security costs in a project's budget.
Sources said that the state is expected to see a huge rise, both in terms of money as well as manpower, in providing security to projects in the hinterland which have vast stretches under the shadow of the Naxal gun.
There are many irrigation projects and dams in the pipeline in the state and a spurt in demand for security can send the state budget haywire. The cost implications start showing even during the long construction period.
[ Friday, April 21, 2006 12:09:14 amTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]
NEW DELHI: Booming guns may soon turn big projects costlier. Faced with an increasing demand for anti-terror security for big projects, the Union government is veering round to the idea that all mega ventures should include expenditure on security in their budget.
With twin terror threats — of extremist groups in urban areas and Naxalites in the hinterland — emerging as perennial problems, the Union home ministry has woken up to the hidden cost of providing men and guns to guard various industrial and infrastructure projects.
All major ventures being conceived in towns and villages — transport, skyrises, power stations, government installations, dams, mineral projects — are emerging as prime targets of terrorists and Naxalites.
The factoring in of security cost in the project estimates will have the source of funding it accounted for and not lead to a post-facto haggling between various arms of the government. At present, the major question on meeting the security demands revolve around costs and sanctioned posts for personnel.
The in-principle agreement on the issue comes in the wake of the Delhi Metro emerging as the key target of terror groups. Intelligence inputs on terrorist outfits keeping an eye on the intra-city rail transport have led to a demand for a dedicated 2,900-strong security force.
The choice is between raising a CISF-Delhi Police joint metro police force or raising a force on the lines of NSG. Anticipated now is a whopping security bill which has sent the home ministry racking its brains.
At a recent meeting the Centre held with representatives of Naxal-affected states, Andhra Pradesh raised the demand for factoring in security costs in a project's budget.
Sources said that the state is expected to see a huge rise, both in terms of money as well as manpower, in providing security to projects in the hinterland which have vast stretches under the shadow of the Naxal gun.
There are many irrigation projects and dams in the pipeline in the state and a spurt in demand for security can send the state budget haywire. The cost implications start showing even during the long construction period.
[ Friday, April 21, 2006 01:47:22 amTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]
PATNA: Chief minister Nitish Kumar has said the state government's plan for containing the Naxal menace in Bihar submitted to the Union home ministry is being "firmed up". The ministry is reported to have returned the draft.
Speaking to mediapersons here on Thursday, Nitish said he very much anticipated this kind of reaction from the Centre.
The chief secretary has held meetings as a follow-up action and a fresh plan would be sent, he said.
Reacting angrily to the criticism by a Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader over the appointment of Afzal Amanullah as the new home secretary, the chief minister said: "Bardasht nahin ho raha hai (they are unable to stomach it).
He said it was his prerogative to appoint officials. "An official of a minority community has risen to the post by virtue of his own ability," he added.
Nitish clarified that the disbanding of the Justice Amir Das Commission was not his decision. He said, "The decision of not extending the tenure of the panel beyond January 31 had been taken during the President's rule.
But I am responsible for not revoking that order and not giving extension to the commission which had been granted extension nine times in the past."
He also said that it was not his government's decision to take back the government flat from the family of freedom fighter Suraj Narayan Singh.
However, he added that the flat had been given through a cabinet decision in 1973 to his (Singh's) widow who was no more now.
The family members had given a written undertaking in the high court to quit the house within a prescribed time limit. The chief minister, however, promised to find out some alternative arrangement for the family.
On the charges levelled by Union minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh that nothing was happening in Bihar, Nitish shot back: "If he cannot see the 'changes' in Bihar he should go in for an eye check-up."
Saying that Singh has a habit of speaking too much, Nitish, however, hastened to add that he was an energetic person.
PATNA: Chief minister Nitish Kumar has said the state government's plan for containing the Naxal menace in Bihar submitted to the Union home ministry is being "firmed up". The ministry is reported to have returned the draft.
Speaking to mediapersons here on Thursday, Nitish said he very much anticipated this kind of reaction from the Centre.
The chief secretary has held meetings as a follow-up action and a fresh plan would be sent, he said.
Reacting angrily to the criticism by a Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader over the appointment of Afzal Amanullah as the new home secretary, the chief minister said: "Bardasht nahin ho raha hai (they are unable to stomach it).
He said it was his prerogative to appoint officials. "An official of a minority community has risen to the post by virtue of his own ability," he added.
Nitish clarified that the disbanding of the Justice Amir Das Commission was not his decision. He said, "The decision of not extending the tenure of the panel beyond January 31 had been taken during the President's rule.
But I am responsible for not revoking that order and not giving extension to the commission which had been granted extension nine times in the past."
He also said that it was not his government's decision to take back the government flat from the family of freedom fighter Suraj Narayan Singh.
However, he added that the flat had been given through a cabinet decision in 1973 to his (Singh's) widow who was no more now.
The family members had given a written undertaking in the high court to quit the house within a prescribed time limit. The chief minister, however, promised to find out some alternative arrangement for the family.
On the charges levelled by Union minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh that nothing was happening in Bihar, Nitish shot back: "If he cannot see the 'changes' in Bihar he should go in for an eye check-up."
Saying that Singh has a habit of speaking too much, Nitish, however, hastened to add that he was an energetic person.
Kundapur: Naxalites Once Again Hit News Headlines - Spotted in Villages
Mangalore: We Build the World Together
Daijiworld News Network - Kundapur (GA)
Kundapur, Apr 20: After a long hiatus, the Naxalites have once again hit the news headlines in their own manner. The Naxalites who had gone on sabbatical after blasting the guest house belonging to the forest department in the Karkala area, have once again started visiting the villages to muster support from the people for the Naxalite movement.
A group of about 12 armed Naxalites was spotted first in the Bhagimane and Amavasyebail areas recently. Even before, the locals could forget this, they were once again spotted in the Yedamoge village.
In Yedamoge they met the daily wage workers at Basavanpal and tried to ignite the spark of protest against the administration for denying the villagers the basic amenities such as drinking water and electricity.
There were 9 young men and 3 women in the group. Among these 3-4 of them do not know Kannada which indicates that Naxals from the neighbouring state too are active in the area. The villages said that the Naxals told them about the killing of one of their female comrade in Chattisgadh recently. They also told the villagers that the said female comrade was their companion a few months ago.
Mangalore: We Build the World Together
Daijiworld News Network - Kundapur (GA)
Kundapur, Apr 20: After a long hiatus, the Naxalites have once again hit the news headlines in their own manner. The Naxalites who had gone on sabbatical after blasting the guest house belonging to the forest department in the Karkala area, have once again started visiting the villages to muster support from the people for the Naxalite movement.
A group of about 12 armed Naxalites was spotted first in the Bhagimane and Amavasyebail areas recently. Even before, the locals could forget this, they were once again spotted in the Yedamoge village.
In Yedamoge they met the daily wage workers at Basavanpal and tried to ignite the spark of protest against the administration for denying the villagers the basic amenities such as drinking water and electricity.
There were 9 young men and 3 women in the group. Among these 3-4 of them do not know Kannada which indicates that Naxals from the neighbouring state too are active in the area. The villages said that the Naxals told them about the killing of one of their female comrade in Chattisgadh recently. They also told the villagers that the said female comrade was their companion a few months ago.
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Mumbai, April 19: Two policemen have died in a landmine blast triggered by Naxalites in a forest in northern Gadchiroli, on Maharashtra’s border with Chhattisgarh.
Around 8.30 last night, members of the special C-60 anti-Naxalite squad were on their way to a police outpost at Gatta in tribal-dominated Gadchiroli in an anti-mine vehicle when a powerful landmine exploded and sent the vehicle several feet up in the air. It landed upside down, injuring all 16 squad members.
Naxalites opened fire as constable Avendra Rasekar was trying to wriggle out of the vehicle, killing him on the spot. Three others suffered serious injuries and were taken to Government Medical College Hospital in Nagpur, where 48-year-old sub-inspector Harishchandra Madhavi died today.
“Yes, we have lost two officers in the ambush. They were on their way to the police outpost under fire from Naxalite groups. The mission was to surround the firing groups and trap them. But before they could reach the outpost, the ambush was triggered. Because it was an anti-mine vehicle, the casualty has been lower,” superintendent of police Shirish Jain said over phone from Gadchiroli.
Jain and other senior police officials rushed to the spot, which is 42 km from Gadchiroli town.
The police suspect that large quantities of gelatin were used in the explosion. “It was a blast of dimensions similar to the one that was triggered last month. The explosion had tossed up the anti-mine vehicle, but it landed in upright position. In this case, the number of injuries were more because the vehicle overturned on landing,” Jain added.
On March 13, 25 jawans of the special squad travelling in two anti-mine vehicles had survived a landmine blast near Pendhari forests. The explosion had flung one of the vehicles about 20 feet up in the air and created a crater more than five feet deep. After the explosion, the Naxalites had opened fire, but the police commandos countered the firing and forced them to flee.
Last year, more than 22 policemen were killed in Naxalite strikes in Maharashtra.
Mumbai, April 19: Two policemen have died in a landmine blast triggered by Naxalites in a forest in northern Gadchiroli, on Maharashtra’s border with Chhattisgarh.
Around 8.30 last night, members of the special C-60 anti-Naxalite squad were on their way to a police outpost at Gatta in tribal-dominated Gadchiroli in an anti-mine vehicle when a powerful landmine exploded and sent the vehicle several feet up in the air. It landed upside down, injuring all 16 squad members.
Naxalites opened fire as constable Avendra Rasekar was trying to wriggle out of the vehicle, killing him on the spot. Three others suffered serious injuries and were taken to Government Medical College Hospital in Nagpur, where 48-year-old sub-inspector Harishchandra Madhavi died today.
“Yes, we have lost two officers in the ambush. They were on their way to the police outpost under fire from Naxalite groups. The mission was to surround the firing groups and trap them. But before they could reach the outpost, the ambush was triggered. Because it was an anti-mine vehicle, the casualty has been lower,” superintendent of police Shirish Jain said over phone from Gadchiroli.
Jain and other senior police officials rushed to the spot, which is 42 km from Gadchiroli town.
The police suspect that large quantities of gelatin were used in the explosion. “It was a blast of dimensions similar to the one that was triggered last month. The explosion had tossed up the anti-mine vehicle, but it landed in upright position. In this case, the number of injuries were more because the vehicle overturned on landing,” Jain added.
On March 13, 25 jawans of the special squad travelling in two anti-mine vehicles had survived a landmine blast near Pendhari forests. The explosion had flung one of the vehicles about 20 feet up in the air and created a crater more than five feet deep. After the explosion, the Naxalites had opened fire, but the police commandos countered the firing and forced them to flee.
Last year, more than 22 policemen were killed in Naxalite strikes in Maharashtra.
Thursday April 20 2006 11:09 IST
ROURKELA: Though the Deogarh police seems to have got a shot in the arm with the death of three Naxalites in Badkhol forest area under Riamal police limits on Tuesday, the locals are living in fear expecting retaliatory attack by the ultras.
The people fear that the Naxalites, who had been limiting themselves to the distribution of leaflets in the district, will now strike with a vengeance.
Though the police and para-military forces have intensified combing, the recovery of an SLR indicates the way the Naxalites have armed themselves.
In fact, apart from socio-economic problems like unemployment, poverty and lack of development, which have led to the growth of Naxalite movement, geographical location, terrain and extensive forest cover have also helped the Naxalites spread their tentacles.
A closer look at the forest map of the State reveals that while the forest area is scattered in the eastern districts comprising Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and Khurda, in the western part, the forest cover spans over Sundargarh to Chitrakonda and extends to Andhra Pradesh. The forest cover in Sundargarh is contiguous with that of Jharsuguda district.
Once you cross Hirakud dam reservoir, you are in Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary in Bargarh district. If you proceed further, you find yourself in Gandhamardan Hills and then forest in Nuapada district which is contiguous with forest areas in Chhattisgarh.
If you are in Chhattisgarh and slightly change your direction, you find yourself in the forest area of Nabarangpur which takes you down to the forest areas of Koraput, Malkangiri and Chitrakonda, then to Andhra Pradesh where the Naxalites call the shots.
Similarly, if you travel through central Orissa, a trip down Sundargarh district takes you to the forests in Deogarh and Ushakoti sanctuary to Rairakhol. The forest further extends to Athmallik, Angul, Boudh, Phulbani and Nayagarh from where you may either stray into the forests in Kalahandi or the forest areas of Rayagada or Gajapati and then to Andhra Pradesh.
This could be one of the reasons why the Naxalites have made no headway in Mayurbhanj which shares border with Keonjhar district and West Bengal. Though Keonjhar is located between Mayurbhanj and Sundargarh, the forest is dense except in border areas of Sundargarh district and does not provide a safe passage to the Naxalites.
On the other hand, the police and security forces do not have knowledge of forest roads which connect the intra-forest regions in Orissa and its neighbouring states. This gives an edge to the Naxalites.
ROURKELA: Though the Deogarh police seems to have got a shot in the arm with the death of three Naxalites in Badkhol forest area under Riamal police limits on Tuesday, the locals are living in fear expecting retaliatory attack by the ultras.
The people fear that the Naxalites, who had been limiting themselves to the distribution of leaflets in the district, will now strike with a vengeance.
Though the police and para-military forces have intensified combing, the recovery of an SLR indicates the way the Naxalites have armed themselves.
In fact, apart from socio-economic problems like unemployment, poverty and lack of development, which have led to the growth of Naxalite movement, geographical location, terrain and extensive forest cover have also helped the Naxalites spread their tentacles.
A closer look at the forest map of the State reveals that while the forest area is scattered in the eastern districts comprising Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and Khurda, in the western part, the forest cover spans over Sundargarh to Chitrakonda and extends to Andhra Pradesh. The forest cover in Sundargarh is contiguous with that of Jharsuguda district.
Once you cross Hirakud dam reservoir, you are in Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary in Bargarh district. If you proceed further, you find yourself in Gandhamardan Hills and then forest in Nuapada district which is contiguous with forest areas in Chhattisgarh.
If you are in Chhattisgarh and slightly change your direction, you find yourself in the forest area of Nabarangpur which takes you down to the forest areas of Koraput, Malkangiri and Chitrakonda, then to Andhra Pradesh where the Naxalites call the shots.
Similarly, if you travel through central Orissa, a trip down Sundargarh district takes you to the forests in Deogarh and Ushakoti sanctuary to Rairakhol. The forest further extends to Athmallik, Angul, Boudh, Phulbani and Nayagarh from where you may either stray into the forests in Kalahandi or the forest areas of Rayagada or Gajapati and then to Andhra Pradesh.
This could be one of the reasons why the Naxalites have made no headway in Mayurbhanj which shares border with Keonjhar district and West Bengal. Though Keonjhar is located between Mayurbhanj and Sundargarh, the forest is dense except in border areas of Sundargarh district and does not provide a safe passage to the Naxalites.
On the other hand, the police and security forces do not have knowledge of forest roads which connect the intra-forest regions in Orissa and its neighbouring states. This gives an edge to the Naxalites.
Ranchi: As part of its campaign against Naxals, the Jharkhand Police on Thursday started screening a documentary showing double standards of the leaders preaching political extremism among
villagers.
In the first phase of the campaign, the 30-minute documentary was screened at Kolahari village in Dhanbad under Tundi Police Station, where a police picket was blown up by the Maoists last year.
Large number of villagers attended the screening at a makeshift theatre under tight security.
There were experience sharing portions that exposed how most men and women who embrace the Naxal movement with great expectations, end up disillusioned and no where to turn to.
The film, titled ‘Badrang Hota Lal Salam (The Fading Red Salute)’ shows that many, who join the cadres find themselves caught in an exploitation circuit.
Women are more susceptible as their disillusionment is not limited to just the discovery of a haphazard life, chased all over the place by the security forces, but they are sexually exploited as well.
“Wherever we have screened this film, people are being awakened about the realities of the ugly and perilous face of Naxalism. People have shown signs of fear of the rebels’ backlash but come to watch anyway, and are happy to learn the truth, gaining awareness about what activities the Maoists indulge in. The impact is total and people can see and hear for themselves, how strenuous and unpleasant the rebels’ life is,” said Mithilesh Kumar, the Officer -in-charge of the Tundi Police Station.
Hiralal Soren, a youth who attended the screening was very impressed with the contents of the documentary.
“The Maoists are creating various impediments in our path. I learnt about their mode of operation from this CD. We all know that the Maoists profess to be working for the good of the people but are instead targeting the common man. They do more harm than good, if any. I also learned that as long as the Maoist rebels continue their reign of terror in our State, we cannot realise our full potential or gain progress like the rest of the nation,” said Soren.
Officials say that 157 people had been killed in Maoist-related violence this year, up from 114 in the first quarter of 2005.
But the Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) puts the death toll this year at 235, describing the conflict as the ‘the most serious challenge to human rights advocacy in India’.
In the first phase of the campaign, the 30-minute documentary was screened at Kolahari village in Dhanbad under Tundi Police Station, where a police picket was blown up by the Maoists last year.
Large number of villagers attended the screening at a makeshift theatre under tight security.
There were experience sharing portions that exposed how most men and women who embrace the Naxal movement with great expectations, end up disillusioned and no where to turn to.
The film, titled ‘Badrang Hota Lal Salam (The Fading Red Salute)’ shows that many, who join the cadres find themselves caught in an exploitation circuit.
Women are more susceptible as their disillusionment is not limited to just the discovery of a haphazard life, chased all over the place by the security forces, but they are sexually exploited as well.
“Wherever we have screened this film, people are being awakened about the realities of the ugly and perilous face of Naxalism. People have shown signs of fear of the rebels’ backlash but come to watch anyway, and are happy to learn the truth, gaining awareness about what activities the Maoists indulge in. The impact is total and people can see and hear for themselves, how strenuous and unpleasant the rebels’ life is,” said Mithilesh Kumar, the Officer -in-charge of the Tundi Police Station.
Hiralal Soren, a youth who attended the screening was very impressed with the contents of the documentary.
“The Maoists are creating various impediments in our path. I learnt about their mode of operation from this CD. We all know that the Maoists profess to be working for the good of the people but are instead targeting the common man. They do more harm than good, if any. I also learned that as long as the Maoist rebels continue their reign of terror in our State, we cannot realise our full potential or gain progress like the rest of the nation,” said Soren.
Officials say that 157 people had been killed in Maoist-related violence this year, up from 114 in the first quarter of 2005.
But the Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) puts the death toll this year at 235, describing the conflict as the ‘the most serious challenge to human rights advocacy in India’.
Thursday April 20 2006 12:20 IST
BELLARY: Police arrested Naganna alias Boya Naganna alias Mukanna, resident of Binigeri village in Alur Taluk in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh and seized from him a country pistol and 5 cartridges. He was roaming around KSRTC Bus Stand in Bellary.
Additional Superintendent of Police Dr D C Rajappa said during interrogation, Naganna revealed that he got the pistol from a coal merchant to handover the pistol to naxal leader Ranga Reddy.
Additional Superintendent of Police said following a tip off that a person was roaming around loaded with a country made pistol in Siruguppa town, he directed Siruguppa PSI Naga Reddy to arrest the person.
The accused is remanded to Judicial Custody.
A case was registered in Siruguppa Police Station.
BELLARY: Police arrested Naganna alias Boya Naganna alias Mukanna, resident of Binigeri village in Alur Taluk in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh and seized from him a country pistol and 5 cartridges. He was roaming around KSRTC Bus Stand in Bellary.
Additional Superintendent of Police Dr D C Rajappa said during interrogation, Naganna revealed that he got the pistol from a coal merchant to handover the pistol to naxal leader Ranga Reddy.
Additional Superintendent of Police said following a tip off that a person was roaming around loaded with a country made pistol in Siruguppa town, he directed Siruguppa PSI Naga Reddy to arrest the person.
The accused is remanded to Judicial Custody.
A case was registered in Siruguppa Police Station.
NAXALS-GILL
RAIPUR, APR 20 (PTI)
Security Advisor to the Chhattisgarh government K P S Gill today made his first visit to naxal-infested Bastar region.
"Making his first visit to any naxal area, Gill today discussed with the police officials of Bastar region about the ground situation and other things of the naxalites," police sources told PTI from Bastar.
"Besides taking the feed back about the activities of the naxalites and their size and fire powers, Gill also discussed other issues of Bastar," they said.
Director General of Police Om Prakash Rathor and State Intelligence chief Sant Kumar Paswan, Inspector General of Police (Bastar) Mohammad Wazir Ansari participated in the meeting at the divisional headquarters of Bastar at Jagdalpur, the sources said.
Naxalites are active in Chhattisgarh for about three decades and they have also established their headquarters in the deep jungle of Bastar while declaring some of the area as "liberated zone.
RAIPUR, APR 20 (PTI)
Security Advisor to the Chhattisgarh government K P S Gill today made his first visit to naxal-infested Bastar region.
"Making his first visit to any naxal area, Gill today discussed with the police officials of Bastar region about the ground situation and other things of the naxalites," police sources told PTI from Bastar.
"Besides taking the feed back about the activities of the naxalites and their size and fire powers, Gill also discussed other issues of Bastar," they said.
Director General of Police Om Prakash Rathor and State Intelligence chief Sant Kumar Paswan, Inspector General of Police (Bastar) Mohammad Wazir Ansari participated in the meeting at the divisional headquarters of Bastar at Jagdalpur, the sources said.
Naxalites are active in Chhattisgarh for about three decades and they have also established their headquarters in the deep jungle of Bastar while declaring some of the area as "liberated zone.
Raipur, Apr 19 : Naxalites have withdrawn from Usur village in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh after reinforcements of security forces reached there, a senior police official said today.
"Because of prompt action by the police forces, the armed naxalites failed to do anything at the Usur village yesterday and quietly slipped into the nearby forest," Chief of anti-naxal operation Sant Kumar Paswan told PTI here.
About 2,000 naxalites had yesterday cordoned off the Usur village after which additional reinforcement of CRPF and district forces had been sent to the spot.
The forces reached the village from nearby camps and combing operation was carried out today also in and around Usur village and police has a dominance of that area, Paswan said.
"The situation in and around the village is totally under control and peaceful and because of police presence with sophisticated weapons. The naxalites had yesterday also failed to commit any crime and today also the area was peaceful," said Paswan who is also the Additional Director General of Intelligence.
Usur is located in the hyper naxal infested area and Murkinar is located about 11 km from the place, where on Sunday, the Maoists had killed 11 policemen and looted 38 weapons.
"Because of prompt action by the police forces, the armed naxalites failed to do anything at the Usur village yesterday and quietly slipped into the nearby forest," Chief of anti-naxal operation Sant Kumar Paswan told PTI here.
About 2,000 naxalites had yesterday cordoned off the Usur village after which additional reinforcement of CRPF and district forces had been sent to the spot.
The forces reached the village from nearby camps and combing operation was carried out today also in and around Usur village and police has a dominance of that area, Paswan said.
"The situation in and around the village is totally under control and peaceful and because of police presence with sophisticated weapons. The naxalites had yesterday also failed to commit any crime and today also the area was peaceful," said Paswan who is also the Additional Director General of Intelligence.
Usur is located in the hyper naxal infested area and Murkinar is located about 11 km from the place, where on Sunday, the Maoists had killed 11 policemen and looted 38 weapons.
Kolkata, Apr 19: The West Bengal government should initiate a dialogue with Maoists as there is no other alternative to solve the problem, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said today.
"There is need for a dialogue... There is no other alternative," Mukherjee, also the PCC president, told a meet-the-press programe here.
When a scribe remarked that the talks between naxalites and the Andhra Pradesh government has failed, Mukherjee said "it is not that dialogue will always give instant results. But there is no alternative to talks." Mukherjee also said the law and order machinery should be strengthened to tackle Maoists active in Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapore districts of the state.
"The police have to be modernised and given more mobility. The communication system should be improved and there should be better training," he said.
Mukherjee said 65 districts in nine states were now naxalite-affected.
"The Centre and the state governments concerned have identified these districts. All security-related expenses in these districts are being borne by the Centre," he said.
He said the five-year scheme, started in 2001, has been re-introduced after it expired on March 31.
Mukherjee said that there was no trace of development in areas of West Bengal where Maoists were active.
"The tribal people are getting attracted to Naxalite ideology as there is no scope for employement and they are even being denied access to forest produce," he said
"There is need for a dialogue... There is no other alternative," Mukherjee, also the PCC president, told a meet-the-press programe here.
When a scribe remarked that the talks between naxalites and the Andhra Pradesh government has failed, Mukherjee said "it is not that dialogue will always give instant results. But there is no alternative to talks." Mukherjee also said the law and order machinery should be strengthened to tackle Maoists active in Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapore districts of the state.
"The police have to be modernised and given more mobility. The communication system should be improved and there should be better training," he said.
Mukherjee said 65 districts in nine states were now naxalite-affected.
"The Centre and the state governments concerned have identified these districts. All security-related expenses in these districts are being borne by the Centre," he said.
He said the five-year scheme, started in 2001, has been re-introduced after it expired on March 31.
Mukherjee said that there was no trace of development in areas of West Bengal where Maoists were active.
"The tribal people are getting attracted to Naxalite ideology as there is no scope for employement and they are even being denied access to forest produce," he said
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Mumbai, April 19: Two policemen have died in a landmine blast triggered by Naxalites in a forest in northern Gadchiroli, on Maharashtra’s border with Chhattisgarh.
Around 8.30 last night, members of the special C-60 anti-Naxalite squad were on their way to a police outpost at Gatta in tribal-dominated Gadchiroli in an anti-mine vehicle when a powerful landmine exploded and sent the vehicle several feet up in the air. It landed upside down, injuring all 16 squad members.
Naxalites opened fire as constable Avendra Rasekar was trying to wriggle out of the vehicle, killing him on the spot. Three others suffered serious injuries and were taken to Government Medical College Hospital in Nagpur, where 48-year-old sub-inspector Harishchandra Madhavi died today.
“Yes, we have lost two officers in the ambush. They were on their way to the police outpost under fire from Naxalite groups. The mission was to surround the firing groups and trap them. But before they could reach the outpost, the ambush was triggered. Because it was an anti-mine vehicle, the casualty has been lower,” superintendent of police Shirish Jain said over phone from Gadchiroli.
Jain and other senior police officials rushed to the spot, which is 42 km from Gadchiroli town.
The police suspect that large quantities of gelatin were used in the explosion. “It was a blast of dimensions similar to the one that was triggered last month. The explosion had tossed up the anti-mine vehicle, but it landed in upright position. In this case, the number of injuries were more because the vehicle overturned on landing,” Jain added.
On March 13, 25 jawans of the special squad travelling in two anti-mine vehicles had survived a landmine blast near Pendhari forests. The explosion had flung one of the vehicles about 20 feet up in the air and created a crater more than five feet deep. After the explosion, the Naxalites had opened fire, but the police commandos countered the firing and forced them to flee.
Last year, more than 22 policemen were killed in Naxalite strikes in Maharashtra
Mumbai, April 19: Two policemen have died in a landmine blast triggered by Naxalites in a forest in northern Gadchiroli, on Maharashtra’s border with Chhattisgarh.
Around 8.30 last night, members of the special C-60 anti-Naxalite squad were on their way to a police outpost at Gatta in tribal-dominated Gadchiroli in an anti-mine vehicle when a powerful landmine exploded and sent the vehicle several feet up in the air. It landed upside down, injuring all 16 squad members.
Naxalites opened fire as constable Avendra Rasekar was trying to wriggle out of the vehicle, killing him on the spot. Three others suffered serious injuries and were taken to Government Medical College Hospital in Nagpur, where 48-year-old sub-inspector Harishchandra Madhavi died today.
“Yes, we have lost two officers in the ambush. They were on their way to the police outpost under fire from Naxalite groups. The mission was to surround the firing groups and trap them. But before they could reach the outpost, the ambush was triggered. Because it was an anti-mine vehicle, the casualty has been lower,” superintendent of police Shirish Jain said over phone from Gadchiroli.
Jain and other senior police officials rushed to the spot, which is 42 km from Gadchiroli town.
The police suspect that large quantities of gelatin were used in the explosion. “It was a blast of dimensions similar to the one that was triggered last month. The explosion had tossed up the anti-mine vehicle, but it landed in upright position. In this case, the number of injuries were more because the vehicle overturned on landing,” Jain added.
On March 13, 25 jawans of the special squad travelling in two anti-mine vehicles had survived a landmine blast near Pendhari forests. The explosion had flung one of the vehicles about 20 feet up in the air and created a crater more than five feet deep. After the explosion, the Naxalites had opened fire, but the police commandos countered the firing and forced them to flee.
Last year, more than 22 policemen were killed in Naxalite strikes in Maharashtra
VISHVENDU JAIPURIAR
Hazaribagh, April 19: Suspected Maoist rebels set ablaze a machine and two motorcycles of a construction company in Gola near Ramgarh last night.
Around 3 in the night, about 12 extremists appeared at the site of Classic Company, which is involved in renovation of the Rajrappa-Gola Road in Jobia village — 75 km from Hazaribagh.
They also left behind a number of pamphlets. The pamphlet, which warns middlemen and informers to face the wrath of the rebels besides demanding 90 per cent participation of lower class in every project, was reportedly written by Maoist outfits operating in the state.
However, Ramgarh deputy superintendent of police Sanjeev Kumar said only some local criminals are invol ved in the incident, not the Maoists.
Police officers, who went to the spot, said that they were investigating the matter and trying to locate the culprits.
Pawan Singh, owner of the company, which faced similar attack last year also, is known to be close to land and land revenue minister Chandra Prakash Choudhary.
This was the second incident of Naxalite attack within 24 hours in North Chhotanagpur commissionerate.
On Monday, they set off three powerful bombs in under-construction buildings of Police Line in Chatra damaging the structure. Later, the police had recovered a country-made gun from the spot.
However, no arrest has been made related to the explosions. Gautam Construction company, which was involved in doing the work in the Police Line, today admitted to have suffered a loss of Rs 50 lakh.
However, sources said that the company has unable to complete the project, started at an estimated cost of Rs 10 crore in 2004.
Hazaribagh, April 19: Suspected Maoist rebels set ablaze a machine and two motorcycles of a construction company in Gola near Ramgarh last night.
Around 3 in the night, about 12 extremists appeared at the site of Classic Company, which is involved in renovation of the Rajrappa-Gola Road in Jobia village — 75 km from Hazaribagh.
They also left behind a number of pamphlets. The pamphlet, which warns middlemen and informers to face the wrath of the rebels besides demanding 90 per cent participation of lower class in every project, was reportedly written by Maoist outfits operating in the state.
However, Ramgarh deputy superintendent of police Sanjeev Kumar said only some local criminals are invol ved in the incident, not the Maoists.
Police officers, who went to the spot, said that they were investigating the matter and trying to locate the culprits.
Pawan Singh, owner of the company, which faced similar attack last year also, is known to be close to land and land revenue minister Chandra Prakash Choudhary.
This was the second incident of Naxalite attack within 24 hours in North Chhotanagpur commissionerate.
On Monday, they set off three powerful bombs in under-construction buildings of Police Line in Chatra damaging the structure. Later, the police had recovered a country-made gun from the spot.
However, no arrest has been made related to the explosions. Gautam Construction company, which was involved in doing the work in the Police Line, today admitted to have suffered a loss of Rs 50 lakh.
However, sources said that the company has unable to complete the project, started at an estimated cost of Rs 10 crore in 2004.
Raipur, Apr 19: The Chhattisgarh government today shifted one of its senior most IPS officers, Rajiv Mathur, from the post of Chief of Armed Force and Training to a less significant post, following his "differences" with Director General of Police Om Prakash Rathor.
"Mathur is removed as Additional DG of Chhattisgarh Armed Force and Training and made Director Prosecution replacing R K Vij," Chief Secretary Ram Prakash Bagai told PTI here.
Mathur, who is number two in the police headquarters (PHQ) had "serious differences" with the DGP, official sources at the PHQ said here.
The shifting of Mathur comes a day after K P S Gill assumed charge as the Security Advisor to the Chhattisgarh government.
The Director Prosecution was always held by an official of the DIG level ever since the state was formed, PHQ sources said.
About the possible reason for shifting Mathur, the Chief Secretary said it was a proposal by the Home Department and Director Prosecution was also an important post.
Meanwhile, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Bijay Kishore Sunder Ray said Sanjay Tiwari was today appointed as new district Superintendent of naxal-infested Bijapur, replacing Dasrath Lal Manhar, who has been made the secretary State Human Rights Commission.
To a question, Ray said soon an order will be issued for posting a senior officer in charge of Chhattisgarh Armed Force and Training in place of Mathur.
On Sunday last naxals killed 11 policemen and looted 38 sophisticated weapons from CAF camp of Murkinar in Bijapur district.
"Mathur is removed as Additional DG of Chhattisgarh Armed Force and Training and made Director Prosecution replacing R K Vij," Chief Secretary Ram Prakash Bagai told PTI here.
Mathur, who is number two in the police headquarters (PHQ) had "serious differences" with the DGP, official sources at the PHQ said here.
The shifting of Mathur comes a day after K P S Gill assumed charge as the Security Advisor to the Chhattisgarh government.
The Director Prosecution was always held by an official of the DIG level ever since the state was formed, PHQ sources said.
About the possible reason for shifting Mathur, the Chief Secretary said it was a proposal by the Home Department and Director Prosecution was also an important post.
Meanwhile, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Bijay Kishore Sunder Ray said Sanjay Tiwari was today appointed as new district Superintendent of naxal-infested Bijapur, replacing Dasrath Lal Manhar, who has been made the secretary State Human Rights Commission.
To a question, Ray said soon an order will be issued for posting a senior officer in charge of Chhattisgarh Armed Force and Training in place of Mathur.
On Sunday last naxals killed 11 policemen and looted 38 sophisticated weapons from CAF camp of Murkinar in Bijapur district.
Press Trust Of India / Kolkata/ Ranchi April 20, 2006
Stepping up its anti-Naxalite drive, Jharkhand government has brought 25,000 police personnel operating in Naxal areas under insurance cover and purchased a new fleet of anti-mine vehicles.
The new policy, formally announced here , will cover state police personnel, central paramilitary forces and army personnel engaged in anti-Naxal operations.
The joint agreement was signed between the police department and the United India Insurance Company, the Oriental Insurance Company and the New India Assurance Company.
Under the agreement, the state home minister Sudesh Mahto gave a cheque for Rs 2.47 crore to Rakesh Kumar, the chief regional manager of the Oriental Insurance Company, as premium for 2006-07.
Kumar accepted the cheque on behalf of the three insurance companies. Addressing the IPS and IAS officers at a function here, the minister assured all help to the police in their fight against extremism.
"If any of the 25,000 personnel engaged in anti-Naxal drive in the state suffers fatal wounds or permanent total disability or loses two limbs or sight, his or her family will be entitled to a maximum benefit of Rs 11.5 lakh," he said.
The insurance benefits would be the same for everybody irrespective of rank, he said.
"Though sixteen districts are marked as Naxal-infested areas, the insurance will cover the entire state," director general of police Vishnu Dayal Ram said. Stating that the compensation package in Jharkhand earmarked for anti-Naxal operation was the highest in the country, the DG said the insurance policy would fulfil the CRPF's grievance that its personnel should be at par with the state police vis-a-vis compensation package.
The government has a Rs 10 lakh compensation package for the family of the state police personnel who die fighting the Naxals and the CRPF has also been demanding the same.
Additional director general of police (modernisation), Neyaz Ahmad, said the Jharkhand police would soon have 120 bullet-proof and 54 anti-landmine vehicles. Orders for mortars and grenades had been placed and delivery was expected any time, he said, adding a group of policemen were being trained by the BSF and the Assam rifles.
Stepping up its anti-Naxalite drive, Jharkhand government has brought 25,000 police personnel operating in Naxal areas under insurance cover and purchased a new fleet of anti-mine vehicles.
The new policy, formally announced here , will cover state police personnel, central paramilitary forces and army personnel engaged in anti-Naxal operations.
The joint agreement was signed between the police department and the United India Insurance Company, the Oriental Insurance Company and the New India Assurance Company.
Under the agreement, the state home minister Sudesh Mahto gave a cheque for Rs 2.47 crore to Rakesh Kumar, the chief regional manager of the Oriental Insurance Company, as premium for 2006-07.
Kumar accepted the cheque on behalf of the three insurance companies. Addressing the IPS and IAS officers at a function here, the minister assured all help to the police in their fight against extremism.
"If any of the 25,000 personnel engaged in anti-Naxal drive in the state suffers fatal wounds or permanent total disability or loses two limbs or sight, his or her family will be entitled to a maximum benefit of Rs 11.5 lakh," he said.
The insurance benefits would be the same for everybody irrespective of rank, he said.
"Though sixteen districts are marked as Naxal-infested areas, the insurance will cover the entire state," director general of police Vishnu Dayal Ram said. Stating that the compensation package in Jharkhand earmarked for anti-Naxal operation was the highest in the country, the DG said the insurance policy would fulfil the CRPF's grievance that its personnel should be at par with the state police vis-a-vis compensation package.
The government has a Rs 10 lakh compensation package for the family of the state police personnel who die fighting the Naxals and the CRPF has also been demanding the same.
Additional director general of police (modernisation), Neyaz Ahmad, said the Jharkhand police would soon have 120 bullet-proof and 54 anti-landmine vehicles. Orders for mortars and grenades had been placed and delivery was expected any time, he said, adding a group of policemen were being trained by the BSF and the Assam rifles.
Nagpur: A police constable was killed and 17 others, including a police sub-inspector, were injured when naxalies triggered a landmine blast and opened indiscriminate firing in Phulbondi forest
area in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra today, police said.
"About 17 policemen from a special squad C-60 were on a patrolling duty when their anti-landmine vehicle was blown off by a powerful landmine blast by a group of naxals in thick forest in Phulbondi, about 250 kms south of Vidarbha region early today," Gadchiroli police said today.
He said the blast was so powerful that the vehicle was tossed in the air.
The naxals also opened fire, which was retaliated by police, but constable Avendra Rasekar was killed in the firing.
PSI Harishchandra Madavi (48) and two constables Kusu Koradi and Prakash Gorade, who sustained serious injuries, were rushed to the city and admitted to Government Medical College Hospital, police said, adding that their condition was critical.
Other 12 injured were admitted to Government Hospital in Gadchiroli, they said.
Gadhciroli S P Shirish Jain and other officials have rushed to the spot and supervising the relief operations, police added.
"About 17 policemen from a special squad C-60 were on a patrolling duty when their anti-landmine vehicle was blown off by a powerful landmine blast by a group of naxals in thick forest in Phulbondi, about 250 kms south of Vidarbha region early today," Gadchiroli police said today.
He said the blast was so powerful that the vehicle was tossed in the air.
The naxals also opened fire, which was retaliated by police, but constable Avendra Rasekar was killed in the firing.
PSI Harishchandra Madavi (48) and two constables Kusu Koradi and Prakash Gorade, who sustained serious injuries, were rushed to the city and admitted to Government Medical College Hospital, police said, adding that their condition was critical.
Other 12 injured were admitted to Government Hospital in Gadchiroli, they said.
Gadhciroli S P Shirish Jain and other officials have rushed to the spot and supervising the relief operations, police added.
Mukesh Ranjan
NEW DELHI, April 19: Concerned by the threat posed by the rampant Naxalite violence in the country and Naxalites’ attempts to create a red corridor from Pashupatinath in Nepal to Tirupati in south India, the government is set to soon take some counter-offensive measures.
A highly-placed source said the government is seriously considering instructing the affected state police and Central forces to actively and constructively support the “Salva Judum” in Chhattisgarh.
“Salva Judum” is a movement of local tribals in the state which is opposed to Naxalite violence and is considered an anti-thesis to the revolution propounded by the Naxalites.
The government is also considering creating groups of local people on the pattern of “Salva Judum” in other affected states, the source said. Since the government is aware that apart from police, the Naxalites’ prime targets are new industries and new mineral units, it is being mooted that apart from proper rehabilitation of the displaced, five per cent equity ownership will be given to local tribals so that they have a sense of belonging.
The government is also considering roping in the Border Roads Organisation to complete road construction work in areas where contractors are facing trouble because of Naxal threats. Strategic rural roads will be put under the Backward District Initiative (BDI) instead of the Prime Minister’s Gramin Sarak Yojna (PMGSY).
In another significant step, the government is mulling incorporating “security cost” as part of the project cost while evaluating and sanctioning mega projects in the affected area. “But there is a problem in doing so as there is a distinct difference in plan and non-plan expenditure,” said an informed source. The government is looking into other options to sort out this problem as action has to be taken to include the cost of required security in the construction of mega projects.
If the proposal comes through, all the affected states, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Chhatisgarh and Andhra Pradesh, would benefit as they would either be compensated for the security to be provided or would be relieved of the responsibility of providing security to the projects.
Cops killed
NAGPUR, April 19: Two constables were killed and 17 others, including a police sub-inspector, were injured when Naxalites triggered a powerful landmine blast and opened indiscriminate firing in the Phulbondi forest area in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra today, police said. He said the blast was so powerful the vehicle was tossed in the air. PTI
NEW DELHI, April 19: Concerned by the threat posed by the rampant Naxalite violence in the country and Naxalites’ attempts to create a red corridor from Pashupatinath in Nepal to Tirupati in south India, the government is set to soon take some counter-offensive measures.
A highly-placed source said the government is seriously considering instructing the affected state police and Central forces to actively and constructively support the “Salva Judum” in Chhattisgarh.
“Salva Judum” is a movement of local tribals in the state which is opposed to Naxalite violence and is considered an anti-thesis to the revolution propounded by the Naxalites.
The government is also considering creating groups of local people on the pattern of “Salva Judum” in other affected states, the source said. Since the government is aware that apart from police, the Naxalites’ prime targets are new industries and new mineral units, it is being mooted that apart from proper rehabilitation of the displaced, five per cent equity ownership will be given to local tribals so that they have a sense of belonging.
The government is also considering roping in the Border Roads Organisation to complete road construction work in areas where contractors are facing trouble because of Naxal threats. Strategic rural roads will be put under the Backward District Initiative (BDI) instead of the Prime Minister’s Gramin Sarak Yojna (PMGSY).
In another significant step, the government is mulling incorporating “security cost” as part of the project cost while evaluating and sanctioning mega projects in the affected area. “But there is a problem in doing so as there is a distinct difference in plan and non-plan expenditure,” said an informed source. The government is looking into other options to sort out this problem as action has to be taken to include the cost of required security in the construction of mega projects.
If the proposal comes through, all the affected states, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Chhatisgarh and Andhra Pradesh, would benefit as they would either be compensated for the security to be provided or would be relieved of the responsibility of providing security to the projects.
Cops killed
NAGPUR, April 19: Two constables were killed and 17 others, including a police sub-inspector, were injured when Naxalites triggered a powerful landmine blast and opened indiscriminate firing in the Phulbondi forest area in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra today, police said. He said the blast was so powerful the vehicle was tossed in the air. PTI
BHARTI JAIN
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2006 12:23:28 AM]
NEW DELHI: Concerned over Maoist spillover from troubled Nepal, the Centre has asked the Sashastra Seema Bal troops deployed along the border to step up guard and watch out for movement of Nepalese Maoists into Indian territory.
The decision to put the SSB on high alert along the border in Bihar, UP and West Bengal follows a security review by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday evening regarding the developments in Nepal.
The meeting, attended by Union home minister Shivraj Patil and top security brass, assessed the security concerns arising from a possible Maoist takeover of power in the Himalayan Kingdom.
According to latest reports from the Indo-Nepal border in Bihar and UP, many Nepalese families have already shifted base to this side and several more are still coming in. This, the security agencies feel, is essentially a panic reaction in anticipation of a major outbreak of violence in the Himalayan Kingdom as a fallout of the anti-King protests.
Although no major influx of Nepalese Maoists is reported so far, the agencies have warned of a possibility of the extremists crossing over to safer havens in Bihar districts like East and West Champaran, Madhubani and Sitamarhi in the wake of any major crackdown by the Royal Nepalese Army under the King’s instructions.
Though there is no concrete evidence of active and operational links between the Maoists in Nepal and those on this side, they do share ideological affinity and logistical facilities and are jointly aiming at creating a “Red Corridor” stretching all the way from Nepal to the south Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
The Union home ministry is apprehensive that the Naxal movement here, which is already on the upswing with several daring attacks being recorded almost daily in the badly-hit states of Chhattisgarh and Orissa, may receive a major morale booster in case the Nepalese Maoists succeed in gaining power.
The SSB, Union home secretary V K Duggal told the ET, has been especially directed to strengthen vigil along the Indo-Nepal border to ensure that no armed Maoist makes his way into Indian territory.
The movement of weapons as well as counterfeit currency is also to being watched out for as the border forces monitor the inflow of human traffic from Nepal. Ever since King Gyanendra clamped emergency in Nepal, the Maoists there have been resorting to violence and resisting a crackdown by the RNA.
Available reports indicate the movement of CPN(Maoist) cadres into various part of the country, but mainly for medical treatment. Around 40 CPN(Maoists) activists were arrested last year, as against over 140 of them picked up between 2001 and 2004 from Bihar, West Bengal, UP and other parts of the country.
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2006 12:23:28 AM]
NEW DELHI: Concerned over Maoist spillover from troubled Nepal, the Centre has asked the Sashastra Seema Bal troops deployed along the border to step up guard and watch out for movement of Nepalese Maoists into Indian territory.
The decision to put the SSB on high alert along the border in Bihar, UP and West Bengal follows a security review by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday evening regarding the developments in Nepal.
The meeting, attended by Union home minister Shivraj Patil and top security brass, assessed the security concerns arising from a possible Maoist takeover of power in the Himalayan Kingdom.
According to latest reports from the Indo-Nepal border in Bihar and UP, many Nepalese families have already shifted base to this side and several more are still coming in. This, the security agencies feel, is essentially a panic reaction in anticipation of a major outbreak of violence in the Himalayan Kingdom as a fallout of the anti-King protests.
Although no major influx of Nepalese Maoists is reported so far, the agencies have warned of a possibility of the extremists crossing over to safer havens in Bihar districts like East and West Champaran, Madhubani and Sitamarhi in the wake of any major crackdown by the Royal Nepalese Army under the King’s instructions.
Though there is no concrete evidence of active and operational links between the Maoists in Nepal and those on this side, they do share ideological affinity and logistical facilities and are jointly aiming at creating a “Red Corridor” stretching all the way from Nepal to the south Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
The Union home ministry is apprehensive that the Naxal movement here, which is already on the upswing with several daring attacks being recorded almost daily in the badly-hit states of Chhattisgarh and Orissa, may receive a major morale booster in case the Nepalese Maoists succeed in gaining power.
The SSB, Union home secretary V K Duggal told the ET, has been especially directed to strengthen vigil along the Indo-Nepal border to ensure that no armed Maoist makes his way into Indian territory.
The movement of weapons as well as counterfeit currency is also to being watched out for as the border forces monitor the inflow of human traffic from Nepal. Ever since King Gyanendra clamped emergency in Nepal, the Maoists there have been resorting to violence and resisting a crackdown by the RNA.
Available reports indicate the movement of CPN(Maoist) cadres into various part of the country, but mainly for medical treatment. Around 40 CPN(Maoists) activists were arrested last year, as against over 140 of them picked up between 2001 and 2004 from Bihar, West Bengal, UP and other parts of the country.
Thursday April 20 2006 00:00 IST
GAYA: Handpump. This is what the Naxalites are now using to enlist local support and stay a step ahead of the administration.
As officials hold meetings to counter the Naxals, here, in the drought-hit regions of Gaya district, the Left wing extremists have opened another front.
With the entire district, including Gaya town, facing a severe water crisis, the banned CPI (Maoist) has stepped in with money to help villagers repair handpumps. It's also using muscle power to ensure equitable distribution.
They even have a name for their operation: Paani-Paani.
While the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and ward commissioners of Gaya corporation sit on a dharna, unable to tackle the water crisis, the Naxals have got going, quietly executing works which the officials should have.
Gaya Chief Engineer D P Singh acknowledges that the situation is very bad, with "groundwater levels depleting 40-80 feet". Throughout the district, most manually sunk handpumps (at a depth of around 40-60 feet) and open wells have dried up. Only those sunk at a depth of around 100 ft are working.
Singh claims that the government has taken some action. "Money was sanctioned at the end of last year. We are procuring materials to sink new handpumps and repair defunct ones. Work should start soon," he says.
But ask Ramji Das of Paraiya block. Till the Naxals came with money, Das and other villagers were trying to locate water holes for their cattle. The only handpump in his village had dried up and the villagers had no money to sink the tubewells deeper.
But Maoist cadres have been going from village to village, ensuring that Operation Paani-Paani works. Well-to-do farmers with diesel pump sets have been directed to create water reservoirs and throw it open. In villages where handpumps and open wells have dried up, the Maoists are funding the repairs.
In one village, whose residents asked not to be identified, Maoists paid for the repair of six handpumps. "Two people came to us and told us to get our defunct tubewells repaired. They said the party would pay for it. We did not believe them. The next day they came with mechanics and started the work," says Janki Das.
Asked about the Naxal operation, Gaya District Magistrate Sandeep Paundrik claimed he had no information and had only heard "rumours".
If the Maoists do end up consolidating their base here, the government would only have itself to blame. For more than three years now, Gaya and its surrounding areas have not received adequate rainfall. Day temperatures have already touched 40 degrees Celsius.
GAYA: Handpump. This is what the Naxalites are now using to enlist local support and stay a step ahead of the administration.
As officials hold meetings to counter the Naxals, here, in the drought-hit regions of Gaya district, the Left wing extremists have opened another front.
With the entire district, including Gaya town, facing a severe water crisis, the banned CPI (Maoist) has stepped in with money to help villagers repair handpumps. It's also using muscle power to ensure equitable distribution.
They even have a name for their operation: Paani-Paani.
While the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and ward commissioners of Gaya corporation sit on a dharna, unable to tackle the water crisis, the Naxals have got going, quietly executing works which the officials should have.
Gaya Chief Engineer D P Singh acknowledges that the situation is very bad, with "groundwater levels depleting 40-80 feet". Throughout the district, most manually sunk handpumps (at a depth of around 40-60 feet) and open wells have dried up. Only those sunk at a depth of around 100 ft are working.
Singh claims that the government has taken some action. "Money was sanctioned at the end of last year. We are procuring materials to sink new handpumps and repair defunct ones. Work should start soon," he says.
But ask Ramji Das of Paraiya block. Till the Naxals came with money, Das and other villagers were trying to locate water holes for their cattle. The only handpump in his village had dried up and the villagers had no money to sink the tubewells deeper.
But Maoist cadres have been going from village to village, ensuring that Operation Paani-Paani works. Well-to-do farmers with diesel pump sets have been directed to create water reservoirs and throw it open. In villages where handpumps and open wells have dried up, the Maoists are funding the repairs.
In one village, whose residents asked not to be identified, Maoists paid for the repair of six handpumps. "Two people came to us and told us to get our defunct tubewells repaired. They said the party would pay for it. We did not believe them. The next day they came with mechanics and started the work," says Janki Das.
Asked about the Naxal operation, Gaya District Magistrate Sandeep Paundrik claimed he had no information and had only heard "rumours".
If the Maoists do end up consolidating their base here, the government would only have itself to blame. For more than three years now, Gaya and its surrounding areas have not received adequate rainfall. Day temperatures have already touched 40 degrees Celsius.
Raipur: The new Security Advisor to Chhattisgarh government, K P S Gill, today discussed naxalite activities with Chief Minister Raman Singh and other top state officials.
"Over a working breakfast, Gill discussed the naxal situation with the Chief Minister, Home Minister Ram Vichar Netam, Chief Secretary Ram Prakash Bagai and DGP among other top officials," official sources told PTI here today.
It was the first discussion of Gill with Singh after he assumed charge yesterday.
The discussion lasted for three hours, the sources said.
"Besides the situation, the possible action plan was also discussed," the sources said adding both the Chief Minister and Gill were "serious" about the naxalite menace.
Meanwhile, looking into the threat perception, the security of the former Punjab DGP was tightened here with deployment of additional force in the Police Mess where he was staying.
"Gill has been provided a bullet proof car for his movement and security has been tightened in and around him," the sources said.
Chhattisgarh Director General of Police questioned the presence of media at the
"Over a working breakfast, Gill discussed the naxal situation with the Chief Minister, Home Minister Ram Vichar Netam, Chief Secretary Ram Prakash Bagai and DGP among other top officials," official sources told PTI here today.
It was the first discussion of Gill with Singh after he assumed charge yesterday.
The discussion lasted for three hours, the sources said.
"Besides the situation, the possible action plan was also discussed," the sources said adding both the Chief Minister and Gill were "serious" about the naxalite menace.
Meanwhile, looking into the threat perception, the security of the former Punjab DGP was tightened here with deployment of additional force in the Police Mess where he was staying.
"Gill has been provided a bullet proof car for his movement and security has been tightened in and around him," the sources said.
Chhattisgarh Director General of Police questioned the presence of media at the
Thursday April 20 2006 00:00 IST
HOSUR: The Hosur police arrested two persons on Tuesday who were supporting the movement of Naxals and demanding the public to shun the Assembly elections.
Tension gripped Hosur taluk office area when a few anti-government posters were seen on the compound walls of the taluk office.
The posters urged the public to shun the forthcoming elections and keep faith in the Naxal movements. The posters were put up on behalf of an outfit called ‘Puratchikkara Thozhilalargal Munnani’.
Following instructions from Krishangiri Superintendent of Police Avi Prkash Sinha, Hosur DSP Arularasu and team started an inquiry to nab the persons behind the posters.
Police arrested Parasuraman (31) of Hosur and Ravichandran (39) of Bagalur in this connection. Further investigation is on.
HOSUR: The Hosur police arrested two persons on Tuesday who were supporting the movement of Naxals and demanding the public to shun the Assembly elections.
Tension gripped Hosur taluk office area when a few anti-government posters were seen on the compound walls of the taluk office.
The posters urged the public to shun the forthcoming elections and keep faith in the Naxal movements. The posters were put up on behalf of an outfit called ‘Puratchikkara Thozhilalargal Munnani’.
Following instructions from Krishangiri Superintendent of Police Avi Prkash Sinha, Hosur DSP Arularasu and team started an inquiry to nab the persons behind the posters.
Police arrested Parasuraman (31) of Hosur and Ravichandran (39) of Bagalur in this connection. Further investigation is on.
Raipur: Chhattisgarh police today alerted its police stations, located close to Maharashtra border, after a powerful landmine blast killed one policeman and injurred 17 others.
"All the bordering police stations have been alerted after the reports of movement of naxalites in the bordering district of Gadchiroli in Maharashtra," Chief of anti-naxal operations of the state Sant Kumar Paswan told PTI here.
Rajnandgaon, Kanker, Bastar and Dantewada districts of Chhattisgarh share border with Maharashtra.
Armed Maoists had blown up an anti-landmine vehicle of Maharashtra police in Phulbondi forest area and opened indiscriminate firing killing one constable and
"All the bordering police stations have been alerted after the reports of movement of naxalites in the bordering district of Gadchiroli in Maharashtra," Chief of anti-naxal operations of the state Sant Kumar Paswan told PTI here.
Rajnandgaon, Kanker, Bastar and Dantewada districts of Chhattisgarh share border with Maharashtra.
Armed Maoists had blown up an anti-landmine vehicle of Maharashtra police in Phulbondi forest area and opened indiscriminate firing killing one constable and
Adilabad, Andhra Pradesh, Apr 19 (UNI) The Union Minister for Panchayat Raj Mani Shankar Aiyar today said strengthening of the Panchayat Raj institutions would be of more help to eliminate insurgency than police action.
The Minister, who toured this district as part of his programme to observe the working of the Panchayat Raj institutions, addressed the general body meeting of the Zilla Parishad.
Mr Aiyar said that there was need to focus on the development of naxal-affected areas. The Union Minister who had toured the district advised people's representatives to visit every village, interact with the people and implement employment generating schemes. He said then the people would themselves oppose the Maoists.
The Union Minister said the Naxalites were able to block developmental works because the development of backward areas was not being attended to. He also lamented that even the Central funds were not properly being utilised. He has asserted that this was one of the reasons for insurgency taking deep routes in backward areas.
Mr Aiyar said that in some states the central funds were reaching the state government treasuries instead of the Panchayat Raj institutions, resulting in delay in execution of developmkent works.
He said the Central funds should directly reach the Panchayat Raj institutions and added that bank accounts should be seperately opened for these institutions to facilitate transfer of funds.
The Union Minister while faulting the present arrangement of making the district collector as the Chairman for even appointing Anganwadi workers, he said due to such measures delays were occurring.
The Minister had earlier interacted with the representatives of local Bodies in Gudi Hatnoor and enquired about the working of the Panchayat Raj institutions.
The Minister, who toured this district as part of his programme to observe the working of the Panchayat Raj institutions, addressed the general body meeting of the Zilla Parishad.
Mr Aiyar said that there was need to focus on the development of naxal-affected areas. The Union Minister who had toured the district advised people's representatives to visit every village, interact with the people and implement employment generating schemes. He said then the people would themselves oppose the Maoists.
The Union Minister said the Naxalites were able to block developmental works because the development of backward areas was not being attended to. He also lamented that even the Central funds were not properly being utilised. He has asserted that this was one of the reasons for insurgency taking deep routes in backward areas.
Mr Aiyar said that in some states the central funds were reaching the state government treasuries instead of the Panchayat Raj institutions, resulting in delay in execution of developmkent works.
He said the Central funds should directly reach the Panchayat Raj institutions and added that bank accounts should be seperately opened for these institutions to facilitate transfer of funds.
The Union Minister while faulting the present arrangement of making the district collector as the Chairman for even appointing Anganwadi workers, he said due to such measures delays were occurring.
The Minister had earlier interacted with the representatives of local Bodies in Gudi Hatnoor and enquired about the working of the Panchayat Raj institutions.
Raipur, Apr 16: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Saturday admitted that the Naxalites were running a
parallel administration in the interior regions of the state and creating problems for developmental activities.
"Naxalites are running parallel administration in far off and interior places, where the administration has failed to reach," Singh told reporters here.
The Naxalites were also not allowing the plucking of Tendu leaves or carrying out of panchayat works in those places, he said.
Because of the activities of the rebels, the developmental works in the interior areas were being hampered, Singh said.
"If the activities of the Maoists are not curbed in all the 13 affected states, then it could turn into a Nepal like situation," the Chief Minister warned and added similar views were expressed by many chief ministers in the conference on Naxalite threat on Thursday last.
"It is not a simple law and order situation. It is a threat to the democracy and needs immediate attention," he said.
However, Singh said, he was very happy to see a shift in attitude of the Centre on the Naxalite issue.
Instead of looking at it as a separate problem of individual states, the Naxal menace was being considered as one problem for the country, he said.
Bureau Report
"Naxalites are running parallel administration in far off and interior places, where the administration has failed to reach," Singh told reporters here.
The Naxalites were also not allowing the plucking of Tendu leaves or carrying out of panchayat works in those places, he said.
Because of the activities of the rebels, the developmental works in the interior areas were being hampered, Singh said.
"If the activities of the Maoists are not curbed in all the 13 affected states, then it could turn into a Nepal like situation," the Chief Minister warned and added similar views were expressed by many chief ministers in the conference on Naxalite threat on Thursday last.
"It is not a simple law and order situation. It is a threat to the democracy and needs immediate attention," he said.
However, Singh said, he was very happy to see a shift in attitude of the Centre on the Naxalite issue.
Instead of looking at it as a separate problem of individual states, the Naxal menace was being considered as one problem for the country, he said.
Bureau Report
Patna, Apr 16: With the spectre of Maoist violence looming over 33 of the 38 districts in Bihar, the state government has drawn up a two-pronged strategy to deal with the menace which has assumed alarming proportions with extremists sneeking into the state through the highly porus border with Nepal.
"While stepping up police action against the extremists, we are laying special emphasis on infrastructure development in the state," Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi told mediapersons while explaining the strategy.
He said that districts in North Bihar have been facing a spurt in Maoist violence ever since the ultras have become active in Nepal and districts like East and West Champaran, Sitamarhi and Sheohar have to bear the worst brunt of violence unleashed by them.
Admitting that police was not well equipped to deal with the ultras, Modi said efforts are underway to boost the morale of the police force by providing them modern vehicles, better wireless connectivity and anti-mine devices.
Modi, who also holds the finance portfolio, said that a provision of Rs 125 crore has been made in the 2006-07 state budget for police modernisation.
He said that steps had been taken to fill 5,000 posts of sub-inspectors. Ten thousand police personnel were being appointed and after imparting six months training they will be absorbed in the police force.
In the meantime, he said 5,000 ex-servicemen were being appointed and already 2,200 ex-servicemen have been taken as constables.
The Maoist violence in Nepal had a direct bearing on the contiguous areas of North Bihar, official sources said and pointed out that political workers have been warned that they were on the hit list of the Maoists and as a precautionary measure they have been asked by the state authorities not to venture out after dusk.
Two daring incidents took place a few months back when the state was under president's rule. Jehanabad jail break was an open challenge to the state police and was perhaps the first episode of its kind when heavily armed ultras stormed the jail and freed virtually all the inmates, they said.
In another incident, the Maoists laid virtual seize on Madhuban town some six months back and in an organised attack looted money from the bank and block offices, and arms from police stations after immobilising the securitymen.
The trigger-happy ultras also barged into the home of senior RJD MP Sitaram Singh and looted his belongings, the sources said, adding that a large number of people were also killed in extremist violence in Madhuban.
Modi said the state government would launch operation greyhound on the lines of the crackdown in Andhra Pradesh and sought central assistance for the purpose. At the meeting of chief ministers of Naxal-affected states convened by the Prime Minister, Bihar demanded four helicopters for aerial surveillance and additional para military forces, Modi said.
Modi said along with police action the state government would lay special emphasis on development schemes. To take development to the doorsteps of the people in far-flung areas, the government has launched an ambitious programme 'aap ki sarkar, aap ke dwar' (your government at your doorstep) under which all development schemes would be launched simultaneously at one place.
The scheme was flagged off by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at Sikaria village in Naxal-affected Jehanabad district of Central Bihar recently.
"The thrust of the developmental schemes will be on infrastructure development," he said.
Referring to the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme launched by the Centre to provide jobs to every rural household, he said while the Centre had selected 23 districts for the scheme, the state government had decided to launch a similar programme in the remaining 15 uncovered districts with its own resources.
"With this, Bihar will become the first state in the country to have the job guarantee programme throughout the state," Modi said, adding the whole idea was to check unemployment and migration.
Bureau Report
"While stepping up police action against the extremists, we are laying special emphasis on infrastructure development in the state," Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi told mediapersons while explaining the strategy.
He said that districts in North Bihar have been facing a spurt in Maoist violence ever since the ultras have become active in Nepal and districts like East and West Champaran, Sitamarhi and Sheohar have to bear the worst brunt of violence unleashed by them.
Admitting that police was not well equipped to deal with the ultras, Modi said efforts are underway to boost the morale of the police force by providing them modern vehicles, better wireless connectivity and anti-mine devices.
Modi, who also holds the finance portfolio, said that a provision of Rs 125 crore has been made in the 2006-07 state budget for police modernisation.
He said that steps had been taken to fill 5,000 posts of sub-inspectors. Ten thousand police personnel were being appointed and after imparting six months training they will be absorbed in the police force.
In the meantime, he said 5,000 ex-servicemen were being appointed and already 2,200 ex-servicemen have been taken as constables.
The Maoist violence in Nepal had a direct bearing on the contiguous areas of North Bihar, official sources said and pointed out that political workers have been warned that they were on the hit list of the Maoists and as a precautionary measure they have been asked by the state authorities not to venture out after dusk.
Two daring incidents took place a few months back when the state was under president's rule. Jehanabad jail break was an open challenge to the state police and was perhaps the first episode of its kind when heavily armed ultras stormed the jail and freed virtually all the inmates, they said.
In another incident, the Maoists laid virtual seize on Madhuban town some six months back and in an organised attack looted money from the bank and block offices, and arms from police stations after immobilising the securitymen.
The trigger-happy ultras also barged into the home of senior RJD MP Sitaram Singh and looted his belongings, the sources said, adding that a large number of people were also killed in extremist violence in Madhuban.
Modi said the state government would launch operation greyhound on the lines of the crackdown in Andhra Pradesh and sought central assistance for the purpose. At the meeting of chief ministers of Naxal-affected states convened by the Prime Minister, Bihar demanded four helicopters for aerial surveillance and additional para military forces, Modi said.
Modi said along with police action the state government would lay special emphasis on development schemes. To take development to the doorsteps of the people in far-flung areas, the government has launched an ambitious programme 'aap ki sarkar, aap ke dwar' (your government at your doorstep) under which all development schemes would be launched simultaneously at one place.
The scheme was flagged off by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at Sikaria village in Naxal-affected Jehanabad district of Central Bihar recently.
"The thrust of the developmental schemes will be on infrastructure development," he said.
Referring to the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme launched by the Centre to provide jobs to every rural household, he said while the Centre had selected 23 districts for the scheme, the state government had decided to launch a similar programme in the remaining 15 uncovered districts with its own resources.
"With this, Bihar will become the first state in the country to have the job guarantee programme throughout the state," Modi said, adding the whole idea was to check unemployment and migration.
Bureau Report
Raipur, Apr 16: Heavily-armed Naxalites today attacked a police station in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh killing at least ten policemen. Activists of outlawed CPI (Maoist) also looted arms and ammunition from the police station before fleeing, police said.
"We have information that ten policemen have been killed in a Naxal attack on Murkinar police outpost," police said.
"There are heavy casualties on both sides," Director General of Police Om Prakash Rathor said, adding police parties had been despatched to the site.
Murkinar police outpost, about 550 km from here, was set up to check Naxal activities in the area.
Meanwhile, the gravity of the Naxalite problem is so severe that Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Saturday admitted that the Naxalites were running a parallel administration in the interior regions of the state and creating problems for developmental activities.
"Naxalites are running parallel administration in far off and interior places, where the administration has failed to reach," Singh told reporters here.
The Naxalites were also not allowing the plucking of Tendu leaves or carrying out of panchayat works in those places, he said.
Because of the activities of the rebels, the developmental works in the interior areas were being hampered, Singh said.
"If the activities of the Maoists are not curbed in all the 13 affected states, then it could turn into a Nepal like situation," the Chief Minister warned and added similar views were expressed by many chief ministers in the conference on Naxalite threat on Thursday last.
"We have information that ten policemen have been killed in a Naxal attack on Murkinar police outpost," police said.
"There are heavy casualties on both sides," Director General of Police Om Prakash Rathor said, adding police parties had been despatched to the site.
Murkinar police outpost, about 550 km from here, was set up to check Naxal activities in the area.
Meanwhile, the gravity of the Naxalite problem is so severe that Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Saturday admitted that the Naxalites were running a parallel administration in the interior regions of the state and creating problems for developmental activities.
"Naxalites are running parallel administration in far off and interior places, where the administration has failed to reach," Singh told reporters here.
The Naxalites were also not allowing the plucking of Tendu leaves or carrying out of panchayat works in those places, he said.
Because of the activities of the rebels, the developmental works in the interior areas were being hampered, Singh said.
"If the activities of the Maoists are not curbed in all the 13 affected states, then it could turn into a Nepal like situation," the Chief Minister warned and added similar views were expressed by many chief ministers in the conference on Naxalite threat on Thursday last.
By Indo Asian News Service
Ranchi, April 15 (IANS) To win the moral battle against the Maoists and regain the faith of the people, the Jharkhand police are distributing a CD that 'exposes' the double standards of the leaders preaching political extremism.
The 30-minute CD released by the state police in April contains footage showing training centres of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), confessional statements of arrested Maoist leaders and proof of 'immoral' practices indulged in by the leaders, a senior police official said.
The CD was released by the Director General of Police (DGP) V.D. Ram recently and is being distributed and shown in the several Maoist strongholds in the state.
Of the state's 22 districts, 16 are reeling under Maoist terror.
'The CD carries video footage of how people are recruited forcibly in their organisation and how villagers are forced to join the cadres and help them against the police,' the official told IANS.
'It also has footage of how women who have joined the organisation are exploited by the Maoist leaders who engage in wife swapping,' he said.
'It has confessional statements of some Maoist leaders on how money is misused and swindled by the leaders and how the top leaders are fighting among themselves for supremacy,' he added.
The disc incorporates footage from the CDs seized from the Maoist hideouts.
'We cannot win the war against Maoists unless we expose them in their den with their misdeeds. Maoists claim to be fighting for the cause of the poor but in reality they are looking after their own interest,' said another police official.
'The idea is to win the moral battle against the rebels and regain the faith of the villagers who have turned against the police,' he said.
Copyright Indo-Asian News Service
Ranchi, April 15 (IANS) To win the moral battle against the Maoists and regain the faith of the people, the Jharkhand police are distributing a CD that 'exposes' the double standards of the leaders preaching political extremism.
The 30-minute CD released by the state police in April contains footage showing training centres of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), confessional statements of arrested Maoist leaders and proof of 'immoral' practices indulged in by the leaders, a senior police official said.
The CD was released by the Director General of Police (DGP) V.D. Ram recently and is being distributed and shown in the several Maoist strongholds in the state.
Of the state's 22 districts, 16 are reeling under Maoist terror.
'The CD carries video footage of how people are recruited forcibly in their organisation and how villagers are forced to join the cadres and help them against the police,' the official told IANS.
'It also has footage of how women who have joined the organisation are exploited by the Maoist leaders who engage in wife swapping,' he said.
'It has confessional statements of some Maoist leaders on how money is misused and swindled by the leaders and how the top leaders are fighting among themselves for supremacy,' he added.
The disc incorporates footage from the CDs seized from the Maoist hideouts.
'We cannot win the war against Maoists unless we expose them in their den with their misdeeds. Maoists claim to be fighting for the cause of the poor but in reality they are looking after their own interest,' said another police official.
'The idea is to win the moral battle against the rebels and regain the faith of the villagers who have turned against the police,' he said.
Copyright Indo-Asian News Service
Raipur, April. 15 (PTI): Maoists have abducted four villagers in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district and killed one of them, police sources said today. "Maoists kidnapped four persons of Tekmetla village under Usur police station of Bastar region yesterday accusing them of being involved in Salwa Judum (anti-naxal campaign)," Bijapur police sources told PTI.
The body of one of the abductees was recovered today near the Usur rivulet, they said. "He must have been axed and stabbed to death as there are wound marks on his head and other portions of the body," the sources added.
The body of one of the abductees was recovered today near the Usur rivulet, they said. "He must have been axed and stabbed to death as there are wound marks on his head and other portions of the body," the sources added.
NEW DELHI : Naxal groups have been attempting to increase their activity and influence in some parts of Karnataka, Kerala, Uttaranchal and Tamil Nadu, a concern voiced by the high-level Standing Committee of Chief Ministers of States hit by naxal-violence.
In the first quarter of this year, Chhattisgarh accounted for over 40 per cent of naxal violence and 65 per cent of the casualties - 172 incidents and 137 casualties. The high level of violence there was attributed to action by security forces and the ongoing anti-naxalite campaign "Salva Judum" in Dantewada district.
Thursday’s meeting here, presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, also expressed concern that naxalite groups laid greater emphasis on planning on the lines of the military.
Increasing attacks on railway infrastructure and disruption of train services were said to be new trends. Another disturbing aspect, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil said, related to simultaneous, multiple attacks, particularly on the police and the security apparatus as was seen in Gajapati in Orissa, Jehanabad in Bihar, Giridih in Jharkhand and in Dantewada district.
Strategic response
The Centre is likely to evolve a strategic and technical response to the naxalites’ increasing resort to improvised explosive devices and landmine blasts for causing heavy casualties. As indicated by the Prime Minister, the affected States will soon launch joint operations. Sources said the police chiefs were asked to evolve a framework of the joint command for operations cutting across State boundaries. The States were asked to reach a broad consensus to constitute three or four joint task forces under a single command and control to intensify intelligence operations.
As many as 25 battalions of Central paramilitary forces were deployed in the affected States on a long-term basis to supplement their efforts at responding to naxal violence and instilling a sense of security. As a special gesture, these forces were given free of cost for three years from July 1, 2004. This exercise involved an expenditure of Rs. 1,100 crore.
Menace in Haryana too
The naxal menace now extends to a dozen States, affecting 509 police stations. For the first time naxal activity has been recorded in two police stations in Haryana. The menace has spread to nearly 40 per cent of the country’s geographical area with the affected population going up to 35 per cent. Areas in many States, which looked too obscure to fall for naxal influence, are today witnessing naxal activity.
Security and intelligence experts point out that naxal groups have been picking the Centre’s interests such as targeting Central forces and an attack to hijack a train in Jharkhand. This is a worrisome scenario.
Regrouping, consolidation
After the CPI(Maoist) came into being in September 2004, naxalite groups are reported to be trying to woo other splinter groups.
They have consolidated their front organisations into a "Revolutionary Democratic Front" to intensify their mass contact programme.
Fresh recruitment of cadres is also reported and the naxalite groups sustain their fraternal and logistics links with Nepalese Maoists, though there are no strategic and operational ties as yet.
It has been noted that development activities are not undertaken in some naxal-affected areas mainly due to extortion and threats from the cadres. Even contractors are not taking up development projects there.
In the first quarter of this year, Chhattisgarh accounted for over 40 per cent of naxal violence and 65 per cent of the casualties - 172 incidents and 137 casualties. The high level of violence there was attributed to action by security forces and the ongoing anti-naxalite campaign "Salva Judum" in Dantewada district.
Thursday’s meeting here, presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, also expressed concern that naxalite groups laid greater emphasis on planning on the lines of the military.
Increasing attacks on railway infrastructure and disruption of train services were said to be new trends. Another disturbing aspect, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil said, related to simultaneous, multiple attacks, particularly on the police and the security apparatus as was seen in Gajapati in Orissa, Jehanabad in Bihar, Giridih in Jharkhand and in Dantewada district.
Strategic response
The Centre is likely to evolve a strategic and technical response to the naxalites’ increasing resort to improvised explosive devices and landmine blasts for causing heavy casualties. As indicated by the Prime Minister, the affected States will soon launch joint operations. Sources said the police chiefs were asked to evolve a framework of the joint command for operations cutting across State boundaries. The States were asked to reach a broad consensus to constitute three or four joint task forces under a single command and control to intensify intelligence operations.
As many as 25 battalions of Central paramilitary forces were deployed in the affected States on a long-term basis to supplement their efforts at responding to naxal violence and instilling a sense of security. As a special gesture, these forces were given free of cost for three years from July 1, 2004. This exercise involved an expenditure of Rs. 1,100 crore.
Menace in Haryana too
The naxal menace now extends to a dozen States, affecting 509 police stations. For the first time naxal activity has been recorded in two police stations in Haryana. The menace has spread to nearly 40 per cent of the country’s geographical area with the affected population going up to 35 per cent. Areas in many States, which looked too obscure to fall for naxal influence, are today witnessing naxal activity.
Security and intelligence experts point out that naxal groups have been picking the Centre’s interests such as targeting Central forces and an attack to hijack a train in Jharkhand. This is a worrisome scenario.
Regrouping, consolidation
After the CPI(Maoist) came into being in September 2004, naxalite groups are reported to be trying to woo other splinter groups.
They have consolidated their front organisations into a "Revolutionary Democratic Front" to intensify their mass contact programme.
Fresh recruitment of cadres is also reported and the naxalite groups sustain their fraternal and logistics links with Nepalese Maoists, though there are no strategic and operational ties as yet.
It has been noted that development activities are not undertaken in some naxal-affected areas mainly due to extortion and threats from the cadres. Even contractors are not taking up development projects there.
NY Times April 13, 2006
By SOMINI SENGUPTA
BHANUPRATAPUR FOREST RESERVE, India — The gray light of
dawn broke over the bamboo forest as the People's Liberation Guerrilla
Army prepared for a new day.
With transistor radios tucked under their arms, the soldiers listened
to the morning news and brushed their teeth. A few young recruits busied
themselves making a remote-control detonator for explosives.
The company commander, Gopanna Markam, patiently shaved.
"We have made the people aware of how to change your life through
armed struggle, not the ballot," said Mr. Markam, who is in his
mid-40's, describing his troops' accomplishments. "This is a people's war, a protracted people's war."
Mr. Markam's ragtag forces, who hew to Mao's script for a peasant
revolution, fought a seemingly lost cause for so long, they were barely
taken seriously beyond India's desperately wanting forest belt. But not
anymore.
Today the fighting that Mr. Markam has quietly nurtured for 25 years
looks increasingly like a civil war, one claiming more and more lives
and slowing the industrial growth of a country hungry for the coal,
iron and other riches buried in these isolated realms bypassed by India's
economic boom.
While the far more powerful Maoist insurgency in neighboring Nepal
has received greater attention, the conflict in India, though largely
separate, has gained momentum, too. In the last year, it has cost
nearly a thousand lives.
Here in central Chhattisgarh State, the deadliest theater of the war,
government-aided village defense forces have lately taken to hunting
Maoists in the forests. Hand in hand with the insurgency, the militias
have dragged the region into ever more deadly conflict.
Villagers, caught in between, have seen their hamlets burned. Nearly
50,000 are now displaced, living in flimsy tent camps, as the
counterinsurgency tries to cleanse the countryside of Maoist support.
The insurgents blow up railway tracks, seize land and chase away
forest guards. They have made it virtually impossible for government
officials, whose presence here in the hinterland is already patchy, to
function. Police posts, government offices and industrial plants are
favored targets. Their ultimate goal is to overthrow the state.
Today the Communist Party of India (Maoist), which exists solely as an
underground armed movement with no political representation, is a
rigidly hierarchical outfit with toeholds in 13 of 28 Indian states. It
stretches from the tip of India through this east-central state to the
northern border with Nepal, where the Maoists have set off full-scale
civil war.
Estimates by Indian intelligence officials and Maoist leaders suggest
that the rebel ranks in India have swelled to 20,000, though the number
is impossible to verify. One senior Indian intelligence official
estimated that Maoists exert varying degrees of influence over a quarter of India's 600 districts.
The top government official in one of Chhattisgarh's rural Maoist
strongholds, Dantewada, acknowledged that the rebels had made
some 60 percent of his 6,400-square-mile district a no man's land for
civil servants.
Not that there are many civil servants. His district's police
department has a vacancy rate hovering around 35 percent; in health care, it is 20 percent.
A Durable Rebel Movement
The Maoist insurgents are also known in India as Naxalites, after
Naxalbari, the town north of Calcutta where an armed Communist
rebellion first erupted 38 years ago. It was quickly put down, then
quietly reappeared.
Local police forces, with their feeble jeeps and outdated guns, have
been largely unable to stanch the rebellion. Nor, students of the
conflict argue, is that rebellion likely to vanish soon.
Rather, they say, the Maoists may pose at least as great a challenge to
the country's health as the far more talked-about Islamist insurgency
in disputed Kashmir.
India offers a most fertile ground: a deep sense of neglect in large
swaths of the country and a ballooning youth population, set against
the backdrop of economic growth rates of up to 8 percent elsewhere.
The Maoists, meanwhile, survive niftily by extorting taxes from anyone
doing business in the forest, from bamboo merchants to road
construction companies.
"It is one of the most sustainable anti-state ideologies and
movements," argued Ajai Sahni, a security analyst and executive director of the New Delhi-based Institute for Conflict Management.
"Unless something radical is done in terms of a structural revolution
in rural areas, you will see a continuous expansion of Maoist
insurrection."
Attacks have become more brazen and better coordinated.
Last June, an apparently synchronized set of nine attacks in Bihar
State left 21 people dead as Maoists robbed two banks and looted arms from a police station.
In November, also in Bihar, hundreds of Maoist troops orchestrated a
jailbreak, freeing more than 300 prisoners and executing nine members
of a private militia raised by upper-caste landlords.
In February, here in Chhattisgarh, rebels attacked a warehouse of a
state-owned mining company, killing nine security officials and making
off with 19 tons of explosives.
Later in February they set off a land mine under a convoy of trucks on
a remote country road, instantly killing seven and then, according to
wire reports, butchering several others. All told, 28 civilians were killed.
So far this year, the conflict has killed nearly two Indians a day.
By SOMINI SENGUPTA
BHANUPRATAPUR FOREST RESERVE, India — The gray light of
dawn broke over the bamboo forest as the People's Liberation Guerrilla
Army prepared for a new day.
With transistor radios tucked under their arms, the soldiers listened
to the morning news and brushed their teeth. A few young recruits busied
themselves making a remote-control detonator for explosives.
The company commander, Gopanna Markam, patiently shaved.
"We have made the people aware of how to change your life through
armed struggle, not the ballot," said Mr. Markam, who is in his
mid-40's, describing his troops' accomplishments. "This is a people's war, a protracted people's war."
Mr. Markam's ragtag forces, who hew to Mao's script for a peasant
revolution, fought a seemingly lost cause for so long, they were barely
taken seriously beyond India's desperately wanting forest belt. But not
anymore.
Today the fighting that Mr. Markam has quietly nurtured for 25 years
looks increasingly like a civil war, one claiming more and more lives
and slowing the industrial growth of a country hungry for the coal,
iron and other riches buried in these isolated realms bypassed by India's
economic boom.
While the far more powerful Maoist insurgency in neighboring Nepal
has received greater attention, the conflict in India, though largely
separate, has gained momentum, too. In the last year, it has cost
nearly a thousand lives.
Here in central Chhattisgarh State, the deadliest theater of the war,
government-aided village defense forces have lately taken to hunting
Maoists in the forests. Hand in hand with the insurgency, the militias
have dragged the region into ever more deadly conflict.
Villagers, caught in between, have seen their hamlets burned. Nearly
50,000 are now displaced, living in flimsy tent camps, as the
counterinsurgency tries to cleanse the countryside of Maoist support.
The insurgents blow up railway tracks, seize land and chase away
forest guards. They have made it virtually impossible for government
officials, whose presence here in the hinterland is already patchy, to
function. Police posts, government offices and industrial plants are
favored targets. Their ultimate goal is to overthrow the state.
Today the Communist Party of India (Maoist), which exists solely as an
underground armed movement with no political representation, is a
rigidly hierarchical outfit with toeholds in 13 of 28 Indian states. It
stretches from the tip of India through this east-central state to the
northern border with Nepal, where the Maoists have set off full-scale
civil war.
Estimates by Indian intelligence officials and Maoist leaders suggest
that the rebel ranks in India have swelled to 20,000, though the number
is impossible to verify. One senior Indian intelligence official
estimated that Maoists exert varying degrees of influence over a quarter of India's 600 districts.
The top government official in one of Chhattisgarh's rural Maoist
strongholds, Dantewada, acknowledged that the rebels had made
some 60 percent of his 6,400-square-mile district a no man's land for
civil servants.
Not that there are many civil servants. His district's police
department has a vacancy rate hovering around 35 percent; in health care, it is 20 percent.
A Durable Rebel Movement
The Maoist insurgents are also known in India as Naxalites, after
Naxalbari, the town north of Calcutta where an armed Communist
rebellion first erupted 38 years ago. It was quickly put down, then
quietly reappeared.
Local police forces, with their feeble jeeps and outdated guns, have
been largely unable to stanch the rebellion. Nor, students of the
conflict argue, is that rebellion likely to vanish soon.
Rather, they say, the Maoists may pose at least as great a challenge to
the country's health as the far more talked-about Islamist insurgency
in disputed Kashmir.
India offers a most fertile ground: a deep sense of neglect in large
swaths of the country and a ballooning youth population, set against
the backdrop of economic growth rates of up to 8 percent elsewhere.
The Maoists, meanwhile, survive niftily by extorting taxes from anyone
doing business in the forest, from bamboo merchants to road
construction companies.
"It is one of the most sustainable anti-state ideologies and
movements," argued Ajai Sahni, a security analyst and executive director of the New Delhi-based Institute for Conflict Management.
"Unless something radical is done in terms of a structural revolution
in rural areas, you will see a continuous expansion of Maoist
insurrection."
Attacks have become more brazen and better coordinated.
Last June, an apparently synchronized set of nine attacks in Bihar
State left 21 people dead as Maoists robbed two banks and looted arms from a police station.
In November, also in Bihar, hundreds of Maoist troops orchestrated a
jailbreak, freeing more than 300 prisoners and executing nine members
of a private militia raised by upper-caste landlords.
In February, here in Chhattisgarh, rebels attacked a warehouse of a
state-owned mining company, killing nine security officials and making
off with 19 tons of explosives.
Later in February they set off a land mine under a convoy of trucks on
a remote country road, instantly killing seven and then, according to
wire reports, butchering several others. All told, 28 civilians were killed.
So far this year, the conflict has killed nearly two Indians a day.
The People Fight Back
Chhattisgarh, home to many of India's indigenous people, or adivasis,
is most gripped by the war.
Sitting at the bottom of the Indian heap, the adivasis here make a
living selling items of value that can be found in the forest: bamboo, leaves to make hand-rolled cigarettes, flowers to distill into country liquor.
They also bear some of the country's worst rates of poverty, health and
malnutrition. But there are riches here, too. Chhattisgarh is negotiating roughly $1.8 billion in private Indian investment, mostly in mining industries, which the insurgents violently oppose. In the heart of the state, in thick forests of valuable sal trees and bamboo, terror has now spawned terror. Last summer, an anti-Maoist village defense movement was born, calling itself the Salwa Judum, or Peace Mission.
The group has coaxed or hounded thousands of people out of their
forest hamlets and into the squalid tent camps, where suspected
Maoist sympathizers are detained.
The camps are guarded by police officers, paramilitary forces and
squads of local armed youths empowered with the title "special police
officer."
The Delhi-based Asian Center for Human Rights, in a report in March,
found children in the ranks of the Salwa Judum. The center also
accuses the Maoists of recruiting child soldiers. It calls the conflict
"the most serious challenge to human rights advocacy in India."
Baman, a resident of a village called Kotrapal, who like many adivasis
uses one name, narrated the story of how life had sunk so low.
Last summer the Salwa Judum called a meeting in a neighboring
village, where they threatened to beat Baman and others if they did not
divulge the names of Maoists and their sympathizers. Baman said he
was scared. He named names. He did not care for the Maoists anyway.
Two days later, he was summoned to another meeting, this time by the
Maoists. There, he was beaten. Had he refused to attend, Baman said,
the Maoists would have simply come to his house and thrashed him.
They had already executed a village priest whom they suspected of
being a government informant; Baman said his killers had cut off the
priest's ears and left him along the road.
Last September the Salwa Judum, backed by the local police, swept
through Kotrapal with a clear message: Move to the camps or face the
Salwa Judum's wrath.
"We finished off the village," said Ajay Singh, the Salwa Judum's
leader in a nearby town, Bhairamgarh. Then he clarified: "People were excited. Of course they destroyed the houses."
Baman and his clan moved out. Today, Kotrapal, an hour's walk from
the nearest country road, is an eerie shell of a village.
Baman pointed out the charred remains of several homes. One was
burned by Maoists because they suspected the owner to be a police
informant, he said.
Another was burned by the police because they suspected its owner to
be the brother of a Maoist.
The school was shuttered. The community hall's doors lay open to the
wind. The only signs of life were a few women and children, who were
gathering flowers from the forest floor to sell to the country liquor
maker.
Before nightfall, they would all to go back to their tent camps.
Salwa Judum leaders say they have waged their campaign with a
singular goal in mind: to clear the villages, one by one, and break the
Maoists' web of support.
"Unless you cut off the source of disease, the disease will remain," is
how the group's most prominent backer, an influential adivasi
politician named Mahendra Karma, put it. "The source is the people, the
villagers."
There is little doubt that in carrying out its agenda, the Salwa Judum
enjoys government support.
State governments are "advised to encourage the formation of local
resistance groups," the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs states in its
latest annual report.
The Chhattisgarh government has begun to allocate land and money to
villagers who agree to abandon their forest homes and build new
houses along the road to Bhairamgarh.
It also supports the "special police officers" who work arm in arm with
the Salwa Judum.
So far, 5,000 have been trained, given uniforms and offered what
counts here as a generous salary, about $35 a month.
As it lapses deeper into an undeclared state of emergency,
Chhattisgarh is now poised to enforce a stringent new law that would
allow the local police to detain anyone who belongs to or aids "an
unlawful organization" for up to two or three years, without facing a
court of law.
A Forced Enthusiasm
Mr. Markam and his Maoist forces appear undaunted. They drill in their
forest redoubts. They haul villagers to propaganda meetings. They
build their own weapons, including crude pistols and mortars.
To see them in their jungle camp, sleeping on tarpaulins, armed with
antiquated rifles and pistols, with no real territory under their full
control,
it is difficult to fathom how they have maintained their movement for
so
long, let alone expanded it across such a wide swath of the country.
They sustain themselves on food given by the villagers, plus a share of
the annual rice harvest. To speak to people who live in the area is to
realize quickly that they have little choice but to comply.
As the forest woke up on this recent morning, the rebels prepared for
the next phase of their revolution. Birds began to chatter. A dozen
young people practiced song-and-dance routines for an afternoon rally,
like cheerleaders marooned in the Indian forest.
A boy in a fighter's uniform, who looked no older than 12, horsed
around with a homemade rifle. Mr. Markam said the boy was just
visiting.
By late afternoon, with the rally about to get under way, long rows of
villagers came up the dirt paths, accompanied by armed Maoist cadres.
Under the wide arms of a mango tree, the cheerleaders sang a version
of the "Internationale." They danced with bells around their ankles,
promising "people's rule." They denounced the Salwa Judum, chanting
"Death to Mahendra Karma."
The audience for the most part sat still, some breaking into giggles
only
as the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army began military drills, at one
point charging ahead with weapons pointed as a hapless chicken
scurried across the field.
One man, Maharishi, who was among those who had come on the long
afternoon march, said his village had been informed of the rally the
night before.
Yes, he said, speaking reluctantly to a stranger, everyone from his
village had come. Yes, everyone always comes. "They say you have to
come," he said.
NY Times April 14, 2006
Young Nepalese Lead Their Nation's Push for Democracy
By SOMINI SENGUPTA
KATMANDU, Nepal, April 13 — The Nepalese New Year dawns on
Friday, with Nepal's young lashing furiously at the past.
"We will not ask the king to leave the throne — we will go and take the
throne and put it on display," Gagan Thapa, 29, the political symbol of
young Nepal, told a crowd of thousands on the outskirts of this capital
on Thursday. The vast majority, dressed in baseball caps and jeans
and looking well below the age of 30, roared in approval.
A brassy antimonarchy call-and-response echoed through the warren of
terraced lanes.
"We will burn the crown," Mr. Thapa shouted.
"Burn the crown, burn the crown," the crowd hollered back.
The irrepressible protests that have gripped Nepal in the last several
days, demanding the end of palace rule and the reinstatement of
Parliament, are a function of demography and its discontent.
Young Nepal has been at the forefront of this week's rambunctious,
often violent pro-democracy protests, which have left four people dead.
Whether Nepal descends into further tumult or sees the dawning of a
new political age in the Nepalese calendar year of 2063 will depend on
whether the protesters can be appeased.
With his country's crisis mounting by the day, King Gyanendra seemed
to make the slightest of nods in that direction. In a brief statement
read on state-owned television shortly before midnight, he called for
general elections "with the active participation of all political parties
committed to peace and democracy."
But the king said nothing about when elections would be held or, more
important, whether he would concede to elections to review the
Constitution, something the country's coalition of political parties
and the Maoist rebels insist on.
Whether the gesture restores peace in the Himalayan kingdom will
depend on the reaction on Friday from the uncompromising throngs of
young people who today represent his most formidable foe.
Nearly 60 percent of Nepal's 23 million citizens are under 24. They
came of age after democracy came to Nepal in April 1990, and they
have tasted the fruits and failures of electoral politics. They have
seen a
Maoist rebellion put much of the countryside through the wringer.
In February 2005, they saw their king suspend Parliament and install
prime ministers of his own choosing in a bid, as he said, to defeat a
bruising Maoist insurgency. For 14 months, they have lived under the
king's direct rule.
Last week, he banned protests here in the capital and for six days
imposed a daytime curfew.
That order has not stopped young people from defiantly pouring out into
the streets. They have been taking the lion's share of police beatings.
On just one day this week, of the 59 people admitted to Katmandu's
main teaching hospital for treatment of their injuries, only 13 were
over the age of 30.
Consider the verdict of Shashi Sigdel, a 22-year-old medical student on
the shift in attitudes toward the king.
"My grandfather used to think he is a god," Mr. Sigdel said. "My
parents used to think he stands between God and the devil. Me, I think he's the devil. That's the generation gap."
On Thursday, the government restored cellphone service, suspended
for nearly a week, and lifted the curfew in the capital. The ban on
protests in Katmandu and several other cities continued — as did the
protests.
The Royal Nepalese Army has been dispatched to some of the
demonstrations. But so far, it has largely refrained from open
confrontation with the demonstrators. Of the four people killed in the
demonstrations, at least two died by army fire.
A protest by the Nepal Bar Association on Thursday morning ended
with the police beating of dozens of demonstrators; nearly 50 landed in
the hospital, including two whose heads had been grazed by rubber
bullets.
In a statement on Thursday, the United Nations Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights hinted that the use of excessive force
by police officers could jeopardize Nepal's participation in United
Nations peacekeeping missions, a good source of income for the
country.
"One would expect them to be respectful of United Nations standards in
their conduct at home," Ian Martin, the High Commissioner's representative in Nepal, said in an interview Thursday night.
Pro-democracy demonstrations have been commonplace since the
royal takeover of February 2005, but none have been as intense,
sustained or violent as the ones unfolding over the last week. The
Maoists have given their blessings to the protests, having signed a
peace deal of sorts last fall with a coalition of Nepal's seven largest
political parties.
Thousands of Nepalese, including lawyers, journalists and other
professionals with no explicit links to political parties, have been
arrested over the past week. The palace has accused Maoists of
infiltrating the ranks of the protesters.
The young people who have been on the front lines of these protests
are the children of parliamentary politics in Nepal. Democracy brought
more than elections to this Himalayan kingdom. It ushered in new
schools and colleges. Roads were built connecting the countryside to
the capital. A feisty independent press was born.
Many of those who joined this week's demonstrations, if they had even
any memory of the pro-democracy movement of 1990, had never
joined a political protest before.
Ila Sharma, 39, remembered watching her neighbors light torches and
march in the street in the spring of 1990. Last Saturday, she joined a
protest march. The same day, she watched television videotape of the
police beating protesters. She has not been able to stop protesting
since.
Ms. Sharma said she had lost what little faith she once had in the
king.
"We are amply disillusioned," she said.
The young Nepalese are a thorn in not only the king's side, but also
the
sides of the politicians who gave the call for these protests and saw
them spreading well beyond expectations over the course of the last
week.
In interview after interview, protesters said they would not allow
their
politicians to strike any power-sharing deals with the palace.
"These young people are not going to spare us if we go against their
aspirations," Mr. Thapa, who belongs to the Nepalese Congress Party,
said after his speech Thursday afternoon. No sooner had he climbed
down from his stoop, he was buttonholed by his fans.
"Our destination is a republic," said Rajesh Sapkota, 21, a college
student. "You have to convey this message to the leaders. We want to
be clear about democracy."
Mr. Thapa assured the protesters that their wishes would not be
sidelined. "We thought years ago that a republic was unthinkable," he
told them. "Now it's possible."
NY Times April 12, 2006
Injuries Mount as Demonstrators Battle With Police in Nepal
By TILAK P. POKHAREL and SOMINI SENGUPTA
KATMANDU, Nepal, April 11 — For the fifth day in a row, Nepalis on
Tuesday defied a curfew imposed by their king. And for the sixth day in
a row, Nepalis here in the capital defied a ban on political rallies
the
king had imposed. As violent pro-democracy demonstrations mounted,
questions mounted, too, about the very authority of the palace.
Reports of violence poured in as protests organized by Nepal's seven
largest political parties and supported by Maoist rebels continued in a
bid to restore parliamentary rule.
In the Gongobu section of the capital on Tuesday, a crowd of
thousands burned down a police post.
When demonstrators rushed toward a police line, the police charged at
the crowd wielding batons. A journalist on the scene said the police
followed up with non-lethal ammunition, then live rounds. The army
stood guard nearby, but did not fire.
A Nepali Red Cross volunteer at the scene said at least 90 people had
been injured in the clash.
At nearby Vinayak Hospital, a 50-year-old street vendor named Ganesh
Bohara vowed to return to the streets as soon as doctors treated him
for head injuries. "I am ready to die for democracy," he said.
The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
in Katmandu issued a statement on Tuesday saying it "deplores the
excessive use of force" by the police and soldiers. It said its
monitors
had witnessed police firing rubber bullets at demonstrators and beating
demonstrators on the head with batons, causing head injuries.
"Police have been seen attacking bystanders, charging into houses,
engaging in indiscriminate beatings and causing some gratuitous
damage to property," the statement read.
The statement added that monitors also "witnessed restraint being
exercised by security forces in the face of provocation and violence by
demonstrators."
The police also fired on protesters in the Himalayan resort town of
Pokhara, injuring two, The Associated Press reported. All told, three
people have been killed in the six days of demonstrations.
The government on Tuesday ordered security forces to comb through
private homes and buildings for suspected Maoist rebels that it accuses
of having infiltrated the protests. Earlier this week, the Maoists said
they
would tear down signs and statues representing the monarchy.
King Gyanendra has not been heard from since demonstrations began
last Thursday. He is scheduled to address the nation on Friday, the
start of the Nepali New Year. The king, who assumed the throne after
the killing of his brother in 2001, seized absolute control of Nepal's
government in February 2005, saying the move was necessary to crush
the Maoist insurgency.
The State Department on Monday night described King Gyanendra's
power grab as having "failed in every regard." Some 13,000 people
have died in the Maoist conflict, a majority during the king's tenure.
Tilak P. Pokharel reported from Katmandu for this article, and Somini
Sengupta from New Delhi.
NY Times April 10, 2006
In Nepal, Death Toll Is 3 as Protests Continue
By TILAK P. POKHAREL and SOMINI SENGUPTA
KATMANDU, Nepal, April 9 — The death toll in this weekend's
increasingly violent pro-democracy protests climbed to three late
Sunday as demonstrators defied a curfew and poured out onto the
streets for the fourth day in a row, storming a government hospital,
burning government buildings and defiantly calling for the ouster of
the
king.
A coalition of seven political parties pledged to carry on with its
agitation "indefinitely."
Nepal's Maoist rebel group said in a statement released late Sunday
that it would try to remove signs and statues representing the monarchy
and threatened to have its guerrilla army try to take over the nation's
highways.
The Maoists endorsed the politicians' call for a four-day strike, which
had been set to end on Sunday, and promised to refrain from violence
in this capital city during those days. The Maoists, who for nearly a
decade had terrorized parliamentary politicians, have lately linked
arms with Nepal's seven largest political parties in a joint effort to
restore democratic rule.
King Gyanendra's government imposed curfews on Saturday and
Sunday here in the capital and in several other towns. It has banned
political rallies here in Katmandu and issued shoot-to-kill orders to
its security forces.
Nepal's home minister, Kamal Thapa, threatened an even stricter
enforcement of curfew on Monday and said guerrillas had infiltrated the
protests as the government had feared. Extending an olive branch in
the same breath, Mr. Thapa offered talks with the political parties if
they agreed to cut any ties with the rebels.
"As we write this on Sunday noon, public anger is boiling over," wrote
Kunda Dixit, editor of the weekly magazine Nepali Times, on its Web
site. "This is a surprising uprising: even without the parties,
neighborhoods have got together to set up road barricades, stoning
police and pouring out into the streets to defy curfews. Each day that
passes, the pro-democracy chariot is picking up momentum."
As the demonstrations intensified on Sunday, one protester was killed
in Banepa, a town on the eastern outskirts of Katmandu, when the
police fired on a crowd demonstrating against a previous killing.
On Saturday, soldiers posted on the roof of a building in the Himalayan
resort town of Pokhara shot at a crowd of demonstrators, killing one
and wounding at least one other. The Royal Nepalese Army said late
Saturday that its troops fired in self-defense after demonstrators
threw bricks and stones at troops guarding a telecommunications office. On Sunday, protesters stormed the main town hospital demanding the
body of the slain protester. Also on Saturday, a woman sitting on her
terrace was shot by soldiers during protests in the southern city of
Narayanghat; she died of her injuries early Sunday.
In a statement issued Sunday, the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist)
vowed to remove all statues of kings that "symbolize the autocratic
feudal regime" and signs that refer to "His Majesty's Government."
The protests this week, marking the 16-year anniversary of democracy
in Nepal, are by far the most strident public demonstrations against
the king, who seized absolute control of the government 14 months ago on the grounds that politicians had failed to stanch the debilitating
Maoist rebellion.
About 13,000 Nepalis have died in the conflict between the rebels and
the government. The conflict also has virtually halted economic growth
in Nepal, much of which already suffers from dire poverty. Economic
growth in 2005 was a paltry 2.5 percent, according to the Asian
Development Bank.
The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
in Nepal on Sunday expressed its growing concern at the mounting
violence, including "the continued use of what appears to be excessive
force" by security forces. It had already expressed "grave concern"
over troops firing on the demonstrators in Pokhara on Saturday.
In a Thursday news briefing, a State Department spokesman, Sean
McCormack, called on the Nepalese government to release democracy
advocates. "We're seriously concerned about the government's
ongoing curbs on civil liberties and human rights, which has led to
serious unrest in Nepal," he said.
Here in Katmandu, the crowds on Sunday appeared to be the largest
and most inclined to violence. "Burn the crown," the protesters
chanted. In small, tight-knit groups, they poured out of the city's narrow
alleys, shouting slogans and unfurling party flags. Each time, riot police
officers charged at the crowds, whipping batons and firing tear gas and
rubber bullets.
The most able-bodied protesters scattered. Others were captured by
the police, beaten and stuffed inside police vans. Soldiers were posted
at major street corners, along with armored personnel carriers mounted
with machine guns.
The United Nations human rights agency, whose monitors have fanned
out across the country over the last four days, confirmed Sunday that
several demonstrators had been hospitalized with head injuries after
encounters with baton-wielding police officers.
For 15 minutes on Sunday night, the capital was plunged in darkness,
as citizens heeded a call for a "blackout" protest.
"If the movement goes ahead like this, the inevitable will happen very
soon," said Lok Raj Baral, chief of the Nepal Center for Contemporary
Studies, a research organization in Katmandu. "The anger everywhere
is against the king."
Tilak P. Pokharel reported from Katmandu for this article, and Somini
Sengupta from New Delhi.
uses one name, narrated the story of how life had sunk so low.
Last summer the Salwa Judum called a meeting in a neighboring
village, where they threatened to beat Baman and others if they did not
divulge the names of Maoists and their sympathizers. Baman said he
was scared. He named names. He did not care for the Maoists anyway.
Two days later, he was summoned to another meeting, this time by the
Maoists. There, he was beaten. Had he refused to attend, Baman said,
the Maoists would have simply come to his house and thrashed him.
They had already executed a village priest whom they suspected of
being a government informant; Baman said his killers had cut off the
priest's ears and left him along the road.
Last September the Salwa Judum, backed by the local police, swept
through Kotrapal with a clear message: Move to the camps or face the
Salwa Judum's wrath.
"We finished off the village," said Ajay Singh, the Salwa Judum's
leader in a nearby town, Bhairamgarh. Then he clarified: "People were excited. Of course they destroyed the houses."
Baman and his clan moved out. Today, Kotrapal, an hour's walk from
the nearest country road, is an eerie shell of a village.
Baman pointed out the charred remains of several homes. One was
burned by Maoists because they suspected the owner to be a police
informant, he said.
Another was burned by the police because they suspected its owner to
be the brother of a Maoist.
The school was shuttered. The community hall's doors lay open to the
wind. The only signs of life were a few women and children, who were
gathering flowers from the forest floor to sell to the country liquor
maker.
Before nightfall, they would all to go back to their tent camps.
Salwa Judum leaders say they have waged their campaign with a
singular goal in mind: to clear the villages, one by one, and break the
Maoists' web of support.
"Unless you cut off the source of disease, the disease will remain," is
how the group's most prominent backer, an influential adivasi
politician named Mahendra Karma, put it. "The source is the people, the
villagers."
There is little doubt that in carrying out its agenda, the Salwa Judum
enjoys government support.
State governments are "advised to encourage the formation of local
resistance groups," the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs states in its
latest annual report.
The Chhattisgarh government has begun to allocate land and money to
villagers who agree to abandon their forest homes and build new
houses along the road to Bhairamgarh.
It also supports the "special police officers" who work arm in arm with
the Salwa Judum.
So far, 5,000 have been trained, given uniforms and offered what
counts here as a generous salary, about $35 a month.
As it lapses deeper into an undeclared state of emergency,
Chhattisgarh is now poised to enforce a stringent new law that would
allow the local police to detain anyone who belongs to or aids "an
unlawful organization" for up to two or three years, without facing a
court of law.
A Forced Enthusiasm
Mr. Markam and his Maoist forces appear undaunted. They drill in their
forest redoubts. They haul villagers to propaganda meetings. They
build their own weapons, including crude pistols and mortars.
To see them in their jungle camp, sleeping on tarpaulins, armed with
antiquated rifles and pistols, with no real territory under their full
control,
it is difficult to fathom how they have maintained their movement for
so
long, let alone expanded it across such a wide swath of the country.
They sustain themselves on food given by the villagers, plus a share of
the annual rice harvest. To speak to people who live in the area is to
realize quickly that they have little choice but to comply.
As the forest woke up on this recent morning, the rebels prepared for
the next phase of their revolution. Birds began to chatter. A dozen
young people practiced song-and-dance routines for an afternoon rally,
like cheerleaders marooned in the Indian forest.
A boy in a fighter's uniform, who looked no older than 12, horsed
around with a homemade rifle. Mr. Markam said the boy was just
visiting.
By late afternoon, with the rally about to get under way, long rows of
villagers came up the dirt paths, accompanied by armed Maoist cadres.
Under the wide arms of a mango tree, the cheerleaders sang a version
of the "Internationale." They danced with bells around their ankles,
promising "people's rule." They denounced the Salwa Judum, chanting
"Death to Mahendra Karma."
The audience for the most part sat still, some breaking into giggles
only
as the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army began military drills, at one
point charging ahead with weapons pointed as a hapless chicken
scurried across the field.
One man, Maharishi, who was among those who had come on the long
afternoon march, said his village had been informed of the rally the
night before.
Yes, he said, speaking reluctantly to a stranger, everyone from his
village had come. Yes, everyone always comes. "They say you have to
come," he said.
NY Times April 14, 2006
Young Nepalese Lead Their Nation's Push for Democracy
By SOMINI SENGUPTA
KATMANDU, Nepal, April 13 — The Nepalese New Year dawns on
Friday, with Nepal's young lashing furiously at the past.
"We will not ask the king to leave the throne — we will go and take the
throne and put it on display," Gagan Thapa, 29, the political symbol of
young Nepal, told a crowd of thousands on the outskirts of this capital
on Thursday. The vast majority, dressed in baseball caps and jeans
and looking well below the age of 30, roared in approval.
A brassy antimonarchy call-and-response echoed through the warren of
terraced lanes.
"We will burn the crown," Mr. Thapa shouted.
"Burn the crown, burn the crown," the crowd hollered back.
The irrepressible protests that have gripped Nepal in the last several
days, demanding the end of palace rule and the reinstatement of
Parliament, are a function of demography and its discontent.
Young Nepal has been at the forefront of this week's rambunctious,
often violent pro-democracy protests, which have left four people dead.
Whether Nepal descends into further tumult or sees the dawning of a
new political age in the Nepalese calendar year of 2063 will depend on
whether the protesters can be appeased.
With his country's crisis mounting by the day, King Gyanendra seemed
to make the slightest of nods in that direction. In a brief statement
read on state-owned television shortly before midnight, he called for
general elections "with the active participation of all political parties
committed to peace and democracy."
But the king said nothing about when elections would be held or, more
important, whether he would concede to elections to review the
Constitution, something the country's coalition of political parties
and the Maoist rebels insist on.
Whether the gesture restores peace in the Himalayan kingdom will
depend on the reaction on Friday from the uncompromising throngs of
young people who today represent his most formidable foe.
Nearly 60 percent of Nepal's 23 million citizens are under 24. They
came of age after democracy came to Nepal in April 1990, and they
have tasted the fruits and failures of electoral politics. They have
seen a
Maoist rebellion put much of the countryside through the wringer.
In February 2005, they saw their king suspend Parliament and install
prime ministers of his own choosing in a bid, as he said, to defeat a
bruising Maoist insurgency. For 14 months, they have lived under the
king's direct rule.
Last week, he banned protests here in the capital and for six days
imposed a daytime curfew.
That order has not stopped young people from defiantly pouring out into
the streets. They have been taking the lion's share of police beatings.
On just one day this week, of the 59 people admitted to Katmandu's
main teaching hospital for treatment of their injuries, only 13 were
over the age of 30.
Consider the verdict of Shashi Sigdel, a 22-year-old medical student on
the shift in attitudes toward the king.
"My grandfather used to think he is a god," Mr. Sigdel said. "My
parents used to think he stands between God and the devil. Me, I think he's the devil. That's the generation gap."
On Thursday, the government restored cellphone service, suspended
for nearly a week, and lifted the curfew in the capital. The ban on
protests in Katmandu and several other cities continued — as did the
protests.
The Royal Nepalese Army has been dispatched to some of the
demonstrations. But so far, it has largely refrained from open
confrontation with the demonstrators. Of the four people killed in the
demonstrations, at least two died by army fire.
A protest by the Nepal Bar Association on Thursday morning ended
with the police beating of dozens of demonstrators; nearly 50 landed in
the hospital, including two whose heads had been grazed by rubber
bullets.
In a statement on Thursday, the United Nations Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights hinted that the use of excessive force
by police officers could jeopardize Nepal's participation in United
Nations peacekeeping missions, a good source of income for the
country.
"One would expect them to be respectful of United Nations standards in
their conduct at home," Ian Martin, the High Commissioner's representative in Nepal, said in an interview Thursday night.
Pro-democracy demonstrations have been commonplace since the
royal takeover of February 2005, but none have been as intense,
sustained or violent as the ones unfolding over the last week. The
Maoists have given their blessings to the protests, having signed a
peace deal of sorts last fall with a coalition of Nepal's seven largest
political parties.
Thousands of Nepalese, including lawyers, journalists and other
professionals with no explicit links to political parties, have been
arrested over the past week. The palace has accused Maoists of
infiltrating the ranks of the protesters.
The young people who have been on the front lines of these protests
are the children of parliamentary politics in Nepal. Democracy brought
more than elections to this Himalayan kingdom. It ushered in new
schools and colleges. Roads were built connecting the countryside to
the capital. A feisty independent press was born.
Many of those who joined this week's demonstrations, if they had even
any memory of the pro-democracy movement of 1990, had never
joined a political protest before.
Ila Sharma, 39, remembered watching her neighbors light torches and
march in the street in the spring of 1990. Last Saturday, she joined a
protest march. The same day, she watched television videotape of the
police beating protesters. She has not been able to stop protesting
since.
Ms. Sharma said she had lost what little faith she once had in the
king.
"We are amply disillusioned," she said.
The young Nepalese are a thorn in not only the king's side, but also
the
sides of the politicians who gave the call for these protests and saw
them spreading well beyond expectations over the course of the last
week.
In interview after interview, protesters said they would not allow
their
politicians to strike any power-sharing deals with the palace.
"These young people are not going to spare us if we go against their
aspirations," Mr. Thapa, who belongs to the Nepalese Congress Party,
said after his speech Thursday afternoon. No sooner had he climbed
down from his stoop, he was buttonholed by his fans.
"Our destination is a republic," said Rajesh Sapkota, 21, a college
student. "You have to convey this message to the leaders. We want to
be clear about democracy."
Mr. Thapa assured the protesters that their wishes would not be
sidelined. "We thought years ago that a republic was unthinkable," he
told them. "Now it's possible."
NY Times April 12, 2006
Injuries Mount as Demonstrators Battle With Police in Nepal
By TILAK P. POKHAREL and SOMINI SENGUPTA
KATMANDU, Nepal, April 11 — For the fifth day in a row, Nepalis on
Tuesday defied a curfew imposed by their king. And for the sixth day in
a row, Nepalis here in the capital defied a ban on political rallies
the
king had imposed. As violent pro-democracy demonstrations mounted,
questions mounted, too, about the very authority of the palace.
Reports of violence poured in as protests organized by Nepal's seven
largest political parties and supported by Maoist rebels continued in a
bid to restore parliamentary rule.
In the Gongobu section of the capital on Tuesday, a crowd of
thousands burned down a police post.
When demonstrators rushed toward a police line, the police charged at
the crowd wielding batons. A journalist on the scene said the police
followed up with non-lethal ammunition, then live rounds. The army
stood guard nearby, but did not fire.
A Nepali Red Cross volunteer at the scene said at least 90 people had
been injured in the clash.
At nearby Vinayak Hospital, a 50-year-old street vendor named Ganesh
Bohara vowed to return to the streets as soon as doctors treated him
for head injuries. "I am ready to die for democracy," he said.
The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
in Katmandu issued a statement on Tuesday saying it "deplores the
excessive use of force" by the police and soldiers. It said its
monitors
had witnessed police firing rubber bullets at demonstrators and beating
demonstrators on the head with batons, causing head injuries.
"Police have been seen attacking bystanders, charging into houses,
engaging in indiscriminate beatings and causing some gratuitous
damage to property," the statement read.
The statement added that monitors also "witnessed restraint being
exercised by security forces in the face of provocation and violence by
demonstrators."
The police also fired on protesters in the Himalayan resort town of
Pokhara, injuring two, The Associated Press reported. All told, three
people have been killed in the six days of demonstrations.
The government on Tuesday ordered security forces to comb through
private homes and buildings for suspected Maoist rebels that it accuses
of having infiltrated the protests. Earlier this week, the Maoists said
they
would tear down signs and statues representing the monarchy.
King Gyanendra has not been heard from since demonstrations began
last Thursday. He is scheduled to address the nation on Friday, the
start of the Nepali New Year. The king, who assumed the throne after
the killing of his brother in 2001, seized absolute control of Nepal's
government in February 2005, saying the move was necessary to crush
the Maoist insurgency.
The State Department on Monday night described King Gyanendra's
power grab as having "failed in every regard." Some 13,000 people
have died in the Maoist conflict, a majority during the king's tenure.
Tilak P. Pokharel reported from Katmandu for this article, and Somini
Sengupta from New Delhi.
NY Times April 10, 2006
In Nepal, Death Toll Is 3 as Protests Continue
By TILAK P. POKHAREL and SOMINI SENGUPTA
KATMANDU, Nepal, April 9 — The death toll in this weekend's
increasingly violent pro-democracy protests climbed to three late
Sunday as demonstrators defied a curfew and poured out onto the
streets for the fourth day in a row, storming a government hospital,
burning government buildings and defiantly calling for the ouster of
the
king.
A coalition of seven political parties pledged to carry on with its
agitation "indefinitely."
Nepal's Maoist rebel group said in a statement released late Sunday
that it would try to remove signs and statues representing the monarchy
and threatened to have its guerrilla army try to take over the nation's
highways.
The Maoists endorsed the politicians' call for a four-day strike, which
had been set to end on Sunday, and promised to refrain from violence
in this capital city during those days. The Maoists, who for nearly a
decade had terrorized parliamentary politicians, have lately linked
arms with Nepal's seven largest political parties in a joint effort to
restore democratic rule.
King Gyanendra's government imposed curfews on Saturday and
Sunday here in the capital and in several other towns. It has banned
political rallies here in Katmandu and issued shoot-to-kill orders to
its security forces.
Nepal's home minister, Kamal Thapa, threatened an even stricter
enforcement of curfew on Monday and said guerrillas had infiltrated the
protests as the government had feared. Extending an olive branch in
the same breath, Mr. Thapa offered talks with the political parties if
they agreed to cut any ties with the rebels.
"As we write this on Sunday noon, public anger is boiling over," wrote
Kunda Dixit, editor of the weekly magazine Nepali Times, on its Web
site. "This is a surprising uprising: even without the parties,
neighborhoods have got together to set up road barricades, stoning
police and pouring out into the streets to defy curfews. Each day that
passes, the pro-democracy chariot is picking up momentum."
As the demonstrations intensified on Sunday, one protester was killed
in Banepa, a town on the eastern outskirts of Katmandu, when the
police fired on a crowd demonstrating against a previous killing.
On Saturday, soldiers posted on the roof of a building in the Himalayan
resort town of Pokhara shot at a crowd of demonstrators, killing one
and wounding at least one other. The Royal Nepalese Army said late
Saturday that its troops fired in self-defense after demonstrators
threw bricks and stones at troops guarding a telecommunications office. On Sunday, protesters stormed the main town hospital demanding the
body of the slain protester. Also on Saturday, a woman sitting on her
terrace was shot by soldiers during protests in the southern city of
Narayanghat; she died of her injuries early Sunday.
In a statement issued Sunday, the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist)
vowed to remove all statues of kings that "symbolize the autocratic
feudal regime" and signs that refer to "His Majesty's Government."
The protests this week, marking the 16-year anniversary of democracy
in Nepal, are by far the most strident public demonstrations against
the king, who seized absolute control of the government 14 months ago on the grounds that politicians had failed to stanch the debilitating
Maoist rebellion.
About 13,000 Nepalis have died in the conflict between the rebels and
the government. The conflict also has virtually halted economic growth
in Nepal, much of which already suffers from dire poverty. Economic
growth in 2005 was a paltry 2.5 percent, according to the Asian
Development Bank.
The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
in Nepal on Sunday expressed its growing concern at the mounting
violence, including "the continued use of what appears to be excessive
force" by security forces. It had already expressed "grave concern"
over troops firing on the demonstrators in Pokhara on Saturday.
In a Thursday news briefing, a State Department spokesman, Sean
McCormack, called on the Nepalese government to release democracy
advocates. "We're seriously concerned about the government's
ongoing curbs on civil liberties and human rights, which has led to
serious unrest in Nepal," he said.
Here in Katmandu, the crowds on Sunday appeared to be the largest
and most inclined to violence. "Burn the crown," the protesters
chanted. In small, tight-knit groups, they poured out of the city's narrow
alleys, shouting slogans and unfurling party flags. Each time, riot police
officers charged at the crowds, whipping batons and firing tear gas and
rubber bullets.
The most able-bodied protesters scattered. Others were captured by
the police, beaten and stuffed inside police vans. Soldiers were posted
at major street corners, along with armored personnel carriers mounted
with machine guns.
The United Nations human rights agency, whose monitors have fanned
out across the country over the last four days, confirmed Sunday that
several demonstrators had been hospitalized with head injuries after
encounters with baton-wielding police officers.
For 15 minutes on Sunday night, the capital was plunged in darkness,
as citizens heeded a call for a "blackout" protest.
"If the movement goes ahead like this, the inevitable will happen very
soon," said Lok Raj Baral, chief of the Nepal Center for Contemporary
Studies, a research organization in Katmandu. "The anger everywhere
is against the king."
Tilak P. Pokharel reported from Katmandu for this article, and Somini
Sengupta from New Delhi.
Neoliberal stooge) Singh warns of Maoist threat to India
FROM
Raja Swamy :raja....@gmail.com
TO
Foil foi...@insaf.net
FOIL = Federation of Inquilabi Leftists
Perhaps Mr. Singh (who let loose his attack dogs on peaceful
protestors, in much the same way as the tyrant in Kathmandu did this
week) ought to recall Martin Luther King's famous comment wrt the
Vietnam War: "Those who make peaceful reform impossible, will make
violent revolution inevitable." What Singh's comments throws stark
light on is the tendency now by liberals to suddenly claim ownership
of the Nepali revolution - suddenly its become "pro democracy" with
the stated and often unstated intention of maligning the Maoists as
some sort of extraneous, nuisance. Leave aside the fact that it was
the Maoists who made whats unfolding even possible, or the fact that
the Koiralas and others of the ruling class of Nepal tried so hard to
coexist with the monarchy.
The liberal democratic call is favored by not only these forces but
also by the Indian state, the Indian bourgeoisie, and western
governments. They all want the king to go, have elections,
parliaments, bureaucracies under the rubric of a bourgeois democracy.
Unfortunately for these folks, who see nothing but "terrorists" in the
Nepali revolutionaries (or their Indian counterparts), the fact that
something akin to a tectonic shift is underway in the subcontinent is
unimaginable, weaned as they all are in the soothing milk of
privilege. Peasants who have been accustomed to being brutalized,
starved and laughed at have other plans for the subcontinent - and
thats what underlies the hidden fears of those clamoring now (after
all these years!) for "democracy" in Nepal. Those engaging in
maligning the overwhelmingly peasant based revolutionary movement in
Nepal want to keep the peasants in check - they see the inevitable
victorious march of these folks into the city as an end to their own
privilege. We live in "interesting times" indeed! ;)
raja..
Singh warns of Maoist threat to India
By Jo Johnson in New Delhi and Binod Bhattarai in Kathmandu
Published: April 14 2006 18:36 | Last updated: April 14 2006 18:36
Manmohan SinghManmohan Singh, the Indian prime minister, on Friday
warned that revolutionary Maoist groups posed the single greatest
threat to India's internal stability and democratic culture.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Maoist insurgency, which has ideological and logistical links to
guerrillas in Nepal, has affected around a quarter of all
administrative districts in the country.
"The challenge of internal security is our biggest national security
challenge," Mr Singh told state chief ministers, who gathered in New
Delhi to discuss the Maoist threat. "There can be no political
compromise with terror. No inch conceded. No compassion shown."
The deteriorating situation in the Hindu kingdom of Nepal, where King
Gyanendra is struggling to resist a Maoist takeover, has served as a
belated wake-up call to New Delhi. State governments in India have
been wrong-footed by the daring tactics and sophisticated weaponry of
Maoist groups, also known as Naxalites.
"We have to take a comprehensive approach in dealing with Naxalism
given the emerging linkages between groups within and outside the
country," Mr Singh said.
India and the US have urged King Gyanendra to abandon his project to
restore royal absolutism, warning it is likely to trigger a Maoist
takeover in Nepal.
In the wake of the recent hijacking of a train by Maoists in the
northern state of Jharkand and the storming of a jail in neighbouring
Bihar, Mr Singh has been criticised for failing to prevent the
collapse of local government and the emergence of alternative
guerilla-run administrations in vast swathes of the country.
Expressing his determination to "wipe out" the Maoist threat to
India's "civilised and democratic way of life", Mr Singh also blamed
"iniquitous socio-political circumstances" in many states for the
spread of the Naxalite movement, which was born in 1967 in the Bengali
town of Naxalbari.
After a week of violent pro-democracy protests in Nepal, King
Gyanendra on Friday promised elections and called on political parties
to engage in dialogue.
However, the opposition parties, which boycotted municipal elections
in February, say any vote held under King Gyanendra's rule would be
neither free nor fair. They are pushing for a new constitution that
would appear likely to leave little or no role for the Himalayan
kingdom's once-revered Hindu monarchy. "The king's call comes a little
too late because the protests have moved beyond that stage," said
Krishna Khanal, a professor of political science at Tribhuwan
University.
The seven parties, who formed an alliance with the Maoists last year
to push for the restoration of democracy, said they would intensify
their protests. "The king's statement is a conspiracy to defuse the
movement rather than respect the wishes of the people," said Krishna
Sitaula, spokesman of the Nepali Congress party.
The week-long general strike and protests saw large numbers of
middle-class professionals swell the ranks of the pro-democracy
movement. Analysts say the broadening of the movement leaves the royal
palace needing to secure a compromise or risk being overthrown. "The
situation is dangerous and fluid, but the government remains in
control," said Shrish Shumsher Rana, information minister.
Defying the government, employees in "essential services" at state
banks, including the central bank, stopped work on Thursday, bringing
banking to a standstill in the districts. Five people have died and
4,000 have been arrested in the protests that began on April 6. More
than 1,000 protesters and party activists remain in detention.
FROM
Raja Swamy :raja....@gmail.com
TO
Foil foi...@insaf.net
FOIL = Federation of Inquilabi Leftists
Perhaps Mr. Singh (who let loose his attack dogs on peaceful
protestors, in much the same way as the tyrant in Kathmandu did this
week) ought to recall Martin Luther King's famous comment wrt the
Vietnam War: "Those who make peaceful reform impossible, will make
violent revolution inevitable." What Singh's comments throws stark
light on is the tendency now by liberals to suddenly claim ownership
of the Nepali revolution - suddenly its become "pro democracy" with
the stated and often unstated intention of maligning the Maoists as
some sort of extraneous, nuisance. Leave aside the fact that it was
the Maoists who made whats unfolding even possible, or the fact that
the Koiralas and others of the ruling class of Nepal tried so hard to
coexist with the monarchy.
The liberal democratic call is favored by not only these forces but
also by the Indian state, the Indian bourgeoisie, and western
governments. They all want the king to go, have elections,
parliaments, bureaucracies under the rubric of a bourgeois democracy.
Unfortunately for these folks, who see nothing but "terrorists" in the
Nepali revolutionaries (or their Indian counterparts), the fact that
something akin to a tectonic shift is underway in the subcontinent is
unimaginable, weaned as they all are in the soothing milk of
privilege. Peasants who have been accustomed to being brutalized,
starved and laughed at have other plans for the subcontinent - and
thats what underlies the hidden fears of those clamoring now (after
all these years!) for "democracy" in Nepal. Those engaging in
maligning the overwhelmingly peasant based revolutionary movement in
Nepal want to keep the peasants in check - they see the inevitable
victorious march of these folks into the city as an end to their own
privilege. We live in "interesting times" indeed! ;)
raja..
Singh warns of Maoist threat to India
By Jo Johnson in New Delhi and Binod Bhattarai in Kathmandu
Published: April 14 2006 18:36 | Last updated: April 14 2006 18:36
Manmohan SinghManmohan Singh, the Indian prime minister, on Friday
warned that revolutionary Maoist groups posed the single greatest
threat to India's internal stability and democratic culture.
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The Maoist insurgency, which has ideological and logistical links to
guerrillas in Nepal, has affected around a quarter of all
administrative districts in the country.
"The challenge of internal security is our biggest national security
challenge," Mr Singh told state chief ministers, who gathered in New
Delhi to discuss the Maoist threat. "There can be no political
compromise with terror. No inch conceded. No compassion shown."
The deteriorating situation in the Hindu kingdom of Nepal, where King
Gyanendra is struggling to resist a Maoist takeover, has served as a
belated wake-up call to New Delhi. State governments in India have
been wrong-footed by the daring tactics and sophisticated weaponry of
Maoist groups, also known as Naxalites.
"We have to take a comprehensive approach in dealing with Naxalism
given the emerging linkages between groups within and outside the
country," Mr Singh said.
India and the US have urged King Gyanendra to abandon his project to
restore royal absolutism, warning it is likely to trigger a Maoist
takeover in Nepal.
In the wake of the recent hijacking of a train by Maoists in the
northern state of Jharkand and the storming of a jail in neighbouring
Bihar, Mr Singh has been criticised for failing to prevent the
collapse of local government and the emergence of alternative
guerilla-run administrations in vast swathes of the country.
Expressing his determination to "wipe out" the Maoist threat to
India's "civilised and democratic way of life", Mr Singh also blamed
"iniquitous socio-political circumstances" in many states for the
spread of the Naxalite movement, which was born in 1967 in the Bengali
town of Naxalbari.
After a week of violent pro-democracy protests in Nepal, King
Gyanendra on Friday promised elections and called on political parties
to engage in dialogue.
However, the opposition parties, which boycotted municipal elections
in February, say any vote held under King Gyanendra's rule would be
neither free nor fair. They are pushing for a new constitution that
would appear likely to leave little or no role for the Himalayan
kingdom's once-revered Hindu monarchy. "The king's call comes a little
too late because the protests have moved beyond that stage," said
Krishna Khanal, a professor of political science at Tribhuwan
University.
The seven parties, who formed an alliance with the Maoists last year
to push for the restoration of democracy, said they would intensify
their protests. "The king's statement is a conspiracy to defuse the
movement rather than respect the wishes of the people," said Krishna
Sitaula, spokesman of the Nepali Congress party.
The week-long general strike and protests saw large numbers of
middle-class professionals swell the ranks of the pro-democracy
movement. Analysts say the broadening of the movement leaves the royal
palace needing to secure a compromise or risk being overthrown. "The
situation is dangerous and fluid, but the government remains in
control," said Shrish Shumsher Rana, information minister.
Defying the government, employees in "essential services" at state
banks, including the central bank, stopped work on Thursday, bringing
banking to a standstill in the districts. Five people have died and
4,000 have been arrested in the protests that began on April 6. More
than 1,000 protesters and party activists remain in detention.
Title: What if Maoists overrun Nepal, asks Nitish
Author: News
PPublication : The Daily Pioneer
Date: April 14, 2006
Pioneer News Service/ New Delhi
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday asked the Centre to take
a serious view of developments in Nepal while finalising its response
to the growth of Maoist terror in India.
Speaking at the Chief Ministers' standing committee meeting on
Naxalism, Mr Kumar said that the Maoist menace should not be seen as a problem
of individual States but of the whole country. He mentioned the growing
coordination between Indian Maoists and the Maoists of Nepal.
"If the Nepal Maoists succeed there and manage to get a foothold in the
government, it will have a cascading effect on all of us. We must check
the nefarious activities of the Maoist cadres on Indo-Nepal border," Mr
Kumar said.
Author: News
PPublication : The Daily Pioneer
Date: April 14, 2006
Pioneer News Service/ New Delhi
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday asked the Centre to take
a serious view of developments in Nepal while finalising its response
to the growth of Maoist terror in India.
Speaking at the Chief Ministers' standing committee meeting on
Naxalism, Mr Kumar said that the Maoist menace should not be seen as a problem
of individual States but of the whole country. He mentioned the growing
coordination between Indian Maoists and the Maoists of Nepal.
"If the Nepal Maoists succeed there and manage to get a foothold in the
government, it will have a cascading effect on all of us. We must check
the nefarious activities of the Maoist cadres on Indo-Nepal border," Mr
Kumar said.
Polls Under A Maoist Shadow
'Give us five years, we will make sure you spend sleepless nights… Our mass base in Murshidabad, Malda, Burdwan and Nadia is ready. After five years, we will launch our strikes.'
NIHAR NAYAK
Give us five years, we will make sure you spend sleepless nights… Our mass base in Murshidabad, Malda, Burdwan and Nadia is ready. After five years, we will launch our strikes.
‘Comrade Dhruba’, Communist Party of India-Maoist
In what is a clear indication of the gravity of the problem of left-wing extremism in West Bengal, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee announced on March 31, 2006, that he would begin his electoral campaign from the "so-called Maoist Districts." West Bengal is to witness elections in five phases for the 294 Legislative Assembly seats. Polling will be held on April 17, 22, 27, May 3 and 8.
The Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) is already active in three of the state’s districts, Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura, of which the first two border the state of Jharkhand. The Maoists, according to official sources, are also currently targeting the Nadia, Bardhaman and Birbhum Districts in their efforts to regain foothold in the state that originally sparked off the red revolution in India.
The 'Naxalites' take their name from the tiny hamlet of Naxalbari in the Darjeeling district where an insurrection commenced in March 1967, to rapidly spread across the state and wreak havoc for almost six years, till it was neutralised in 1973, and eventually wiped out under the Emergency of 1975. Thereafter, West Bengal remained largely free of Left Wing extremism, except for the odd incident of violence and dispersed efforts for subversion.
On January 2, the Chief Minister had particularly identified the Binpur, Bandawan, Ranibandh and Belpahari areas as being affected by the Maoist menace, adding, "(The) Naxalite movement is a major problem in south Bengal (but) we will succeed in suppressing the Naxalites as we could in the seventies." Responding to the Maoist presence in Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapore, the Chief Minister reportedly asked the Indian Institute of Technology - Kharagpur to prepare a comprehensive development plan for the area. However, there also appears to be a slight hint of desperation here, as, or instance, in the the Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI-M) politburo member Biman Bose’s statement in Purulia District on January 10, 2006, when he asked his cadres to take up arms in retaliation to Maoist attacks and ensure that raiding rivals do not ‘go back alive’.
In the months preceding the elections West Bengal and particularly the Purulia, Bankura and Midnapore Districts (polling on April 17), have already witnessed significant violence by the Maoists, with the most prominent incidents including:
March 9, 2006: Two CPI-M members were killed by the Maoists in the Dangardihi area of Midnapore district. Another person was injured in the attack.
March 5, 2006: Suspected Maoists herded out nine CPI-M activists to a field in the Midnapore District and shot dead the group leader, Kartik Sinha, while releasing the others.
March 4, 2006: One policeman was killed and another injured in a Maoist attack on National Highway 34 at Chakulia in North Dinajpur.
February 26, 2006: Cadres of the CPI-Maoist detonated a landmine blowing up a police vehicle that killed four persons, including two police personnel, at Hatidoba in the Midnapore District. Six persons were injured in the incident.
February 13, 2006: CPI-Maoist cadres loot Rupees 160,000 from the United Bank of India's branch at Sarenga in the Bankura district. A police team pursued the Maoists into a forest and following an encounter one Maoist was arrested along with some arms and ammunition.
December 31, 2005: Approximately 100 Maoists stormed the residence of 55-year-old Rabindranath Kar, CPI-M leader from Bhamragarh in the Purulia district, and killed him and his wife after snatching the weapons of his security escorts.
A total of 19 CPI-M activists and 20 security force personnel have been killed by the Maoists over the last two years. Unsurprisingly, the Maoists are opposed to the elections and have issued a edict to boycott the polls, with the warning: ‘If you defy the diktat, you die’. The Maoists have called for a poll boycott in the three affected districts purportedly as a mark of protest against ‘lack of development and police highhandedness’. Their posters ask the people to refrain from voting as the "pseudo Marxist government has not done anything for you except begging for votes... rather they have prepared the blueprint of police brutalities."
The impact is already visible. Since January 1, 2006, eight persons – six CPI-M and two Jharkhand Party activists – have been killed and the police apprehend more violence. ‘Somen’, the CPI-Maoist ‘state secretary’, declared on April 5, 2006, "It hardly matters which party gains out of this – CPM or Jharkhand Party. This is part of our campaign strategy and we will enforce this call in our base areas in West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia." Responding to a query on who are the targets, he unambiguously stated: "The political leaders, who have been hand-in-glove with the administration to unleash repression."
Significantly, electoral campaigning has been on a low key in many villages in Purulia as a result of the Maoist threat, as candidates for the April 17 polls in the District drew up their campaign itinerary carefully avoiding the CPI-Maoist strongholds. Some leaders of the ruling CPI-M in the two other ‘base’ districts – Bankura and Midnapore – have reportedly refused Police escort, apprehending that the Maoists could target them more easily if they took Police assistance.
The fear also extends to the police, and senior police officials in the three Districts have received over 250 applications for transfer to ‘safer’ areas, fearing Maoist attacks. There are also reports of Maoists from Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand infiltrating into West Bengal to disrupt the elections. The role of cadres from Andhra Pradesh was underlined by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who has been insisting on de-linking the old and new Maoist movement in the State, describing the present genre of Maoists as "exports from Andhra and Jharkhand."
According to the state’s Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Raj Kanojia, the Police have identified 13 ‘sensitive’ police stations in the three Districts. Special security arrangements were ordered for Belpahari, Salboni and Bagmundi Police Stations in West Midnapore; Bandwan, Jhalda, Jajpur and Manbazar Police Stations in Purulia; and Salimpur, Sarenga and Simlipal Police Stations in Bankura. About 90 percent of the booths in the three Maoist-affected districts were said to be ‘sensitive’. While some 300 companies of paramilitary forces were deployed in the whole of West Bengal during the 2001 Assembly elections, this time around nearly 600 companies of paramilitary forces would be deployed in 7,479 polling stations across these three Districts alone.
Maoists have been making inroads into the tribal hinterland of south Bengal since the late 1990s. According to the Maoist blueprint, these arid and backward tracts, covered with hills and forests, are to be targeted vigorously to eventually become ‘liberated zones’, a strategy that the outfit is following in similar terrain in other Maoist-affected States. To this end, the CPI-Maoist has consistently sought to highlight the plight of tribals, a majority of whom are below the poverty line and without access to basic amenities.
The Census 2001 indicated that basic amenities such as safe drinking water, sanitation and electricity are yet to reach most tribal homes in West Bengal. Scheduled Tribes constitute 6.37 per cent of the State’s total population and the tribal concentration in the Southern Districts is the largest in Purulia — 18.98 per cent, followed by Bankura, 10.43 per cent, and Midnapore, 8.4 per cent. Similarly, electricity has reached only 19.03 per cent of tribal homes as against 37.45 per cent of the total State population. In all three districts, 93-96 per cent of tribal families are dependent on kerosene for light. These districts are relatively backward with 4.47 per cent of the people in Purulia still fetching drinking water from rivers and canals. Many villages in the forests are still inaccessible, with health centres located far off.
That these districts are crucial for the Maoists is also visible in the fact that they are using the corridor of Bandwan, Ranibandh in Bankura district and Belpahari in the Midnapore district to facilitate operations between Jharkhand and West Bengal. Further, Nepalese Maoists use the Bihar-Nepal border to enter West Bengal to secure a safe haven. The Maoists have also augmented their weaponry to further their goal of reclaiming their lost stronghold in the State. A 2006-study carried out by A.K. Maliwal, Chief Security Officer to the Chief Minister, indicates that the Maoists, who earlier used lower-end command wire-based explosive devices, are of late using sophisticated bombs, including vehicle-borne and remote-controlled improvised explosive devices, to substantially increase their impact. The study also notes a shift from home-made to factory-produced explosives and the use of target-activated bombs, as well as a resort to triggering parallel and simultaneous explosions. Meanwhile, the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau has cautioned the government about changes in the Maoists’ modus operandi, with a shift from conventional ambushes and landmines, and an increasing potential of tactics such as hijacking, which could prove more useful at a time of heightened security. The report also noted that the Maoists may also attempt to blow up radio and telephone towers.
West Bengal has been ruled by the mainstream Left Front since 1977, and has been largely successful in combating Left Wing extremism through a judicious mixture of political and security measures. But with the dangerous expansion of Maoist influence and activities in the neighbouring states, the future for West Bengal is becoming increasingly uncertain as well.
Nihar Nayak is Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management. Courtesy, the South Asia Intelligence Review of the South Asia Terrorism Portal
'Give us five years, we will make sure you spend sleepless nights… Our mass base in Murshidabad, Malda, Burdwan and Nadia is ready. After five years, we will launch our strikes.'
NIHAR NAYAK
Give us five years, we will make sure you spend sleepless nights… Our mass base in Murshidabad, Malda, Burdwan and Nadia is ready. After five years, we will launch our strikes.
‘Comrade Dhruba’, Communist Party of India-Maoist
In what is a clear indication of the gravity of the problem of left-wing extremism in West Bengal, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee announced on March 31, 2006, that he would begin his electoral campaign from the "so-called Maoist Districts." West Bengal is to witness elections in five phases for the 294 Legislative Assembly seats. Polling will be held on April 17, 22, 27, May 3 and 8.
The Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) is already active in three of the state’s districts, Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura, of which the first two border the state of Jharkhand. The Maoists, according to official sources, are also currently targeting the Nadia, Bardhaman and Birbhum Districts in their efforts to regain foothold in the state that originally sparked off the red revolution in India.
The 'Naxalites' take their name from the tiny hamlet of Naxalbari in the Darjeeling district where an insurrection commenced in March 1967, to rapidly spread across the state and wreak havoc for almost six years, till it was neutralised in 1973, and eventually wiped out under the Emergency of 1975. Thereafter, West Bengal remained largely free of Left Wing extremism, except for the odd incident of violence and dispersed efforts for subversion.
On January 2, the Chief Minister had particularly identified the Binpur, Bandawan, Ranibandh and Belpahari areas as being affected by the Maoist menace, adding, "(The) Naxalite movement is a major problem in south Bengal (but) we will succeed in suppressing the Naxalites as we could in the seventies." Responding to the Maoist presence in Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapore, the Chief Minister reportedly asked the Indian Institute of Technology - Kharagpur to prepare a comprehensive development plan for the area. However, there also appears to be a slight hint of desperation here, as, or instance, in the the Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI-M) politburo member Biman Bose’s statement in Purulia District on January 10, 2006, when he asked his cadres to take up arms in retaliation to Maoist attacks and ensure that raiding rivals do not ‘go back alive’.
In the months preceding the elections West Bengal and particularly the Purulia, Bankura and Midnapore Districts (polling on April 17), have already witnessed significant violence by the Maoists, with the most prominent incidents including:
March 9, 2006: Two CPI-M members were killed by the Maoists in the Dangardihi area of Midnapore district. Another person was injured in the attack.
March 5, 2006: Suspected Maoists herded out nine CPI-M activists to a field in the Midnapore District and shot dead the group leader, Kartik Sinha, while releasing the others.
March 4, 2006: One policeman was killed and another injured in a Maoist attack on National Highway 34 at Chakulia in North Dinajpur.
February 26, 2006: Cadres of the CPI-Maoist detonated a landmine blowing up a police vehicle that killed four persons, including two police personnel, at Hatidoba in the Midnapore District. Six persons were injured in the incident.
February 13, 2006: CPI-Maoist cadres loot Rupees 160,000 from the United Bank of India's branch at Sarenga in the Bankura district. A police team pursued the Maoists into a forest and following an encounter one Maoist was arrested along with some arms and ammunition.
December 31, 2005: Approximately 100 Maoists stormed the residence of 55-year-old Rabindranath Kar, CPI-M leader from Bhamragarh in the Purulia district, and killed him and his wife after snatching the weapons of his security escorts.
A total of 19 CPI-M activists and 20 security force personnel have been killed by the Maoists over the last two years. Unsurprisingly, the Maoists are opposed to the elections and have issued a edict to boycott the polls, with the warning: ‘If you defy the diktat, you die’. The Maoists have called for a poll boycott in the three affected districts purportedly as a mark of protest against ‘lack of development and police highhandedness’. Their posters ask the people to refrain from voting as the "pseudo Marxist government has not done anything for you except begging for votes... rather they have prepared the blueprint of police brutalities."
The impact is already visible. Since January 1, 2006, eight persons – six CPI-M and two Jharkhand Party activists – have been killed and the police apprehend more violence. ‘Somen’, the CPI-Maoist ‘state secretary’, declared on April 5, 2006, "It hardly matters which party gains out of this – CPM or Jharkhand Party. This is part of our campaign strategy and we will enforce this call in our base areas in West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia." Responding to a query on who are the targets, he unambiguously stated: "The political leaders, who have been hand-in-glove with the administration to unleash repression."
Significantly, electoral campaigning has been on a low key in many villages in Purulia as a result of the Maoist threat, as candidates for the April 17 polls in the District drew up their campaign itinerary carefully avoiding the CPI-Maoist strongholds. Some leaders of the ruling CPI-M in the two other ‘base’ districts – Bankura and Midnapore – have reportedly refused Police escort, apprehending that the Maoists could target them more easily if they took Police assistance.
The fear also extends to the police, and senior police officials in the three Districts have received over 250 applications for transfer to ‘safer’ areas, fearing Maoist attacks. There are also reports of Maoists from Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand infiltrating into West Bengal to disrupt the elections. The role of cadres from Andhra Pradesh was underlined by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who has been insisting on de-linking the old and new Maoist movement in the State, describing the present genre of Maoists as "exports from Andhra and Jharkhand."
According to the state’s Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Raj Kanojia, the Police have identified 13 ‘sensitive’ police stations in the three Districts. Special security arrangements were ordered for Belpahari, Salboni and Bagmundi Police Stations in West Midnapore; Bandwan, Jhalda, Jajpur and Manbazar Police Stations in Purulia; and Salimpur, Sarenga and Simlipal Police Stations in Bankura. About 90 percent of the booths in the three Maoist-affected districts were said to be ‘sensitive’. While some 300 companies of paramilitary forces were deployed in the whole of West Bengal during the 2001 Assembly elections, this time around nearly 600 companies of paramilitary forces would be deployed in 7,479 polling stations across these three Districts alone.
Maoists have been making inroads into the tribal hinterland of south Bengal since the late 1990s. According to the Maoist blueprint, these arid and backward tracts, covered with hills and forests, are to be targeted vigorously to eventually become ‘liberated zones’, a strategy that the outfit is following in similar terrain in other Maoist-affected States. To this end, the CPI-Maoist has consistently sought to highlight the plight of tribals, a majority of whom are below the poverty line and without access to basic amenities.
The Census 2001 indicated that basic amenities such as safe drinking water, sanitation and electricity are yet to reach most tribal homes in West Bengal. Scheduled Tribes constitute 6.37 per cent of the State’s total population and the tribal concentration in the Southern Districts is the largest in Purulia — 18.98 per cent, followed by Bankura, 10.43 per cent, and Midnapore, 8.4 per cent. Similarly, electricity has reached only 19.03 per cent of tribal homes as against 37.45 per cent of the total State population. In all three districts, 93-96 per cent of tribal families are dependent on kerosene for light. These districts are relatively backward with 4.47 per cent of the people in Purulia still fetching drinking water from rivers and canals. Many villages in the forests are still inaccessible, with health centres located far off.
That these districts are crucial for the Maoists is also visible in the fact that they are using the corridor of Bandwan, Ranibandh in Bankura district and Belpahari in the Midnapore district to facilitate operations between Jharkhand and West Bengal. Further, Nepalese Maoists use the Bihar-Nepal border to enter West Bengal to secure a safe haven. The Maoists have also augmented their weaponry to further their goal of reclaiming their lost stronghold in the State. A 2006-study carried out by A.K. Maliwal, Chief Security Officer to the Chief Minister, indicates that the Maoists, who earlier used lower-end command wire-based explosive devices, are of late using sophisticated bombs, including vehicle-borne and remote-controlled improvised explosive devices, to substantially increase their impact. The study also notes a shift from home-made to factory-produced explosives and the use of target-activated bombs, as well as a resort to triggering parallel and simultaneous explosions. Meanwhile, the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau has cautioned the government about changes in the Maoists’ modus operandi, with a shift from conventional ambushes and landmines, and an increasing potential of tactics such as hijacking, which could prove more useful at a time of heightened security. The report also noted that the Maoists may also attempt to blow up radio and telephone towers.
West Bengal has been ruled by the mainstream Left Front since 1977, and has been largely successful in combating Left Wing extremism through a judicious mixture of political and security measures. But with the dangerous expansion of Maoist influence and activities in the neighbouring states, the future for West Bengal is becoming increasingly uncertain as well.
Nihar Nayak is Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management. Courtesy, the South Asia Intelligence Review of the South Asia Terrorism Portal
From our correspondent
14 April 2006
TRIVANDRUM — Eachara Warrier, the most powerful voice against the Emergency in India, died in a private hospital at Trichur yesterday. He was 86 and is survived by two daughters.
Warrier, who became a dominant figure in human rights circles after his son Rajan died in police custody during the Emergency period, had been suffering from various ailments for quite some time and was hospitalised with severe breathing troubles a few days back, according to his family sources.
The legal battle he launched after his son was whisked away from the Regional Engineering College at Calicut had led to the resignation of K. Karunakaran as chief minister in 1977. Karunakaran was forced to quit within a month after assuming office following High Court strictures.
Rajan was picked up by police from the REC hostel alleging Naxalite connection. He was taken to the police camp at Kakkayam, from where he never returned. Karunakaran was the home minister under the Achuta Menon government then.
Rajan’s death was confirmed after Warrier filed a habeus corpus petition. However, they did not give where they had disposed off his body. The accused persons in the case, including some top police officials, were acquitted after prolonged legal battle.
A book — Memoirs of a father — Warrier had written about touching experiences he had with his son and his death at the prime age had become popular. A Hindi teacher and social activist, he had taught in several colleges.
Several human rights activists and social and cultural leaders have condoled Warrier’s death.
14 April 2006
TRIVANDRUM — Eachara Warrier, the most powerful voice against the Emergency in India, died in a private hospital at Trichur yesterday. He was 86 and is survived by two daughters.
Warrier, who became a dominant figure in human rights circles after his son Rajan died in police custody during the Emergency period, had been suffering from various ailments for quite some time and was hospitalised with severe breathing troubles a few days back, according to his family sources.
The legal battle he launched after his son was whisked away from the Regional Engineering College at Calicut had led to the resignation of K. Karunakaran as chief minister in 1977. Karunakaran was forced to quit within a month after assuming office following High Court strictures.
Rajan was picked up by police from the REC hostel alleging Naxalite connection. He was taken to the police camp at Kakkayam, from where he never returned. Karunakaran was the home minister under the Achuta Menon government then.
Rajan’s death was confirmed after Warrier filed a habeus corpus petition. However, they did not give where they had disposed off his body. The accused persons in the case, including some top police officials, were acquitted after prolonged legal battle.
A book — Memoirs of a father — Warrier had written about touching experiences he had with his son and his death at the prime age had become popular. A Hindi teacher and social activist, he had taught in several colleges.
Several human rights activists and social and cultural leaders have condoled Warrier’s death.
IS THERE ANYTHING MORE BULLSHIT THAN THIS RIGHST GROUPS WHO SYMPATHISES WITH NAXALITES AND LOOK OTHER WAY WHEN THEY KILL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS WITH AK Rifiles and BOMB BLASTS ???
New Delhi, Apr 13: Terming the government-sponsored anti-naxal movement in Chhattisgarh 'Salwa Judum' a "dangerous" movement, human rights activists today asked the government to facilitate a "sincere" dialogue with Maoists instead of creating armed village defence committees.
They also asked the government to treat naxalite issue as a "law and order problem instead of a social one." The activists were part of a 14-member fact finding team from five NGOs -- People's Union for Democratic Rights, People's Union for Civil Liberties (Chhattisgarh), People's Union for Civil liberties (Jharkhand), Association for Protection of Democratic Rights and Indian Association of People's Lawyers -- who visited Chhattisgarh between 28 November and December 1, 2005 to investigate the violation of human rights during the Salwa Judum campaign.
"Treat naxal movement as a social problem and don't send in the para-military," said Gutam Navlakha, one of the members of the fact-finding team, adding that "Salwa Judum is an atrocious movement which is aimed at uprooting the Adivasis from their native village." The activists say that thousands have been displaced because of Salwa Judum as villagers are asked to join their ranks or face the consequences.
New Delhi, Apr 13: Terming the government-sponsored anti-naxal movement in Chhattisgarh 'Salwa Judum' a "dangerous" movement, human rights activists today asked the government to facilitate a "sincere" dialogue with Maoists instead of creating armed village defence committees.
They also asked the government to treat naxalite issue as a "law and order problem instead of a social one." The activists were part of a 14-member fact finding team from five NGOs -- People's Union for Democratic Rights, People's Union for Civil Liberties (Chhattisgarh), People's Union for Civil liberties (Jharkhand), Association for Protection of Democratic Rights and Indian Association of People's Lawyers -- who visited Chhattisgarh between 28 November and December 1, 2005 to investigate the violation of human rights during the Salwa Judum campaign.
"Treat naxal movement as a social problem and don't send in the para-military," said Gutam Navlakha, one of the members of the fact-finding team, adding that "Salwa Judum is an atrocious movement which is aimed at uprooting the Adivasis from their native village." The activists say that thousands have been displaced because of Salwa Judum as villagers are asked to join their ranks or face the consequences.
By Indo Asian News Service
New Delhi, April 13 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday met with chief ministers of six states - severely hit by Maoist violence - in a bid to frame a common strategy and unified command to halt the guerrillas' growing strength.
During a two-hour meeting at his official residence here, the prime minister underlined the need for greater inter-state coordination and joint command for the badly affected core areas.
Manmohan Singh offered the centre's help in fighting the menace and said it should also be tackled politically, with collective use of intelligence on the strength, weapons, membership, locations and the links of the guerrillas.
Chief ministers Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy of Andhra Pradesh, Raman Singh of Chhattisgarh, Arjun Munda of Jharkhand, Vilasrao Deshmukh of Maharashtra, Naveen Patnaik of Orissa and Nitish Kumar of Bihar attended the high-powered meeting.
The meeting came in the wake of increasing Maoist audacity and virtual collapse of government in some areas, exemplified by the daring attack on a prison complex in Jehanabad in Bihar and the hijacking of a train in Jharkhand.
Guerrilla attacks in Orissa and Chhattisgarh in recent months have only exposed the states' failure to come up with a concrete and effective counter-strategy.
The killing of around 30 tribals in Chhattisgarh and abduction of police officials and factory workers in Orissa's Gajapati district have caused concern, with officials here admitting that Maoist violence threatened rural stability.
The prime minister emphasised strengthening of the local police by equipping them with modern weapons and suggested the setting up of dedicated 'anti-naxal' wings.
He expressed serious concern over the growing military might of Maoists - their use of better equipment, trained persons, large scale assaults, good coordination and alleged external links.
Referring to the need to address the 'deprivation syndrome', Manmohan Singh also stressed on proper implementation of schemes such as those guaranteeing rural employment, with better utilisation, monitoring and plugging of leakages.
He referred to the need for waiving debts by moneylenders, compounding of petty forest offences, and coverage for every poor family in the affected districts under various schemes and better relief and rehabilitation to those displaced.
The Maoist insurgency in India began in 1967 in West Bengal and soon spread to several states. Today it affects about a dozen of the country's 28 states, with New Delhi's fire now directed against the Communist Party of India-Maoist.
Central security agencies point to weaknesses in Orissa's policy in dealing with leftwing extremism - and indeed failures across the country.
While the number of attacks by Maoists all over the country fell by 18 percent in the first quarter of 2006 to 391 from 475 in the corresponding period of 2005, the number of deaths increased by 38 percent to 157 from 114.
Copyright Indo-Asian News Service
New Delhi, April 13 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday met with chief ministers of six states - severely hit by Maoist violence - in a bid to frame a common strategy and unified command to halt the guerrillas' growing strength.
During a two-hour meeting at his official residence here, the prime minister underlined the need for greater inter-state coordination and joint command for the badly affected core areas.
Manmohan Singh offered the centre's help in fighting the menace and said it should also be tackled politically, with collective use of intelligence on the strength, weapons, membership, locations and the links of the guerrillas.
Chief ministers Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy of Andhra Pradesh, Raman Singh of Chhattisgarh, Arjun Munda of Jharkhand, Vilasrao Deshmukh of Maharashtra, Naveen Patnaik of Orissa and Nitish Kumar of Bihar attended the high-powered meeting.
The meeting came in the wake of increasing Maoist audacity and virtual collapse of government in some areas, exemplified by the daring attack on a prison complex in Jehanabad in Bihar and the hijacking of a train in Jharkhand.
Guerrilla attacks in Orissa and Chhattisgarh in recent months have only exposed the states' failure to come up with a concrete and effective counter-strategy.
The killing of around 30 tribals in Chhattisgarh and abduction of police officials and factory workers in Orissa's Gajapati district have caused concern, with officials here admitting that Maoist violence threatened rural stability.
The prime minister emphasised strengthening of the local police by equipping them with modern weapons and suggested the setting up of dedicated 'anti-naxal' wings.
He expressed serious concern over the growing military might of Maoists - their use of better equipment, trained persons, large scale assaults, good coordination and alleged external links.
Referring to the need to address the 'deprivation syndrome', Manmohan Singh also stressed on proper implementation of schemes such as those guaranteeing rural employment, with better utilisation, monitoring and plugging of leakages.
He referred to the need for waiving debts by moneylenders, compounding of petty forest offences, and coverage for every poor family in the affected districts under various schemes and better relief and rehabilitation to those displaced.
The Maoist insurgency in India began in 1967 in West Bengal and soon spread to several states. Today it affects about a dozen of the country's 28 states, with New Delhi's fire now directed against the Communist Party of India-Maoist.
Central security agencies point to weaknesses in Orissa's policy in dealing with leftwing extremism - and indeed failures across the country.
While the number of attacks by Maoists all over the country fell by 18 percent in the first quarter of 2006 to 391 from 475 in the corresponding period of 2005, the number of deaths increased by 38 percent to 157 from 114.
Copyright Indo-Asian News Service
GREATER COORDINATION, DEDICATED ANTI-NAXAL WINGS STRESSED
PM HOLDS DISCUSSIONS WITH CMS OF STATES AFFECTED BY NAXALISM
16:27 IST
The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh met Chief Ministers of six States which were severely affected by Naxalism this morning at his residence, prior to the Standing Committee meeting.
At an intense interaction lasting over two hours, the Prime Minister underlined the need for greater inter-state coordination and joint/unified command for badly affected core areas. Offering Centre’s help, Dr. Singh stressed the need to fight naxalism politically and urged the States to show will power. The Prime Minister also highlighted the need for improving collection and use of intelligence on strength, weapons, membership, locations and links of naxal groups. He also underlined the need to strengthen the local police, equip them and train them. He suggested the setting up of dedicated anti-naxal wings under capable officers on the pattern of Greyhounds in Andhra Pradesh.
Referring to the need to address deprivation syndrome, the Prime Minister emphasised proper implementation of targeted schemes like Rural Employment Guarantee etc., better utilization, monitoring, no leakages, waiver of debts by money lenders, compounding/closure of petty forest offences, cover every poor family in core affected districts under a scheme, price/procurement support and better relief & rehabilitation to those displaced.
Turning to the changing trends in the naxal movement, the Prime Minister expressed serious concern over growing militarisation, use of better trained/armed persons, large scale assaults, good coordination and alleged external links.
The Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Orissa and Bihar participated in the meeting. The Union Home Minister and Home Secretary also participated in the discussions.
****
PM HOLDS DISCUSSIONS WITH CMS OF STATES AFFECTED BY NAXALISM
16:27 IST
The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh met Chief Ministers of six States which were severely affected by Naxalism this morning at his residence, prior to the Standing Committee meeting.
At an intense interaction lasting over two hours, the Prime Minister underlined the need for greater inter-state coordination and joint/unified command for badly affected core areas. Offering Centre’s help, Dr. Singh stressed the need to fight naxalism politically and urged the States to show will power. The Prime Minister also highlighted the need for improving collection and use of intelligence on strength, weapons, membership, locations and links of naxal groups. He also underlined the need to strengthen the local police, equip them and train them. He suggested the setting up of dedicated anti-naxal wings under capable officers on the pattern of Greyhounds in Andhra Pradesh.
Referring to the need to address deprivation syndrome, the Prime Minister emphasised proper implementation of targeted schemes like Rural Employment Guarantee etc., better utilization, monitoring, no leakages, waiver of debts by money lenders, compounding/closure of petty forest offences, cover every poor family in core affected districts under a scheme, price/procurement support and better relief & rehabilitation to those displaced.
Turning to the changing trends in the naxal movement, the Prime Minister expressed serious concern over growing militarisation, use of better trained/armed persons, large scale assaults, good coordination and alleged external links.
The Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Orissa and Bihar participated in the meeting. The Union Home Minister and Home Secretary also participated in the discussions.
****
Friday April 7 2006 14:21 IST
CHIKMAGALUR: The coffee land of Chikmagalur, which has earned a name as a safe zone for naxals, is believed to have become a shelter for terrorist outfits also.
Though it is yet to be proved that terrorists are sheltered here, rumours that the LeT activist Abdul Rehman (who was arrested in Gulbarga recently) stayed in Channapura, Mudigere taluk have made the people tense.
However, police have clarified that the arrested person did not stay in Chennapura.
Superintendent of Police K. Madhukar Shetty said that there was no evidence to prove Abdul Rehman’s link with the district.
The police have kept a close vigil on visitors with suspicious movements. Information is being collected about newcomers, he added.
Naxal nexus: This district always had strong links with naxalism and its activists.
Whoever is arrested or killed under the pretext of naxalism anywhere in the State have established his or her link with the place.
For instance, one of the two women who died in the Edu encounter was from Chikmagalur. Likewise, one of the two youths killed in the Udupi encounter was from Mudigere taluk.
Just five years ago police denied the rumour that naxalites had made Chikmagalur their safe abode.
But a shootout in which a village woman Cheeramma was injured, showed that the naxalites had camped in the district. The police and Government have accepted the intelligence report.
Incidentally, a year ago, the intelligence department had alerted the Government that terrorists might make Chikmagalur district their base. But the Government is yet to open its eyes.
CHIKMAGALUR: The coffee land of Chikmagalur, which has earned a name as a safe zone for naxals, is believed to have become a shelter for terrorist outfits also.
Though it is yet to be proved that terrorists are sheltered here, rumours that the LeT activist Abdul Rehman (who was arrested in Gulbarga recently) stayed in Channapura, Mudigere taluk have made the people tense.
However, police have clarified that the arrested person did not stay in Chennapura.
Superintendent of Police K. Madhukar Shetty said that there was no evidence to prove Abdul Rehman’s link with the district.
The police have kept a close vigil on visitors with suspicious movements. Information is being collected about newcomers, he added.
Naxal nexus: This district always had strong links with naxalism and its activists.
Whoever is arrested or killed under the pretext of naxalism anywhere in the State have established his or her link with the place.
For instance, one of the two women who died in the Edu encounter was from Chikmagalur. Likewise, one of the two youths killed in the Udupi encounter was from Mudigere taluk.
Just five years ago police denied the rumour that naxalites had made Chikmagalur their safe abode.
But a shootout in which a village woman Cheeramma was injured, showed that the naxalites had camped in the district. The police and Government have accepted the intelligence report.
Incidentally, a year ago, the intelligence department had alerted the Government that terrorists might make Chikmagalur district their base. But the Government is yet to open its eyes.
India must learn a firm lesson from the increasing Maoist threat to Nepal and to its own vulnerable population in its northern states
By Dr. Pravin Rajbahak
The Maoists have executed another horrible attack- killing people, adducting civil servants and setting government offices ablaze. This time the attack was not in the mid-west or a “remote village far-flung from Kathmandu” but in Malangawa of Sarlahi district in the Terai. The three districts of Mahottari, Sarlahi and Rautahat districts in eastern Nepal, border Sitamadi district of Bihar, the poorest Indian state. Sarlahi is also near to major Bihari towns such as Madhubani, Muzzaffarpur and Darbhanga-all of which have witnessed considerable increase in Naxal violence in the last few years. This is the area that independent and democratic India is at its weakest and poorest and human life hasn’t changed much in this place in the last 100 years. Among the 37 districts in Bihar, 30 of them are already infected with Naxal violence and Sitamadi town which is the administrative headquarter of Tirhaut division is one of the heavily infested Naxal area in the full of India.
The Bihar para military force just last year busted several Maoist training camps in Piparimath village in Bairgania near to Sitamadi. In June last year, more than 300 Maoist guerrillas attacked Madhuban bazaar in east champaran district, looted cash from various banks, set the police posts and block office ablaze and fled well before reinforcements could reach there. IG of Police R.R Verma had said that a large number of Maoists from Nepal had participated in the attack. Even Bihar Police Chief Ashish Ranjan Sinha was reported as saying that he knows of increasing number of criss-cross flows of Indian and Nepali Naxalites for coordinated attacks in the area. But by the time these reports from senior police officers reached Delhi, they were already tampered to tell to the audience “there was little proof of actual involvement of Nepali Maoists.”
Growing linkage of the Naxalites in India with Maoist insurgents in Nepal had been responsible, for unification of Maoist parties and resultant expansion of their activities in Bihar.. The linkage between these two groups has been largely seen as a pre-requisite for further unification, consolidation and expansion of Maoism in different parts of the country stretching across Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Bihar, to Nepal. Expansion of Naxal activity in Bihar is an important part of this strategy and the prevailing situation in Bihar and Nepal helps these outfits. The porous Bihar-Nepal border, the general breakdown of rule of law, poor governance and incapacity of the security forces provides a context for these left extremist groups to operate with ease. They attack in Bihar and cross to Nepal and vice versa.
This is where sanity is tricked by reality and assessment betrayed by experience. Why is India insensible to mounting Naxal activity and violence even though Naxalites today control about 30 percent of the Indian territory? More than 15 percent of Indian forests are totally under the grips of the Maoists. The Indian Army in its annual report has stated that “Naxal violence could get out of hand like in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast,” but the report has gone into the dustbins. The Bihar state government has requested New Delhi to beef up security along its 735 km stretch of border with Nepal, but nothing much has been done. The Union Home Ministry of India has asked the Intelligence Bureau (I&B) to open an operations wing for anti-Naxal operations. This was about a year ago. Not the well-trained BSF but the ill-equipped SSB guards the Indo-Nepal border.
It is not surprising therefore that well-coordinated attacks have been rising in the Terai. In spite of all these, India is engrossed with the idea of bringing the Maoists into the political mainstream through a 12-point understanding reached at its command a few months ago in Delhi. Its own Prime Minister says that “talks with the Naxalites is not possible before they lay down their arms” yet his policy towards the Nepali rebels is governed with empathy, unstated approval and guardianship. That the Baburam Bhattarai faction of the Nepali Maoists has special relations with India is an open secret, made public through the voice of Prachanda himself. But the entire Maoist movement somehow being the creation of India is now a dead hypothesis. It could have been true yesterday but has clearly gone out of the Indian grips today. This is exactly what happened to the Akali Takht, which was Mrs. Indira Gandhi’s creation coming around and assassinating Mrs. Gandhi herself or the LTTE which was primarily financed, equipped and trained by the Indian security agencies eventually assassinating Mr. Rajiv Gandhi.
The same stupidity has been repeated in Nepal by providing the Maoists a safe haven in New Delhi, allowing clandestine flows of armory into the Maoist hands and facilitating talks with the mainstream political parties. Not even a single Maoist cadre of some status has been arrested by India since Feb. 1st last year. Instead, what all this has done is that states of Bihar, Chattisgarh, Orissa, Jharkhand and Andra are now under the Maoist mercy. They can strike anywhere at will. For the governments of Nepal and India, there is a long international border and sovereignty is at question. For the Maoists, it is essentially a seamless world.
This is exactly what happened to the Akali Takht, which was Mrs. Indira Gandhi’s creation coming around and assassinating Mrs. Gandhi herself or the LTTE which was primarily financed, equipped and trained by the Indian security agencies eventually assassinating Mr. Rajiv Gandhi.
India must learn a firm lesson from the increasing Maoist threat to Nepal and to its own vulnerable population in its northern states, as it is a rising power of this century. It must realize, shoving aside its sharp ego, that stopping lethal arms to the Royal Nepal Army; on the contrary gifting some ambulances to a few NGOs in Sarlahi by its ambassador in Nepal was an unfortunate decision for which it will have to regret for a long time to come. None but Mrs. Indira Gandhi herself smashed the Naxalbari movement in the ‘70s with an iron fist; what type of “democracy” is it talking about while dealing with the same brand of ideological whims in Nepal?
A Maoist takeover of Nepal will switch even the pro-Indian faction inside the Maoists to a fiercely nationalistic radical group that will in no time invite their comrades from all the Indian states for a similar revolution in India. Only then will the government of India realize the importance of the RNA and the monarchy that have been giving an assertive and uncompromising resistance to those elements that are inimical not only to Nepal but also to India. It is indeed a sad story to relate that the arms and ammunition now being brought from Beijing is being used to punish those that have been termed as “terrorists” by India.
Transit Treaty Renewal:
After three months of nail-biting suspense, India agreed to renew the transit treaty for a period of seven years. The high hopes of seven agitating parties that New Delhi would shoulder them once again so as to ease them to come back to power has been harshly shattered. Furthermore, Delhi’s expectation from the parties too have become more “realistic” given their poor track record of the last 14 years during which the Maoist insurgency began and anti-Indianism became the order of the day. A retired Indian diplomat was reported as saying, “the political leaders forgot what we had done to usher democracy in Nepal as soon as they sat on the chair in Singha Durbar and India bashing became the gong–ho from day one. Nepali political leaders are the most ungrateful race that I have ever seen in my life.”
India could have messed up the already troubled waters of Kathmandu had it not renewed the treaty and the current government should be grateful for that. At least the royal palace and the RNA are not akin to political party leaders and are by culture appreciative of the good things done which are reciprocated in deeds if not in words. A week before, the UTL was allowed to operate its wireless local loop and the Indian joint venture company has already taken the Nepali telecom market by storm. On the very first day of sale, there were thousands of applicants to purchase the new UTL phone connections.
Indo-Nepal relations marred by frequent upheavals and snagged by Delhi’s absurd policy of promoting democracy in Nepal while simultaneously backing absolute monarchy in Bhutan will heed towards a positive direction once its fallacy of mainstreaming the Maoists meets a dead end. Its emotional weakness towards the political leaders has left it betrayed, shattered and hapless not once or twice but three times without a miss since 1950.
All other gambles have failed. While Kathmandu must abandon unnecessary and ill-timed anti-Indian rhetoric; Delhi needs to fully support the current dispensation in Kathmandu, which by any analysis is the best bet for the long-term security of India.
(Dr. Rajbahak is a pediatrician and can be reached at pravinr...@hotmail.com Whether you agree with the views expressed by the author or not, please send your comments to feed...@mos.com.np–Ed.)
(Editor’s Note: Nepalis, wherever they live, as well as friends of Nepal around the globe are requested to contribute their views/opinions/recollections etc. on issues concerning present day Nepal to the Guest Column of Nepalnews. Length of the article should not be more than 1,000 words and may be edited for the purpose of clarity and space. Relevant photos as well as photo of the author may also be sent along with the article
By Dr. Pravin Rajbahak
The Maoists have executed another horrible attack- killing people, adducting civil servants and setting government offices ablaze. This time the attack was not in the mid-west or a “remote village far-flung from Kathmandu” but in Malangawa of Sarlahi district in the Terai. The three districts of Mahottari, Sarlahi and Rautahat districts in eastern Nepal, border Sitamadi district of Bihar, the poorest Indian state. Sarlahi is also near to major Bihari towns such as Madhubani, Muzzaffarpur and Darbhanga-all of which have witnessed considerable increase in Naxal violence in the last few years. This is the area that independent and democratic India is at its weakest and poorest and human life hasn’t changed much in this place in the last 100 years. Among the 37 districts in Bihar, 30 of them are already infected with Naxal violence and Sitamadi town which is the administrative headquarter of Tirhaut division is one of the heavily infested Naxal area in the full of India.
The Bihar para military force just last year busted several Maoist training camps in Piparimath village in Bairgania near to Sitamadi. In June last year, more than 300 Maoist guerrillas attacked Madhuban bazaar in east champaran district, looted cash from various banks, set the police posts and block office ablaze and fled well before reinforcements could reach there. IG of Police R.R Verma had said that a large number of Maoists from Nepal had participated in the attack. Even Bihar Police Chief Ashish Ranjan Sinha was reported as saying that he knows of increasing number of criss-cross flows of Indian and Nepali Naxalites for coordinated attacks in the area. But by the time these reports from senior police officers reached Delhi, they were already tampered to tell to the audience “there was little proof of actual involvement of Nepali Maoists.”
Growing linkage of the Naxalites in India with Maoist insurgents in Nepal had been responsible, for unification of Maoist parties and resultant expansion of their activities in Bihar.. The linkage between these two groups has been largely seen as a pre-requisite for further unification, consolidation and expansion of Maoism in different parts of the country stretching across Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Bihar, to Nepal. Expansion of Naxal activity in Bihar is an important part of this strategy and the prevailing situation in Bihar and Nepal helps these outfits. The porous Bihar-Nepal border, the general breakdown of rule of law, poor governance and incapacity of the security forces provides a context for these left extremist groups to operate with ease. They attack in Bihar and cross to Nepal and vice versa.
This is where sanity is tricked by reality and assessment betrayed by experience. Why is India insensible to mounting Naxal activity and violence even though Naxalites today control about 30 percent of the Indian territory? More than 15 percent of Indian forests are totally under the grips of the Maoists. The Indian Army in its annual report has stated that “Naxal violence could get out of hand like in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast,” but the report has gone into the dustbins. The Bihar state government has requested New Delhi to beef up security along its 735 km stretch of border with Nepal, but nothing much has been done. The Union Home Ministry of India has asked the Intelligence Bureau (I&B) to open an operations wing for anti-Naxal operations. This was about a year ago. Not the well-trained BSF but the ill-equipped SSB guards the Indo-Nepal border.
It is not surprising therefore that well-coordinated attacks have been rising in the Terai. In spite of all these, India is engrossed with the idea of bringing the Maoists into the political mainstream through a 12-point understanding reached at its command a few months ago in Delhi. Its own Prime Minister says that “talks with the Naxalites is not possible before they lay down their arms” yet his policy towards the Nepali rebels is governed with empathy, unstated approval and guardianship. That the Baburam Bhattarai faction of the Nepali Maoists has special relations with India is an open secret, made public through the voice of Prachanda himself. But the entire Maoist movement somehow being the creation of India is now a dead hypothesis. It could have been true yesterday but has clearly gone out of the Indian grips today. This is exactly what happened to the Akali Takht, which was Mrs. Indira Gandhi’s creation coming around and assassinating Mrs. Gandhi herself or the LTTE which was primarily financed, equipped and trained by the Indian security agencies eventually assassinating Mr. Rajiv Gandhi.
The same stupidity has been repeated in Nepal by providing the Maoists a safe haven in New Delhi, allowing clandestine flows of armory into the Maoist hands and facilitating talks with the mainstream political parties. Not even a single Maoist cadre of some status has been arrested by India since Feb. 1st last year. Instead, what all this has done is that states of Bihar, Chattisgarh, Orissa, Jharkhand and Andra are now under the Maoist mercy. They can strike anywhere at will. For the governments of Nepal and India, there is a long international border and sovereignty is at question. For the Maoists, it is essentially a seamless world.
This is exactly what happened to the Akali Takht, which was Mrs. Indira Gandhi’s creation coming around and assassinating Mrs. Gandhi herself or the LTTE which was primarily financed, equipped and trained by the Indian security agencies eventually assassinating Mr. Rajiv Gandhi.
India must learn a firm lesson from the increasing Maoist threat to Nepal and to its own vulnerable population in its northern states, as it is a rising power of this century. It must realize, shoving aside its sharp ego, that stopping lethal arms to the Royal Nepal Army; on the contrary gifting some ambulances to a few NGOs in Sarlahi by its ambassador in Nepal was an unfortunate decision for which it will have to regret for a long time to come. None but Mrs. Indira Gandhi herself smashed the Naxalbari movement in the ‘70s with an iron fist; what type of “democracy” is it talking about while dealing with the same brand of ideological whims in Nepal?
A Maoist takeover of Nepal will switch even the pro-Indian faction inside the Maoists to a fiercely nationalistic radical group that will in no time invite their comrades from all the Indian states for a similar revolution in India. Only then will the government of India realize the importance of the RNA and the monarchy that have been giving an assertive and uncompromising resistance to those elements that are inimical not only to Nepal but also to India. It is indeed a sad story to relate that the arms and ammunition now being brought from Beijing is being used to punish those that have been termed as “terrorists” by India.
Transit Treaty Renewal:
After three months of nail-biting suspense, India agreed to renew the transit treaty for a period of seven years. The high hopes of seven agitating parties that New Delhi would shoulder them once again so as to ease them to come back to power has been harshly shattered. Furthermore, Delhi’s expectation from the parties too have become more “realistic” given their poor track record of the last 14 years during which the Maoist insurgency began and anti-Indianism became the order of the day. A retired Indian diplomat was reported as saying, “the political leaders forgot what we had done to usher democracy in Nepal as soon as they sat on the chair in Singha Durbar and India bashing became the gong–ho from day one. Nepali political leaders are the most ungrateful race that I have ever seen in my life.”
India could have messed up the already troubled waters of Kathmandu had it not renewed the treaty and the current government should be grateful for that. At least the royal palace and the RNA are not akin to political party leaders and are by culture appreciative of the good things done which are reciprocated in deeds if not in words. A week before, the UTL was allowed to operate its wireless local loop and the Indian joint venture company has already taken the Nepali telecom market by storm. On the very first day of sale, there were thousands of applicants to purchase the new UTL phone connections.
Indo-Nepal relations marred by frequent upheavals and snagged by Delhi’s absurd policy of promoting democracy in Nepal while simultaneously backing absolute monarchy in Bhutan will heed towards a positive direction once its fallacy of mainstreaming the Maoists meets a dead end. Its emotional weakness towards the political leaders has left it betrayed, shattered and hapless not once or twice but three times without a miss since 1950.
All other gambles have failed. While Kathmandu must abandon unnecessary and ill-timed anti-Indian rhetoric; Delhi needs to fully support the current dispensation in Kathmandu, which by any analysis is the best bet for the long-term security of India.
(Dr. Rajbahak is a pediatrician and can be reached at pravinr...@hotmail.com Whether you agree with the views expressed by the author or not, please send your comments to feed...@mos.com.np–Ed.)
(Editor’s Note: Nepalis, wherever they live, as well as friends of Nepal around the globe are requested to contribute their views/opinions/recollections etc. on issues concerning present day Nepal to the Guest Column of Nepalnews. Length of the article should not be more than 1,000 words and may be edited for the purpose of clarity and space. Relevant photos as well as photo of the author may also be sent along with the article
Police Arrests One in Rohtas DSP Killing
Rohtas: April 7, 2006
In a major breakthrough, the police in Sasaram, on Thursday, nabbed a Maoist extremist in connection with the last Monday murder of Rohtas Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Akhileshwar Prasad, Rohtas Superintendent of Police (SP) N. J. Khan said.
The man was identified as Sunil Singh who, during police interrogation, confessed of his involvement in the murder of Prasad, the police said.
Following up on a tip, the police raided a Naxal hideout in Majharia village and arrested Sunil Singh. The police has also taken nearly two dozen people in custody in connection with Prasad's murder.
More arrests are expected soon, Khan said.
DSP Prasad, a native of Bikramganj in Patna district, was following a lead in the abduction of a two-year old son of a defense officer last Monday in Rohtas district when he and his police team were ambushed by a group of Maoist guerillas. He received bullet injuries and died while being transported to Patna Medical College Hospital (PMC).
He was cremated at Danapur with full state honors on Tuesday.
In an unrelated news, the police in Patna under Kankarbagh police station, nabbed two Maoist guerillas on Thursday. They were identified as Ramchandra Yadav and Mukesh Yadav.
In a major breakthrough, the police in Sasaram, on Thursday, nabbed a Maoist extremist in connection with the last Monday murder of Rohtas Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Akhileshwar Prasad, Rohtas Superintendent of Police (SP) N. J. Khan said.
The man was identified as Sunil Singh who, during police interrogation, confessed of his involvement in the murder of Prasad, the police said.
Following up on a tip, the police raided a Naxal hideout in Majharia village and arrested Sunil Singh. The police has also taken nearly two dozen people in custody in connection with Prasad's murder.
More arrests are expected soon, Khan said.
DSP Prasad, a native of Bikramganj in Patna district, was following a lead in the abduction of a two-year old son of a defense officer last Monday in Rohtas district when he and his police team were ambushed by a group of Maoist guerillas. He received bullet injuries and died while being transported to Patna Medical College Hospital (PMC).
He was cremated at Danapur with full state honors on Tuesday.
In an unrelated news, the police in Patna under Kankarbagh police station, nabbed two Maoist guerillas on Thursday. They were identified as Ramchandra Yadav and Mukesh Yadav.
Lemuel Lall
Jabalpur, April 6, 2006
WITH FOREST officials not venturing into Naxalites’ affected areas in Balaghat, the bamboo business of Naxal hit district in Madhya Pradesh, has received a setback.
In the last financial year that just ended last month, Balaghat forest officials with the help of van samities, primarily having tribals managed to store about 33,000 notional tonnes of bamboos after cutting, while in the corresponding year nearly 67,000 notional tonnes collection was registered. As a result of this, Balaghat district revenue collection from bamboo trade has come down to Rs 28 crore from Rs 33 crore in the financial year 2005.
Bamboo of Balaghat in Jabalpur division is used for commercial (in building purposes, especially in villages) and industrial (in paper mills) purposes and is considered to be of high quality in India. Last year, Naxals unleashed a reign of terror and bashed up several forest officials along with tribals, besides setting ablaze bamboo stores and trucks used in transportation.
So, frightened forest officials in the last financial year confined bamboo cutting to areas where the Naxals did not have a presence. In the last financial year, bamboo cutting was carried out in just 54 places, instead of 102 places.
“We had to limit the bamboo cutting because of Naxal threats. In 2005, we paid a heavy price as the bamboo transportation was badly hindered by the Naxals,” a forest official preferring anonymity said.
When contacted, Conservator of Forest Balaghat Circle OP Khare said they got the full co-operation from the police, adding that the work of transportation for the last financial year was almost over.
Jabalpur, April 6, 2006
WITH FOREST officials not venturing into Naxalites’ affected areas in Balaghat, the bamboo business of Naxal hit district in Madhya Pradesh, has received a setback.
In the last financial year that just ended last month, Balaghat forest officials with the help of van samities, primarily having tribals managed to store about 33,000 notional tonnes of bamboos after cutting, while in the corresponding year nearly 67,000 notional tonnes collection was registered. As a result of this, Balaghat district revenue collection from bamboo trade has come down to Rs 28 crore from Rs 33 crore in the financial year 2005.
Bamboo of Balaghat in Jabalpur division is used for commercial (in building purposes, especially in villages) and industrial (in paper mills) purposes and is considered to be of high quality in India. Last year, Naxals unleashed a reign of terror and bashed up several forest officials along with tribals, besides setting ablaze bamboo stores and trucks used in transportation.
So, frightened forest officials in the last financial year confined bamboo cutting to areas where the Naxals did not have a presence. In the last financial year, bamboo cutting was carried out in just 54 places, instead of 102 places.
“We had to limit the bamboo cutting because of Naxal threats. In 2005, we paid a heavy price as the bamboo transportation was badly hindered by the Naxals,” a forest official preferring anonymity said.
When contacted, Conservator of Forest Balaghat Circle OP Khare said they got the full co-operation from the police, adding that the work of transportation for the last financial year was almost over.
Anupam Dasgupta
Friday, April 07, 2006 00:31 IST
MUMBAI: One of the biggest success of the security forces engaged in combating the Maoist rebels has been the setting up of the C-60, an anti-Naxalite crack force. The force is made up of local youngsters and active in pockets of Gadchiroli.
"The present requirement is to raise more such units in other affected parts of the state," said a senior police officer engaged in anti-Naxalite operations.
Maharashtra Director General of Police PS Pasricha says several strategies need to be combined to the combat the Maoist threat effectively.
"We have implemented ground-level strategies equipping policemen deployed on the field in a better manner," he told DNA. "There is a need to combine strategies to neutralise the threat."
The Vision Document prepared by the Maharashtra Police, in fact, advocates forming local "resistance units" comprising villagers to take on the Maoists.
Friday, April 07, 2006 00:31 IST
MUMBAI: One of the biggest success of the security forces engaged in combating the Maoist rebels has been the setting up of the C-60, an anti-Naxalite crack force. The force is made up of local youngsters and active in pockets of Gadchiroli.
"The present requirement is to raise more such units in other affected parts of the state," said a senior police officer engaged in anti-Naxalite operations.
Maharashtra Director General of Police PS Pasricha says several strategies need to be combined to the combat the Maoist threat effectively.
"We have implemented ground-level strategies equipping policemen deployed on the field in a better manner," he told DNA. "There is a need to combine strategies to neutralise the threat."
The Vision Document prepared by the Maharashtra Police, in fact, advocates forming local "resistance units" comprising villagers to take on the Maoists.
Rajesh Sinha
Friday, April 07, 2006 00:27 IST
NEW DELHI: Vilasrao Deshmukh has a peculiar problem at hand. The Maharashtra chief minister has helicopters to fight the Maoist rebels, but no pilots.
After numerous requests, the Centre has finally granted Maharashtra's request to use helicopters in its fight against the ultra Left rebels, who are entrenched in several tribal dominated areas in the eastern part of the state.
The only caveat being that the state government arrange for the helicopters on its own. But the government has realised that getting helicopters is easy, getting pilots isn't.
The Centre has asked Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Jharkhand, other states which had asked for permission to use helicopters against the rebels, to obtain them on their own. The Centre, on its part, is considering employing naval choppers for the purpose.
Despite putting on offer attractive pay packets, the state government is finding it difficult to find pilots. Other states are also facing the same problem. "Moreover getting pilots willing to fly in situations of hostility worsens the problem," a senior government official told DNA.
In desperation, the state government is looking at the vast pool of ex-servicemen in the state. Maharashtra has about 200,000 ex-servicemen.
"The Centre has advised the state governments to approach the Ex-servicemen Welfare Board to identify and employ such men," said the official. "The Centre has also cleared the utilisation of retired men from army's engineer corps, with experience in clearing landmines, to train the police and paramilitary forces."
The state government is now exploring the possibility of employing helicopters from the defence services. "The state has so far stopped short of using the armed forces," said the official.
In Maharashtra, Maoist rebels - the new incarnation of Naxalites - are active in about half a dozen districts. They have bases on hillocks, which gives them a superior position in encounters with security forces. "Using helicopters will nullify their military advantage," said the official.
Maharashtra, however, is not looking only at a military solution. A source told DNA that the state at the Coordination Committee meeting held last week in Delhi under the chairmanship of Union Home Secretary V K Duggal told the Centre about its "unique plan".
"Maharashtra will now plough back all money obtained from the sale of tendu leaves, a forest produce, back to the area that it came from. Half the money would be distributed among the workers engaged in tendu leaf collection, 30 per cent to the gram panchayat and the remaining 20 per cent to forest development," said the source.
The state, said the source, contended that the basic problem was ownership of forest land, unlike other naxal-affected states where land reforms was the main problem. "The state said the implementation of land reforms has been quite satisfactory," the source said.
Friday, April 07, 2006 00:27 IST
NEW DELHI: Vilasrao Deshmukh has a peculiar problem at hand. The Maharashtra chief minister has helicopters to fight the Maoist rebels, but no pilots.
After numerous requests, the Centre has finally granted Maharashtra's request to use helicopters in its fight against the ultra Left rebels, who are entrenched in several tribal dominated areas in the eastern part of the state.
The only caveat being that the state government arrange for the helicopters on its own. But the government has realised that getting helicopters is easy, getting pilots isn't.
The Centre has asked Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Jharkhand, other states which had asked for permission to use helicopters against the rebels, to obtain them on their own. The Centre, on its part, is considering employing naval choppers for the purpose.
Despite putting on offer attractive pay packets, the state government is finding it difficult to find pilots. Other states are also facing the same problem. "Moreover getting pilots willing to fly in situations of hostility worsens the problem," a senior government official told DNA.
In desperation, the state government is looking at the vast pool of ex-servicemen in the state. Maharashtra has about 200,000 ex-servicemen.
"The Centre has advised the state governments to approach the Ex-servicemen Welfare Board to identify and employ such men," said the official. "The Centre has also cleared the utilisation of retired men from army's engineer corps, with experience in clearing landmines, to train the police and paramilitary forces."
The state government is now exploring the possibility of employing helicopters from the defence services. "The state has so far stopped short of using the armed forces," said the official.
In Maharashtra, Maoist rebels - the new incarnation of Naxalites - are active in about half a dozen districts. They have bases on hillocks, which gives them a superior position in encounters with security forces. "Using helicopters will nullify their military advantage," said the official.
Maharashtra, however, is not looking only at a military solution. A source told DNA that the state at the Coordination Committee meeting held last week in Delhi under the chairmanship of Union Home Secretary V K Duggal told the Centre about its "unique plan".
"Maharashtra will now plough back all money obtained from the sale of tendu leaves, a forest produce, back to the area that it came from. Half the money would be distributed among the workers engaged in tendu leaf collection, 30 per cent to the gram panchayat and the remaining 20 per cent to forest development," said the source.
The state, said the source, contended that the basic problem was ownership of forest land, unlike other naxal-affected states where land reforms was the main problem. "The state said the implementation of land reforms has been quite satisfactory," the source said.
The spectre of Naxalism haunts over 150 districts in the country, affecting nearly 40 per cent of its geographical area and 35 per cent of its population. Orissa, Chhatisgarh and Jharkhand need urgent attention if double-digit growth dreams are to be actualised.
N. CHANDRA MOHAN
N. CHANDRA MOHAN
India's policy makers are bullish about the prospect of double-digit GDP growth and accordingly are liberalising the regime to attract the necessary investments, both domestic and foreign. In an earlier column, this writer raised questions regarding the sustainability of such rapid growth if it were accompanied by a dangerous widening of disparities between richer regions and poorer ones. But there is a far graver internal threat to the growth process itself if it is allowed to spiral out of control -- the spectre of Naxalism or Left-wing extremism that casts its shadow over 150 districts in the country.
For a sense of perspective, that affects nearly 40 per cent of India's geographical area and 35 per cent of its population. Scarcely a day passes without news stories like 'Red Alert: Bailadila mine workers face Naxal threat' or 'Code Red: Naxals, the biggest threat' or 'Major obstacles to metal sector', among others, that talk about the latest casualties among policemen or CISF jawans in landmine blasts caused by these extremists. Most daring was the Jehanabad jailbreak in Bihar when 1,000-armed Naxals rescued 340 prisoners and kept the town under siege for hours on November 13, 2005.
Such incidents have only escalated this year. On March 24, 80-odd extremists staged another jailbreak in the town of Raigiri-Udaigiri in Orissa, besides attacking the police station, a camp of the Orissa Special Armed Police among others. In Jharkhand, the very same elements even hijacked a train for over 15 hours. While there is, no doubt an important "law and order" dimension to this growing extremist violence, what is not adequately appreciated is the negative impact that all of this could have on crucial investments in the metal sector like steel that, in turn, underpin double-digit growth prospects.
The three geographically contiguous states of Orissa, Jharkhand and Chhatisgarh are the theatre of action for this 'extremist' scenario as they sit on plentiful reserves of coal, iron ore, aluminum, manganese and other minerals. These are also tribal heartlands and constitute the "main battleground of Left-wing extremism today", to borrow an _expression of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in his address to top police officials in November 2004. In several districts of these states like Dantewara in Chhatisgarh - which is where the Bailadila iron ore deposits are located -- the extremists effectively run a parallel administration.
Recently, Naxalites blasted a rail track that transported iron ore from Bailadila to Vizag for exports. The very day that global steel magnate LN Mittal signed a memorandum of understanding to set up a steel plant in Jharkhand, there were blasts in nearby Chatra district that killed 12 paramilitary soldiers in October 2005. The situation is no better in Orissa. NN Sachitanand's writings in The Hindu also highlight the influence of NGOs and delays in environmental clearances, to draw up a pessimistic prognosis for mega projects entailing investments of $ 50 billion in steel, aluminum and other metals.
The upshot is that if the growth party is to go on, the government must have a masterplan to ensure that this Naxal threat does not get out of hand. The worst possible publicity for its ongoing drive to attract big-ticket foreign direct investments is if steel projects such as those of Mittal, POSCO and Tata Steel don't get off the ground due to sabotage by Left-wing extremists or rampaging tribal landowners as at Kalinga Nagar industrial area in Jeypore district of Orissa. The cloud over such mega projects is bound to raise questions over the prospects of double-digit growth itself.
True to form, the UPA government only belatedly bestirred itself to action. Finally, the Union home minister tabled a status paper on the Naxal problem in Parliament. To its credit, the government views the problem as more than a "law and order" one as it recognizes that Naxalites "operate in a vacuum created by the absence of administrative and political institutions, espouse local demands and take advantage of the disenchantment among the exploited segments of the population." Accelerated socio-economic development is considered imperative in the Naxal-affected areas.
Significantly, the status paper also recognizes that the continuing neglect of the land question is responsible for the impressive spread of the movement: "Naxal groups have been raising mainly land and livelihood-related issues. If land reforms are taken up on priority and the landless and the poor in the Naxal areas are allotted surplus land, this would go a long way to tackling the developmental aspects of the Naxal problem." This is especially relevant is states like Bihar which remains one of the original bastions of Left-wing extremism in the country.
According to a path-breaking study done by the 1987, 1988 and 1989 batches of IAS probationers on land reforms, the area declared surplus but not distributed is as much as 2.3 million acres in India. A good proportion of land declared as surplus is still under litigation. In Bihar, for instance, 2,217 cases were pending involving 79,000 acres. Big landlords with their access to the levers of state power were able to successfully thwart land reform. The upshot is that land to tiller programmes and other schemes for socio-economic development are bound to impact on Left-wing extremism.
The Indian state's biggest challenge, of course, is the tackling this phenomenon in the tribal belt of Orissa, Chhatisgarh and Jharkhand. The government has introduced the Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Forests Rights) Bill, 2005 in Parliament in December 2005 to address disaffection among tribals, but unless the tribals are made stakeholders in the various mega projects noted above - which can erode the influence of Left-wing extremists -- there is simply no prospect for such massive investments to come on stream and take the Indian economy to a double-digit growth path.
N Chandra Mohan is a Delhi-based analyst of economic and business affairs
Thursday April 6 2006 11:42 IST
BHUBANESWAR: A day after the Naxalites released the abducted officials on humanitarian grounds, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced in the Assembly on Wednesday that the State Government had taken several measures to improve the preparedness of the police to face extremist attacks in future.
Making a statement, Naveen said the State Government’s demand for inclusion of three more districts in the list of extremist-affected districts is yet to be approved by the Centre. The Government had also requested the Centre to immediately provide four additional companies of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and assistance in the shape of logistics.
He said after the Naxalite attack on R Udaygiri, steps were taken by the local administration to establish contact with the abducted officials and combing operations stepped up. The extremists had raised five demands for the release of the officials. However, they returned safely on Tuesday without the Government having to concede any of the demands, he said.
Naveen said the treatment of the injured persons was looked after by the Government and an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh was announced for the kin of the deceased police personnel. Besides, a Government job had also been promised to the next of kin of the deceased, he said.
BHUBANESWAR: A day after the Naxalites released the abducted officials on humanitarian grounds, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced in the Assembly on Wednesday that the State Government had taken several measures to improve the preparedness of the police to face extremist attacks in future.
Making a statement, Naveen said the State Government’s demand for inclusion of three more districts in the list of extremist-affected districts is yet to be approved by the Centre. The Government had also requested the Centre to immediately provide four additional companies of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and assistance in the shape of logistics.
He said after the Naxalite attack on R Udaygiri, steps were taken by the local administration to establish contact with the abducted officials and combing operations stepped up. The extremists had raised five demands for the release of the officials. However, they returned safely on Tuesday without the Government having to concede any of the demands, he said.
Naveen said the treatment of the injured persons was looked after by the Government and an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh was announced for the kin of the deceased police personnel. Besides, a Government job had also been promised to the next of kin of the deceased, he said.
SUBRAT DAS
Bhubaneswar, April 5: A day after the release of Ranjan Mallik and R.N. Sethi, the two officials held hostage since March 24, junior police personnel demanded their withdrawal from “sensitive” posts on the Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh borders.
“There is little enthusiasm among lower-level police officials in the rebel-hit districts. Police in these areas fear the rebels could ambush them. The pickets should be withdrawn,” said Sawarmal Sharma, president of the Orissa Police Association (OPA).
Sharma, who returned from R. Udaygiri in Gajapati district yesterday, said a “sense of insecurity was evident in the hearts of the jawans” after the March 24 attack.
The OPA also demanded that anti-Naxalite police pickets be adequately fortified.
Arun Mohanty, president of the Orissa Police Havildar, Constable and Sepoy Confederation (OPHCSC), said the lower-level were ready to fight the extremists, but needed adequate arrangements. “When the Naxalites attack, the constables and the havildars are the ones who face the enemy bullets. Senior officials should be posted in the affected districts,” Mohanty said.
The policemen were also critical of the “combing operation” undertaken after the R. Udaygiri raid, calling it a “hoax”. “The jawans in the armed police barracks sat idle as they had little idea about the place,” Mohanty said.
A senior home department official, on the other hand, said the R. Udaygiri attack reflected the police’s “incompetence”. “It’s not as if the cops do not have the firepower. Remember, the armed jawans have light machine guns, which can kill hundreds. But what do you do to remove fear from the minds of the jawans?” he argued.
In the Assembly today, the chief minister said several steps have been taken to make the police force an efficient fighting machine. “The state has demanded inclusion of three more districts on the list of rebel-hit districts. We have also urged the Centre to provide four additional companies of CRPF jawans,” Naveen Patnaik pointed out, adding that he would press the demands in the meeting of chief ministers of extremism-affected states in Delhi.
Bhubaneswar, April 5: A day after the release of Ranjan Mallik and R.N. Sethi, the two officials held hostage since March 24, junior police personnel demanded their withdrawal from “sensitive” posts on the Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh borders.
“There is little enthusiasm among lower-level police officials in the rebel-hit districts. Police in these areas fear the rebels could ambush them. The pickets should be withdrawn,” said Sawarmal Sharma, president of the Orissa Police Association (OPA).
Sharma, who returned from R. Udaygiri in Gajapati district yesterday, said a “sense of insecurity was evident in the hearts of the jawans” after the March 24 attack.
The OPA also demanded that anti-Naxalite police pickets be adequately fortified.
Arun Mohanty, president of the Orissa Police Havildar, Constable and Sepoy Confederation (OPHCSC), said the lower-level were ready to fight the extremists, but needed adequate arrangements. “When the Naxalites attack, the constables and the havildars are the ones who face the enemy bullets. Senior officials should be posted in the affected districts,” Mohanty said.
The policemen were also critical of the “combing operation” undertaken after the R. Udaygiri raid, calling it a “hoax”. “The jawans in the armed police barracks sat idle as they had little idea about the place,” Mohanty said.
A senior home department official, on the other hand, said the R. Udaygiri attack reflected the police’s “incompetence”. “It’s not as if the cops do not have the firepower. Remember, the armed jawans have light machine guns, which can kill hundreds. But what do you do to remove fear from the minds of the jawans?” he argued.
In the Assembly today, the chief minister said several steps have been taken to make the police force an efficient fighting machine. “The state has demanded inclusion of three more districts on the list of rebel-hit districts. We have also urged the Centre to provide four additional companies of CRPF jawans,” Naveen Patnaik pointed out, adding that he would press the demands in the meeting of chief ministers of extremism-affected states in Delhi.
Cops plan to combat rebels
OUR CORRESPONDENT
Jamshedpur, April 5: Concerned over the spurt in Naxalite activities in the eastern states, police top brass from Jharkhand and Bengal today met to chalk out strategy to combat the menace more effectively.
About 15 top police officers from the two states including inspector-general of police D.K. Pandey, his Bengal counterpart B.P. Basu, four deputy inspector-generals of police and six superintendents of police attended the three-hour meeting held at Directors Bungalow here.
The IGP said the growing Naxalite menace in Jharkhand and adjoining districts of the neighbouring state mainly dominated the deliberations. “We discussed at length on long-term strategy to curb the activities of the rebels in the two neighbouring states. We also shared the information available with us, so that the problem could be tackled in a more effective manner,” Basu said.
The parley also witnessed both sides agreeing to deployment of additional forces on the bordering districts.
Terming the meeting fruitful, Basu said they also discussed the ongoing preparations for the Bengal Assembly elections.
“On the poll dates, all the checkposts on the national highways and state highways connecting the two states will be sealed. Patrolling will be intensified, so that no untoward incident could disrupt the election process,” he added.
Officials taking part in the meeting said the two states also exchanged information about some of the prominent Naxalites and their suspected hideouts. Both sides also agreed to launch simultaneous massive combing operations more frequently. “We have exchanged information on some of the top Naxalites of the area. We hope, it will help us trap them,” said officials.
OUR CORRESPONDENT
Jamshedpur, April 5: Concerned over the spurt in Naxalite activities in the eastern states, police top brass from Jharkhand and Bengal today met to chalk out strategy to combat the menace more effectively.
About 15 top police officers from the two states including inspector-general of police D.K. Pandey, his Bengal counterpart B.P. Basu, four deputy inspector-generals of police and six superintendents of police attended the three-hour meeting held at Directors Bungalow here.
The IGP said the growing Naxalite menace in Jharkhand and adjoining districts of the neighbouring state mainly dominated the deliberations. “We discussed at length on long-term strategy to curb the activities of the rebels in the two neighbouring states. We also shared the information available with us, so that the problem could be tackled in a more effective manner,” Basu said.
The parley also witnessed both sides agreeing to deployment of additional forces on the bordering districts.
Terming the meeting fruitful, Basu said they also discussed the ongoing preparations for the Bengal Assembly elections.
“On the poll dates, all the checkposts on the national highways and state highways connecting the two states will be sealed. Patrolling will be intensified, so that no untoward incident could disrupt the election process,” he added.
Officials taking part in the meeting said the two states also exchanged information about some of the prominent Naxalites and their suspected hideouts. Both sides also agreed to launch simultaneous massive combing operations more frequently. “We have exchanged information on some of the top Naxalites of the area. We hope, it will help us trap them,” said officials.
OUR CORRESPONDENT
A portion of Kolahi police picket of Tundi, about 50 km from the police headquarters in Dhanbad, which was blown up by the MCC activists. Picture by Gautam Dey
Dhanbad, April 5: Maoists blew up an abandoned police picket, which was being used to teach children, in Kolhahi last night.
The police claimed the incident took place around 10 pm when six people — four men and two women — drove up in a white Maruti van and set fire to the picket. The fire caused the bombs planted at the site to go off.
No one was present at the time of the attack as the picket was closed because of security reasons a month ago.
The picket, built in 1988, is under Tundi police station. It consisted of two rooms, eight cots and few chairs. It was built to control Naxalite activities, but was found to be in an insecure zone.
The police decided to abandon and establish another picket three kms away to have better survey of the area from the new location.
The villagers were using the picket as a school for poor children. The police said the attack was in retaliation to its spreading propaganda on the war against Naxalites.
The superintendent of police Dhanbad Baljeet Singh and additional SP M.P. Lakra visited the site this morning.
They directed “Long Range Patrolling” along the range after they learnt that rebel activities had increased after the transfer of former SP Pankaj Darad.
A portion of Kolahi police picket of Tundi, about 50 km from the police headquarters in Dhanbad, which was blown up by the MCC activists. Picture by Gautam Dey
Dhanbad, April 5: Maoists blew up an abandoned police picket, which was being used to teach children, in Kolhahi last night.
The police claimed the incident took place around 10 pm when six people — four men and two women — drove up in a white Maruti van and set fire to the picket. The fire caused the bombs planted at the site to go off.
No one was present at the time of the attack as the picket was closed because of security reasons a month ago.
The picket, built in 1988, is under Tundi police station. It consisted of two rooms, eight cots and few chairs. It was built to control Naxalite activities, but was found to be in an insecure zone.
The police decided to abandon and establish another picket three kms away to have better survey of the area from the new location.
The villagers were using the picket as a school for poor children. The police said the attack was in retaliation to its spreading propaganda on the war against Naxalites.
The superintendent of police Dhanbad Baljeet Singh and additional SP M.P. Lakra visited the site this morning.
They directed “Long Range Patrolling” along the range after they learnt that rebel activities had increased after the transfer of former SP Pankaj Darad.
Thursday April 6 2006 13:29 IST
BELLARY: Ever since the boom in mining activity in and around Bellary, it has become a hiding place for many Naxalites and mafia gangs from Bihar who are camping in and around Bellary.
Bihar was earlier famous for coal (Singhareni mines), but following the reorganisation of States and Singhareni now in Uttaranchal, many politicians in Bihar have turned to Bellary district.
But for the CPI(ML) group of Naxalites, Bellary has become a grazing field. Often the mine owners succumb to pressure tactics and pay up. These Naxals collect money that in turn is invested in weapons to supply to their counterparts in Ananthapur and Kurnool districts.
Shoot out in 1990: When Shankar Bidari was SP of Bellary, he raided a premises near Halakundi on the Bellary- Bangalore road and killed Bimla Naik in an encounter. Bimla was a constable of Andhra Pradesh who deserted. He was a self-acclaimed Naxal leader collecting ransom.
On April 29, 2004, Narasimha Reddy alias Srinivasa Reddy, of Korrapadu village in Uruvakonda taluk of AP kidnapped Rajesh Jain and four others and demanded Rs 1 crore.
Then SP Hemanth Nimbalkar (now Belgaum SP) not only rescued Rajesh Jain and the others, but also killed Narasimha Reddy when he tried to shoot police officers who took him to Pavagada to show where he had hidden bombs and grenades.
It is Ranga Reddy who tried to blackmail mine owner Santosh Kumar Modi for ransom, but failed in the attempt.
BELLARY: Ever since the boom in mining activity in and around Bellary, it has become a hiding place for many Naxalites and mafia gangs from Bihar who are camping in and around Bellary.
Bihar was earlier famous for coal (Singhareni mines), but following the reorganisation of States and Singhareni now in Uttaranchal, many politicians in Bihar have turned to Bellary district.
But for the CPI(ML) group of Naxalites, Bellary has become a grazing field. Often the mine owners succumb to pressure tactics and pay up. These Naxals collect money that in turn is invested in weapons to supply to their counterparts in Ananthapur and Kurnool districts.
Shoot out in 1990: When Shankar Bidari was SP of Bellary, he raided a premises near Halakundi on the Bellary- Bangalore road and killed Bimla Naik in an encounter. Bimla was a constable of Andhra Pradesh who deserted. He was a self-acclaimed Naxal leader collecting ransom.
On April 29, 2004, Narasimha Reddy alias Srinivasa Reddy, of Korrapadu village in Uruvakonda taluk of AP kidnapped Rajesh Jain and four others and demanded Rs 1 crore.
Then SP Hemanth Nimbalkar (now Belgaum SP) not only rescued Rajesh Jain and the others, but also killed Narasimha Reddy when he tried to shoot police officers who took him to Pavagada to show where he had hidden bombs and grenades.
It is Ranga Reddy who tried to blackmail mine owner Santosh Kumar Modi for ransom, but failed in the attempt.
Thursday April 6 2006 13:10 IST
GULBARGA: Superintendent of police Dr.K.Ramachandra Rao has asked people to be cautious about dealing with any strangers particularly in renting out their premises in the wake of arrest of a militant belonging to a the Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist outfit of Pakistan in Gulbarga recently.
The police have taken up an awareness drive with the SP addressing a number of congregations in the city stressing the need to be cautious in the light of the arrest of LeT militant Abdul Rehman.
It may be recalled that Rehman, who made Gulbarga as his base by hiring a building in Jelanabad, a Muslim- dominated area in the city has been found to have been contacting unemployed Muslim youths to recruit them to LeT luring with money and by arousing Islamic sentiments.
He was said to have been planning to send youths from here to the Pak occupied Kashmnir (PoK) for jehadi training.
The SP has asked people not to believe anyone who promises to provide employment in foreign countries and also not to be provoked and instigated in the name of Islam. The police have also cautioned people against naxal militants exploiting them by sympathising with their socio-economic deprivation.
“Before giving dwellings on rent, all the details of the occupant should be gathered and in the event of any suspicion, it should be immediately reported to the nearest police station”, Dr. Ramachandra Rao appealed to the people.
He also asked the people to inform the police if any one was found talking about Jehad and about socio-economic disparities in a provoking manner or found distributing pamphlets.
If any stranger comes to mosque for namaz or a place of worship for pooja they should be watched thoroughly, he advised.
GULBARGA: Superintendent of police Dr.K.Ramachandra Rao has asked people to be cautious about dealing with any strangers particularly in renting out their premises in the wake of arrest of a militant belonging to a the Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist outfit of Pakistan in Gulbarga recently.
The police have taken up an awareness drive with the SP addressing a number of congregations in the city stressing the need to be cautious in the light of the arrest of LeT militant Abdul Rehman.
It may be recalled that Rehman, who made Gulbarga as his base by hiring a building in Jelanabad, a Muslim- dominated area in the city has been found to have been contacting unemployed Muslim youths to recruit them to LeT luring with money and by arousing Islamic sentiments.
He was said to have been planning to send youths from here to the Pak occupied Kashmnir (PoK) for jehadi training.
The SP has asked people not to believe anyone who promises to provide employment in foreign countries and also not to be provoked and instigated in the name of Islam. The police have also cautioned people against naxal militants exploiting them by sympathising with their socio-economic deprivation.
“Before giving dwellings on rent, all the details of the occupant should be gathered and in the event of any suspicion, it should be immediately reported to the nearest police station”, Dr. Ramachandra Rao appealed to the people.
He also asked the people to inform the police if any one was found talking about Jehad and about socio-economic disparities in a provoking manner or found distributing pamphlets.
If any stranger comes to mosque for namaz or a place of worship for pooja they should be watched thoroughly, he advised.
Jamshedpur, Apr 5: In view of the coming elections in West Bengal, a meeting of Inspector General level of Jharkhand and West Bengal was today held here to chalk out a strategy to deal with extremist activities.
The Inspector General of West Bengal, B P Basu and his Jharkhand counterpart D K Pandey were among others who participated in the meeting.
Increasing naxal activities in both states were discussed and an action plan was chalked out to deal with it to ensure peaceful poll in West Bengal, Basu told reporters here.
Though the two states have been working jointly to combat the naxal menace but the meeting was focussed to further improve co-ordination between the officials of the two states.
Apart from exchanging information on the extremist movement and joint combing operation in respective areas particularly in bordering districts to check infiltration, a decision to seal the border before polling was also taken, Basu said.
It was decided to intensify patrolling in the bordering areas and to set up check posts in the sensitive areas to inculcate confidence among the people, he said.
The meeting focussed on improving co-ordination between the officials of the two states, Pandey said.
The Inspector General of West Bengal, B P Basu and his Jharkhand counterpart D K Pandey were among others who participated in the meeting.
Increasing naxal activities in both states were discussed and an action plan was chalked out to deal with it to ensure peaceful poll in West Bengal, Basu told reporters here.
Though the two states have been working jointly to combat the naxal menace but the meeting was focussed to further improve co-ordination between the officials of the two states.
Apart from exchanging information on the extremist movement and joint combing operation in respective areas particularly in bordering districts to check infiltration, a decision to seal the border before polling was also taken, Basu said.
It was decided to intensify patrolling in the bordering areas and to set up check posts in the sensitive areas to inculcate confidence among the people, he said.
The meeting focussed on improving co-ordination between the officials of the two states, Pandey said.
Raipur: Supercop KPS Gill has been appointed as the Security Advisor to the Chhattisgarh Government to deal with the
Naxalite problem in the State.
Gill is likely to charge from April 16.
The Chhattisgarh Government offered an annual contract to Gill, which he has reportedly accepted.
The former Director General of Police is credited for putting down the separatist militancy in Punjab in the 1990s.
The state government is also likely to formulate a new strategy to deal with the Communist Party of India (Maoist) cadres in a bid to curtail their growing activities in Bastar and other areas of the State.
The Naxal activities are prominent in 10 of the 16 districts of the State including the tribal region of Bastar, which borders Andhra Pradesh and the Sarguja region near Jharkhand.
Maoists claim to be fighting for the rights of poor peasants and landless labourers.
Gill is likely to charge from April 16.
The Chhattisgarh Government offered an annual contract to Gill, which he has reportedly accepted.
The former Director General of Police is credited for putting down the separatist militancy in Punjab in the 1990s.
The state government is also likely to formulate a new strategy to deal with the Communist Party of India (Maoist) cadres in a bid to curtail their growing activities in Bastar and other areas of the State.
The Naxal activities are prominent in 10 of the 16 districts of the State including the tribal region of Bastar, which borders Andhra Pradesh and the Sarguja region near Jharkhand.
Maoists claim to be fighting for the rights of poor peasants and landless labourers.
150
men in uniform have lost their lives
Tapan Chakravorti / Kolkata/ Ranchi April 06, 2006
The Jharkhand government has expanded insurance cover to policemen posted in 16 Naxal-infested districts.
From now the kin of policemen killed in Naxal violence would get a compensation of Rs 25 lakh.
The compensation package would also be applicable to policemen serving in other districts in case of Naxal violence.
Central paramilitary personnel and the homeguards deployed by the state in Naxal-hit districts would also get the benefit of the insurance cover of the same amount.
Jharkhand government has assigned National Insurance Company and Oriental Insurance company for implementing the scheme.
Till date over 150 policemen had been killed in incidents of Naxal violence in Jharkhand.
The state government has also decided to extend the additional financial benefits to the kins of the deceased policemen with retrospective effect.
The state government recently paid Rs 2.5 crore as premium to the insurance companies.
Besides, the compensatory amount the medical and educational expenses of wards of policemen would also be reimbursed under the scheme from the rank of constable to superintendent of police posted in Naxal-hit districts.
According to state home department, the Centre has agreed to reimburse the state government under the Security Related Expenditure Scheme, following its revision last year.
The Centre has increased the rates of reimbursement from 50 per cent to 100 per cent.
In Andhra Pradesh and Chattisgarh insurance plus reimbursement scheme for policemen were in operation.
Tapan Chakravorti / Kolkata/ Ranchi April 06, 2006
The Jharkhand government has expanded insurance cover to policemen posted in 16 Naxal-infested districts.
From now the kin of policemen killed in Naxal violence would get a compensation of Rs 25 lakh.
The compensation package would also be applicable to policemen serving in other districts in case of Naxal violence.
Central paramilitary personnel and the homeguards deployed by the state in Naxal-hit districts would also get the benefit of the insurance cover of the same amount.
Jharkhand government has assigned National Insurance Company and Oriental Insurance company for implementing the scheme.
Till date over 150 policemen had been killed in incidents of Naxal violence in Jharkhand.
The state government has also decided to extend the additional financial benefits to the kins of the deceased policemen with retrospective effect.
The state government recently paid Rs 2.5 crore as premium to the insurance companies.
Besides, the compensatory amount the medical and educational expenses of wards of policemen would also be reimbursed under the scheme from the rank of constable to superintendent of police posted in Naxal-hit districts.
According to state home department, the Centre has agreed to reimburse the state government under the Security Related Expenditure Scheme, following its revision last year.
The Centre has increased the rates of reimbursement from 50 per cent to 100 per cent.
In Andhra Pradesh and Chattisgarh insurance plus reimbursement scheme for policemen were in operation.
Regional
Adilabad, April 6 (UNI): A naxal leader belonging to Adilabad district surrendered before District Superintendent of Police, Kripanand Tripathi Ujela, on Wednesday.
S Yeshwanth Rao told police that he decided to surrender as he was vexed with the Maoist ideology. He also told police that the Maoist party was facing lot of difficulties regarding non-availability of food and shelter, and decreasing support from public.
S Yeshwanth Rao (22) alias Mahesh of Pangidimadaram village of Tiryani mandal, was attracted to naxalism by a CPI(Maoist) party leader, T Motiram, who used to visit his village. He joined the movement in 2004 and was attached to the Mangi Dalam. Recently, he was promoted as Deputy Commander.
S Yeshwanth Rao was involved in various incidents of arsons and blasting of jeeps, autorickshaws and motorcycle. He also killed two persons in Pangidimadarm, branding them as police informers. He killed one Sabitha in 2005, and attempted to murder a home guard in the same year, according to
Adilabad, April 6 (UNI): A naxal leader belonging to Adilabad district surrendered before District Superintendent of Police, Kripanand Tripathi Ujela, on Wednesday.
S Yeshwanth Rao told police that he decided to surrender as he was vexed with the Maoist ideology. He also told police that the Maoist party was facing lot of difficulties regarding non-availability of food and shelter, and decreasing support from public.
S Yeshwanth Rao (22) alias Mahesh of Pangidimadaram village of Tiryani mandal, was attracted to naxalism by a CPI(Maoist) party leader, T Motiram, who used to visit his village. He joined the movement in 2004 and was attached to the Mangi Dalam. Recently, he was promoted as Deputy Commander.
S Yeshwanth Rao was involved in various incidents of arsons and blasting of jeeps, autorickshaws and motorcycle. He also killed two persons in Pangidimadarm, branding them as police informers. He killed one Sabitha in 2005, and attempted to murder a home guard in the same year, according to
K'taka: Naxal leader arrested
April 05, 2006 02:24 IST
Last Updated: April 05, 2006 17:05 IST
In a major haul, the anti-Naxal cell of police on Tuesday raided a farm house rented by a naxalite leader in the district and recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition.
The raid, led by District Superintendent of Police Pankaj Kumar Thakur, yielded 10 improvised single shot stenguns, one 0.22 revolver, 26 live cartridges, 17 hand grenades, 13 partially prepared explosives, 1100 electronic detonators and seven special detonators, Inspector General of Police (Eastern Range) F M Pasha told reporters.
Besides these, gas cutters, eight knives, seven swords, a handbook on weapon making, a computer with scanner and one binocular were seized from the farmhouse rented by naxal leader Ranga Reddy of 'Vimukti Dalam', he said.
CPI (ML) literature, flag, letterheads, CD players, CDs and video cassettes were also found at the farm house at Buduguppa on the National Highway.
Terming it a "big haul" and a "landmark recovery in recent times," Pasha said Reddy was involved in 40 criminal cases, including murder, blackmail, explosion and kidnap in Kurnool and Ananthpur districts of Andhra Pradesh.
He said Reddy had taken the farmhouse on rent claiming he was a farmer in Andhra Pradesh.
All police stations in Bellary, Raichur and Koppal districts had been alerted and the police hoped to arrest Reddy soon, he said.
April 05, 2006 02:24 IST
Last Updated: April 05, 2006 17:05 IST
In a major haul, the anti-Naxal cell of police on Tuesday raided a farm house rented by a naxalite leader in the district and recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition.
The raid, led by District Superintendent of Police Pankaj Kumar Thakur, yielded 10 improvised single shot stenguns, one 0.22 revolver, 26 live cartridges, 17 hand grenades, 13 partially prepared explosives, 1100 electronic detonators and seven special detonators, Inspector General of Police (Eastern Range) F M Pasha told reporters.
Besides these, gas cutters, eight knives, seven swords, a handbook on weapon making, a computer with scanner and one binocular were seized from the farmhouse rented by naxal leader Ranga Reddy of 'Vimukti Dalam', he said.
CPI (ML) literature, flag, letterheads, CD players, CDs and video cassettes were also found at the farm house at Buduguppa on the National Highway.
Terming it a "big haul" and a "landmark recovery in recent times," Pasha said Reddy was involved in 40 criminal cases, including murder, blackmail, explosion and kidnap in Kurnool and Ananthpur districts of Andhra Pradesh.
He said Reddy had taken the farmhouse on rent claiming he was a farmer in Andhra Pradesh.
All police stations in Bellary, Raichur and Koppal districts had been alerted and the police hoped to arrest Reddy soon, he said.
[ Wednesday, April 05, 2006 01:48:28 am TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]
JEHANABAD: The CPI (Maoist) has called for a "chakka jam" in Jehanabad on Wednesday to protest the recent arrest of its leaders, including the commander of the Magadh zone of the CPI(M), Guddu Sharma alias Arjun, and the Patna rural district area commander, Brinda Singh.
In a press release issued by the secretary of the Banabar area committee of the CPI (Maoist), transporters have been asked to keep their vehicles off the roads on Wednesday, failing which they might be dealt with sternly by the organisation.
"The government will have to pay the price of its misadventure of arresting our revolutionary leaders with the help of informers and subsequently subjecting them to third degree in police custody at an undisclosed place," the release added.
Meanwhile, all the police stations in the twin districts of Jehanabad and Arwal have been put on high alert. Jehanabad SP B S Meena has issued instructions to all the officers-in-charge of different police stations in both the districts, advising utmost caution all the time.
They have been asked to ensure that normal life is not disturbed by the Naxalites' frequent calls for "chakka jam" and bandhs.
JEHANABAD: The CPI (Maoist) has called for a "chakka jam" in Jehanabad on Wednesday to protest the recent arrest of its leaders, including the commander of the Magadh zone of the CPI(M), Guddu Sharma alias Arjun, and the Patna rural district area commander, Brinda Singh.
In a press release issued by the secretary of the Banabar area committee of the CPI (Maoist), transporters have been asked to keep their vehicles off the roads on Wednesday, failing which they might be dealt with sternly by the organisation.
"The government will have to pay the price of its misadventure of arresting our revolutionary leaders with the help of informers and subsequently subjecting them to third degree in police custody at an undisclosed place," the release added.
Meanwhile, all the police stations in the twin districts of Jehanabad and Arwal have been put on high alert. Jehanabad SP B S Meena has issued instructions to all the officers-in-charge of different police stations in both the districts, advising utmost caution all the time.
They have been asked to ensure that normal life is not disturbed by the Naxalites' frequent calls for "chakka jam" and bandhs.
Statesman News Service
NEW DELHI, April 4. — The Election Commission today discussed the issue of sealing of West Bengal’s inter-state and international borders during the coming Assembly polls to avoid intrusion of anti-social elements.
The EC convened a high-level meeting of the chief election officer of West Bengal along with the chief secretaries and directors-general of police (DGPs) of West Bengal and its neighbouring states, Bihar and Jharkhand.
It has also issued instructions to the home ministry to ask paramilitary forces to step up vigilance and keep a check on criminals along the international border during the poll process in West Bengal.
The meeting started at 3 p.m. and continued for an hour. The main agenda was to discuss assistance from Bihar and Jharkhand to seal the state’s borders prior to all the five phases of assembly elections so as to keep a check on the movement of anti-social elements from intruding into West Bengal.
The Election Commission asked the state chief secretary and DGP to keep a check on naxal-affected areas particularly in view of the recent upsurge of violence in certain states. These areas include West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia, which are to go to polls on 17 April.
The EC also took up the issue of execution of non-bailable warrants (NBW) pending against criminals and asked the state government to take all precautionary measures against anti-social elements.
It instructed the West Bengal government to expedite the process of removing all hoardings that boast of the state government’s performance.
A National Democratic Alliance (NDA) delegation comprising BJP and Trinamul Congress leaders today apprised the Election Commission of their “apprehensions” over free and fair conduct of Assembly poll in West Bengal in view of what they alleged was the ruling Left Front’s “plan to rig booths” during the ensuing elections.
The delegation, comprising BJP general secretary and in-charge of West Bengal Mr Arun Jaitley and Trinamul’s Mr Mukul Roy and Mr Dinesh Trivedi, demanded that the state police be kept out of all poll duties inside booths. The EC told NDA leaders that it was aware of the problems.
CD on PM speech: The Assam CEO said the CD containing the Prime Minister’s election speech would be sent to the Election Commission.
Cong praises poll decorum, page 3
Subhas kicks up a row
NEW DELHI, April 4. — The Election Commission today ordered immediate filing of a complaint with police against state transport minister Mr Subhas Chakraborty for allegedly making certain “threatening” statements at a public meeting against government officials on poll duty. The Commission has asked the CEO to file the complaint. The EC also issued a notice to the CPI-M to submit an explanation regarding the statements made by Mr Chakraborty, EC sources said. It also sent a letter to the state chief secretary asking him to urgently look into the matter and take appropriate action and file a compliance report by tomorrow. — PTI
NEW DELHI, April 4. — The Election Commission today discussed the issue of sealing of West Bengal’s inter-state and international borders during the coming Assembly polls to avoid intrusion of anti-social elements.
The EC convened a high-level meeting of the chief election officer of West Bengal along with the chief secretaries and directors-general of police (DGPs) of West Bengal and its neighbouring states, Bihar and Jharkhand.
It has also issued instructions to the home ministry to ask paramilitary forces to step up vigilance and keep a check on criminals along the international border during the poll process in West Bengal.
The meeting started at 3 p.m. and continued for an hour. The main agenda was to discuss assistance from Bihar and Jharkhand to seal the state’s borders prior to all the five phases of assembly elections so as to keep a check on the movement of anti-social elements from intruding into West Bengal.
The Election Commission asked the state chief secretary and DGP to keep a check on naxal-affected areas particularly in view of the recent upsurge of violence in certain states. These areas include West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia, which are to go to polls on 17 April.
The EC also took up the issue of execution of non-bailable warrants (NBW) pending against criminals and asked the state government to take all precautionary measures against anti-social elements.
It instructed the West Bengal government to expedite the process of removing all hoardings that boast of the state government’s performance.
A National Democratic Alliance (NDA) delegation comprising BJP and Trinamul Congress leaders today apprised the Election Commission of their “apprehensions” over free and fair conduct of Assembly poll in West Bengal in view of what they alleged was the ruling Left Front’s “plan to rig booths” during the ensuing elections.
The delegation, comprising BJP general secretary and in-charge of West Bengal Mr Arun Jaitley and Trinamul’s Mr Mukul Roy and Mr Dinesh Trivedi, demanded that the state police be kept out of all poll duties inside booths. The EC told NDA leaders that it was aware of the problems.
CD on PM speech: The Assam CEO said the CD containing the Prime Minister’s election speech would be sent to the Election Commission.
Cong praises poll decorum, page 3
Subhas kicks up a row
NEW DELHI, April 4. — The Election Commission today ordered immediate filing of a complaint with police against state transport minister Mr Subhas Chakraborty for allegedly making certain “threatening” statements at a public meeting against government officials on poll duty. The Commission has asked the CEO to file the complaint. The EC also issued a notice to the CPI-M to submit an explanation regarding the statements made by Mr Chakraborty, EC sources said. It also sent a letter to the state chief secretary asking him to urgently look into the matter and take appropriate action and file a compliance report by tomorrow. — PTI
Bhubaneswar: The two Orissa police officials earlier abducted by Naxals in the state have been freed today.
Television news channel NDTV who earlier managed to meet the hostages in the dense forest bordering Orissa and Andhra Pradesh today reported release of hostages in “safe and sound condition”.
Twenty-seven-year-old sub-inspector Ranjan Mallik and 56-year-old jail superintendent Rabinarayan Sethi said on their release:
“They let us go today at about 3 pm (IST). I can't exactly say why they released me, but I'm very happy”.
“They treated us well and gave us all kinds of amenities,” Mallik added.
Meanwhile, Naxals peeved with State Government's lack of interest in getting the duo released said they have set them free on humanitarian grounds with the state government not even attempting to negotiate.
Earlier, Maoist leader and state secretary of the Naxal group, Sunil alias Sabysachi Panda had made a five point demand in return for the officials release that included withdrawal of central forces and a complete halt to the displacement of people in the name of industrialization.
“If we had abducted the Chief Minister or a District Collector or an influential person, the government would have speedily acted on our demands” Panda had said earlier.
Mallik and Sethi were taken hostage by the rebel Maoist after they carried attack in Ramgiri-Udaygiri in Orissa's Gajapati district on March 24.
Following the TV reports Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had assured of taking efforts to rescue them on April 1.
Television news channel NDTV who earlier managed to meet the hostages in the dense forest bordering Orissa and Andhra Pradesh today reported release of hostages in “safe and sound condition”.
Twenty-seven-year-old sub-inspector Ranjan Mallik and 56-year-old jail superintendent Rabinarayan Sethi said on their release:
“They let us go today at about 3 pm (IST). I can't exactly say why they released me, but I'm very happy”.
“They treated us well and gave us all kinds of amenities,” Mallik added.
Meanwhile, Naxals peeved with State Government's lack of interest in getting the duo released said they have set them free on humanitarian grounds with the state government not even attempting to negotiate.
Earlier, Maoist leader and state secretary of the Naxal group, Sunil alias Sabysachi Panda had made a five point demand in return for the officials release that included withdrawal of central forces and a complete halt to the displacement of people in the name of industrialization.
“If we had abducted the Chief Minister or a District Collector or an influential person, the government would have speedily acted on our demands” Panda had said earlier.
Mallik and Sethi were taken hostage by the rebel Maoist after they carried attack in Ramgiri-Udaygiri in Orissa's Gajapati district on March 24.
Following the TV reports Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had assured of taking efforts to rescue them on April 1.
TS Sudhir
Tuesday, April 4, 2006 (Hyderabad):
Tuesday, April 4, 2006 (Hyderabad):
Andhra Pradesh's top cop can afford to sit back and smile, at least for the time being.
In the last few months, there has been a relative lull in the state while the Naxal offensive seems to have shifted to Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Jharkhand.
"They did not have the wherewithal we had. I do not know if they had a very clear-cut game plan as we had. I do not know how much support they are getting from their government,'' said Swaranjit Sen, DGP, Andhra Pradesh.
Security experts say Andhra Pradesh is more geared up to combat any Naxal threat compared to other states.
Naxal grievances
A case in point is the recent abduction of two policemen in Orissa.
The Andhra Pradesh police reportedly tipped off the Orissa police that there could be some Naxal action because suspicious movement of Naxals across the Andhra-Orissa border had come to notice, but Orissa apparently failed to act on it.
What perhaps also helped the Andhra police is that with former Naxal emissaries Varavara Rao and Kalyan Rao behind bars for the last seven months, the Naxals had no voice in the public domain.
But now that they are out on bail, the duo says they were detained despite the ban on their organisation being lifted.
"It is as if the ban on Virasam continues. For four and a half months, we were kept in illegal custody," said Varavara Rao, former Naxal emissary.
"These people are spinning all sorts of stories to try and psychologically build the determination of their cadre. If they violate the conditions of bail, we may have to take a strict view of it,'' said Swaranjit Sen, DGP, Andhra Pradesh.
The Andhra Pradesh police reportedly got a pat on the back at the recent anti-Naxal strategy meeting in Delhi, but veteran observers say a lull in Naxal territory could only mean a storm is imminent.
Jehanabad: April 4, 2006
The state government, on Tuesday, issued a red alert in Jehanabad district where Naxalites with allegiance to Communist Party of India (Maoist) have threatened to bring the normal functioning of the town to a screeching halt on Wednesday to protest the arrest of their leader and hardcore extremists Guddu Sharma and Vrinda Singh, the police in Patna said.
"Those who defy our orders will be dealt with strictly," the Maoists have announced in their literature widely distributed in the district.
Security has been heightened throughout the district where officials have been ordered to shoot and kill any Naxalite trying to stir up trouble. Patrolling has also been intensified on the railroad tracks in Makhdumpur and other stations to ward off any attempt to blow up lines – the most favorite target of extremist outfits in Bihar.
In a call to a local newspaper in Patna, a spokesperson for the terrorist outfit said that the arrest of Guddu Sharma and Vrinda would have strong retaliatory actions and the state would end up paying heavy price for it.
Senior district officials are monitoring the situation closely.
Meanwhile, the station master of Nadaul railway station Rajesh Kumar, filed an FIR against unidentified extremists for last Sunday night attack on the railway station and said the drama was enacted by the ultras to press for their demand for the release of Sharma and Vrinda.
The state government, on Tuesday, issued a red alert in Jehanabad district where Naxalites with allegiance to Communist Party of India (Maoist) have threatened to bring the normal functioning of the town to a screeching halt on Wednesday to protest the arrest of their leader and hardcore extremists Guddu Sharma and Vrinda Singh, the police in Patna said.
"Those who defy our orders will be dealt with strictly," the Maoists have announced in their literature widely distributed in the district.
Security has been heightened throughout the district where officials have been ordered to shoot and kill any Naxalite trying to stir up trouble. Patrolling has also been intensified on the railroad tracks in Makhdumpur and other stations to ward off any attempt to blow up lines – the most favorite target of extremist outfits in Bihar.
In a call to a local newspaper in Patna, a spokesperson for the terrorist outfit said that the arrest of Guddu Sharma and Vrinda would have strong retaliatory actions and the state would end up paying heavy price for it.
Senior district officials are monitoring the situation closely.
Meanwhile, the station master of Nadaul railway station Rajesh Kumar, filed an FIR against unidentified extremists for last Sunday night attack on the railway station and said the drama was enacted by the ultras to press for their demand for the release of Sharma and Vrinda.
CNBC-TV18 spoke to three experts, about the increasing Naxalite problem and possible solutions.
2006-04-03 14:05
In November they stormed Jahanabad. In early March they hijacked the train in Jharkand, and last week they beseeched Udaygiri in Orrisa. Are we in danger of the Naxalite movement slowly but steadily overwhelming the country. What do we need to do to tackle the threat?
Ajit Kumar Doval: Former Director of the Intelligence Bureau
“The Naxalite strategy of increasing power had to come in five stages. The Naxalite threat is very present in all these areas(170 districts in 15 states). Even in those areas where the violence has not been very high, it would be completely wrong for us to say that they are not present there or they are not consolidating themselves.
“In September 2004 the merger of two major naxal groups in the countries came about, this has been brought under a single umbrella. 92% of the left naxal movement which has happened for the first time in the country. After the merger they named themselves as communist party of India Maoist , echoing the Nepalese. That itself established the links between Nepalese Maoists and Indian Naxalites. There are there power players in Nepal. The Monarchy, the Democratic Party, and the left Naxal movement and the left movement are the strongest today.”
Ajaj Shahani: Executive Director of Institute for Conflict Management
“We have been saying that you cannot have development in areas of high-level conflict. You have go to first contain the conflict only then will the funds or the provision of financing and other services actually reach the people.
“If we make a comparison between Kashmir and Naxalite violence over the past three years, it was less than a third in the Maoists areas in 2004. It went up to half in 2005. If one looks at this year, we have 235 fatalities in the first three months in Maoists areas as compared to 185 in Jammu and Kashmir. In Jammu and Kashmir, out of the 185 killed , 123 were terrorists. In the naxalite area out of 256 killed, 80 were Maoists.”
“I think there has been a complete effort to underplay the situation. One is the whole thing about districts. In the past official reports have confirmed the figure of 149 districts in 2005 November. We had the home ministry reports last year that say 76 districts. So they are trying to underplay that. There is another statistics in the home ministries annual report that says there are 9300 armed guards. The Minister of State for home says 7200 armed guards in the last month. They are manufacturing the numbers.”
“I think we have to go beyond the law. We have to go to constitutional amendments. We have to review the whole structure of Law and Order administration in this country. We are now speaking of trying to co-ordinate counter terrorism responses across fourteen-fifteen states. You will remember the absolutely disastrous experiment when they tried to have a joint task force just to chase one Veerappan. You cannot have co-ordination in this country. There are constitutional obstacles to this.”
Ved Marwah: Former Governor Of Jharkhand
“Not only this problem is bigger, it is much more difficult in the sense that both the North-East and Jammu and Kashmir are border states. The rest of the country can look at the problems in these areas in the media and they are really not bothered it. Daily life is not affected. This is a main line problem. Today there is a situation already there that they can stop rail traffic; road traffic and they can do anything in this mainstream area. For example the train from Delhi to Howrah can be stopped.”
"They have the potential to use lethal weapons like they have been used in the North East and Jammu and Kashmir. Their capacities are growing and the polices’ capacity is declining and that is where the danger comes in. The Naxal movement has decided not to use these lethal weapons in the initial stages of their revolutionary movement. Not because they have got shortage of funds. The classical theory is that you should get the people to use these weapons. It is a change in tactics. As far as funds are concerned, they are getting funds in thousands”
“It is not true that the Government is not aware of the extent of the problem. They are very well aware. The Prime Minister is aware, the Home Minister is aware and everybody else is aware. It is the cause today our rulers are so totally preoccupied with electoral politics that they have absolutely no time for problems like Naxalism and for many other security problems.”
“First of all the government’s strategy must recognize the fact that it is a national problem. It is not a state problem. The Center has been saying it again and again that this is Law and Order of the state, which is simply not true. Number two is that we must have specially trained forces in Gorilla tactics. This sending in so many CRPF battalions serves no purpose at all. They haven’t fire fighters they are protecting themselves. Number three there should have special laws to deal with this problem. Number four, they should have equipments and other resources, which these people know and they should have leadership problem. You should have those officers who really can do their job in these places. “
2006-04-03 14:05
In November they stormed Jahanabad. In early March they hijacked the train in Jharkand, and last week they beseeched Udaygiri in Orrisa. Are we in danger of the Naxalite movement slowly but steadily overwhelming the country. What do we need to do to tackle the threat?
Ajit Kumar Doval: Former Director of the Intelligence Bureau
“The Naxalite strategy of increasing power had to come in five stages. The Naxalite threat is very present in all these areas(170 districts in 15 states). Even in those areas where the violence has not been very high, it would be completely wrong for us to say that they are not present there or they are not consolidating themselves.
“In September 2004 the merger of two major naxal groups in the countries came about, this has been brought under a single umbrella. 92% of the left naxal movement which has happened for the first time in the country. After the merger they named themselves as communist party of India Maoist , echoing the Nepalese. That itself established the links between Nepalese Maoists and Indian Naxalites. There are there power players in Nepal. The Monarchy, the Democratic Party, and the left Naxal movement and the left movement are the strongest today.”
Ajaj Shahani: Executive Director of Institute for Conflict Management
“We have been saying that you cannot have development in areas of high-level conflict. You have go to first contain the conflict only then will the funds or the provision of financing and other services actually reach the people.
“If we make a comparison between Kashmir and Naxalite violence over the past three years, it was less than a third in the Maoists areas in 2004. It went up to half in 2005. If one looks at this year, we have 235 fatalities in the first three months in Maoists areas as compared to 185 in Jammu and Kashmir. In Jammu and Kashmir, out of the 185 killed , 123 were terrorists. In the naxalite area out of 256 killed, 80 were Maoists.”
“I think there has been a complete effort to underplay the situation. One is the whole thing about districts. In the past official reports have confirmed the figure of 149 districts in 2005 November. We had the home ministry reports last year that say 76 districts. So they are trying to underplay that. There is another statistics in the home ministries annual report that says there are 9300 armed guards. The Minister of State for home says 7200 armed guards in the last month. They are manufacturing the numbers.”
“I think we have to go beyond the law. We have to go to constitutional amendments. We have to review the whole structure of Law and Order administration in this country. We are now speaking of trying to co-ordinate counter terrorism responses across fourteen-fifteen states. You will remember the absolutely disastrous experiment when they tried to have a joint task force just to chase one Veerappan. You cannot have co-ordination in this country. There are constitutional obstacles to this.”
Ved Marwah: Former Governor Of Jharkhand
“Not only this problem is bigger, it is much more difficult in the sense that both the North-East and Jammu and Kashmir are border states. The rest of the country can look at the problems in these areas in the media and they are really not bothered it. Daily life is not affected. This is a main line problem. Today there is a situation already there that they can stop rail traffic; road traffic and they can do anything in this mainstream area. For example the train from Delhi to Howrah can be stopped.”
"They have the potential to use lethal weapons like they have been used in the North East and Jammu and Kashmir. Their capacities are growing and the polices’ capacity is declining and that is where the danger comes in. The Naxal movement has decided not to use these lethal weapons in the initial stages of their revolutionary movement. Not because they have got shortage of funds. The classical theory is that you should get the people to use these weapons. It is a change in tactics. As far as funds are concerned, they are getting funds in thousands”
“It is not true that the Government is not aware of the extent of the problem. They are very well aware. The Prime Minister is aware, the Home Minister is aware and everybody else is aware. It is the cause today our rulers are so totally preoccupied with electoral politics that they have absolutely no time for problems like Naxalism and for many other security problems.”
“First of all the government’s strategy must recognize the fact that it is a national problem. It is not a state problem. The Center has been saying it again and again that this is Law and Order of the state, which is simply not true. Number two is that we must have specially trained forces in Gorilla tactics. This sending in so many CRPF battalions serves no purpose at all. They haven’t fire fighters they are protecting themselves. Number three there should have special laws to deal with this problem. Number four, they should have equipments and other resources, which these people know and they should have leadership problem. You should have those officers who really can do their job in these places. “
News -- Koppala: Bellary Police Raid Naxal Hide-out - Notorious Ranga Reddy Manages to Escape
Daijiworld Special Correspondent from Bellary (GA)
Koppala, Apr 4: The Bellary police raided a Naxal hide-out at Boodgumpa village in Koppal taluk and seized huge quantity of explosives from the house on Monday April 3 afternoon. But the notorious Naxalite Ranga Reddy, who is said to be living in the house managed to escape from the police.
The police raided the house after receiving a sure tip off that Ranga Reddy had taken a house for rent in the Boodgumpa village last week.
The police seized 10 SLR granites, hand granites, detonators etc from the house. The police also found a computer and counterfeit currency printing machine from the same house.
The police came to know about Ranga Reddy's hide-out while investigating 4 persons with regard to the SK Modi threatening case. However, the Naxalites managed to escape just before the police arrival.
Bellary SP Pankaj Kumar Thakur and Koppal SP A S N Murthy visited the place and took stock of the events.
Daijiworld Special Correspondent from Bellary (GA)
Koppala, Apr 4: The Bellary police raided a Naxal hide-out at Boodgumpa village in Koppal taluk and seized huge quantity of explosives from the house on Monday April 3 afternoon. But the notorious Naxalite Ranga Reddy, who is said to be living in the house managed to escape from the police.
The police raided the house after receiving a sure tip off that Ranga Reddy had taken a house for rent in the Boodgumpa village last week.
The police seized 10 SLR granites, hand granites, detonators etc from the house. The police also found a computer and counterfeit currency printing machine from the same house.
The police came to know about Ranga Reddy's hide-out while investigating 4 persons with regard to the SK Modi threatening case. However, the Naxalites managed to escape just before the police arrival.
Bellary SP Pankaj Kumar Thakur and Koppal SP A S N Murthy visited the place and took stock of the events.
Tuesday April 4 2006 11:31 IST
BELLARY: Superintendent of Police Pankaj Kumar Thakur and Koppal Superintendent of Police in a joint raid broke open the locked house in Buduguppa village under Munirabad police limits in Koppal district on Monday evening and seized 10 sten guns, lot of explosives, hand grenades, detonators and arm making equipment with lot of leftist literature.
Speaking to this correspondent from Buduguppa village, Pankaj Kumar said they were watching this house since 1 month.
This was supposed to be the hideout of Ranga Reddy Naxal leader wanted in number of cases including murder and other explosion activities.
Police were expecting arrival of Ranga Reddy to this house since three days.
When he did not turn up, they decided to break open the house.
IGP Eastern Range Pasha is camping in Hospet and is supervising theinvestigation. Search is on for Ranga Reddy
BELLARY: Superintendent of Police Pankaj Kumar Thakur and Koppal Superintendent of Police in a joint raid broke open the locked house in Buduguppa village under Munirabad police limits in Koppal district on Monday evening and seized 10 sten guns, lot of explosives, hand grenades, detonators and arm making equipment with lot of leftist literature.
Speaking to this correspondent from Buduguppa village, Pankaj Kumar said they were watching this house since 1 month.
This was supposed to be the hideout of Ranga Reddy Naxal leader wanted in number of cases including murder and other explosion activities.
Police were expecting arrival of Ranga Reddy to this house since three days.
When he did not turn up, they decided to break open the house.
IGP Eastern Range Pasha is camping in Hospet and is supervising theinvestigation. Search is on for Ranga Reddy
Bhubaneswar, April 2 (PTI): The BJP today said it was not in favour of conceding any of the demands put forward by the Maoists to release two police officers abducted by them ten days ago while asserting that Naxalite outfits should be banned by the Orissa government.
"We cannot concede the demands put forward by Naxalites to free two police officers," state BJP president Jual Oram said here. BJP is partner of the ruling coalition led by BJD in state.
Oram said "rescuing the hostages is the prime responsibility of the government. We will support the government in whatever strategy it will decide to adopt to rescue them".
Oram also reiterated the party's demand that all Naxalite outfits should be banned in the state.
On the demand to release all Naxalites in Orissa jails, Oram said, "this is a very vague demand. They don't have any list to substantiate their claim".
In an audacious act, over 400 armed Naxalites had attacked an Orissa State Armed police (OSAP) camp, police station and sub-jail and abducted two officials from Ramgiri Udaygiri town in Gajapati district on March 24 last.
The two officials, Jail Superintendent Rabinarayan Sethi and Officer-in-charge of the police station Ranjan Kumar Mallick had appealed to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik through a letter to adopt a lenient view on five demands of naxalites and take steps to release them.
When asked if BJP would adhere to the same "no compromise approach" if a political leader or top official was abducted, Oram said "the party has not taken any decision in this regard. We need to deliberate on this issue more deeply so that we can take a definite stand."
"We cannot concede the demands put forward by Naxalites to free two police officers," state BJP president Jual Oram said here. BJP is partner of the ruling coalition led by BJD in state.
Oram said "rescuing the hostages is the prime responsibility of the government. We will support the government in whatever strategy it will decide to adopt to rescue them".
Oram also reiterated the party's demand that all Naxalite outfits should be banned in the state.
On the demand to release all Naxalites in Orissa jails, Oram said, "this is a very vague demand. They don't have any list to substantiate their claim".
In an audacious act, over 400 armed Naxalites had attacked an Orissa State Armed police (OSAP) camp, police station and sub-jail and abducted two officials from Ramgiri Udaygiri town in Gajapati district on March 24 last.
The two officials, Jail Superintendent Rabinarayan Sethi and Officer-in-charge of the police station Ranjan Kumar Mallick had appealed to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik through a letter to adopt a lenient view on five demands of naxalites and take steps to release them.
When asked if BJP would adhere to the same "no compromise approach" if a political leader or top official was abducted, Oram said "the party has not taken any decision in this regard. We need to deliberate on this issue more deeply so that we can take a definite stand."
Sunday, April 02, 2006 18:05 IST
RAIPUR: Suspected Maoists have threatened to behead Chhattisgarh Agriculture and Food Minister Nanki Ram Kanwar if he failed to pay Rs 10 lakh to a Naxal organisation, officials said on Sunday.
"We have received a letter at our ministerial residence here, in which the Minister has been asked to pay Rs 10 lakh to the Garhwa Zonal Committee of the Maoists Communist Centre (MCC)," the staff of the Minister said.
"The letter, received last week by post, also said if the Minister fails to pay the amount and dares to visit his constituency in Korba district, he will be beheaded", they said.
Since Kanwar was on tour to his assembly constituency, he could not be cotacted. Confirming the incident, Home Minister Ram Vichar Netam said, he had spoken to the senior Tribal Minister last night and the officials have been asked to look into the threat.
The Director General of Police Om Prakash Rathor said the Inspector General of Police Bilaspur and District Superintendent of Police Korba have already been instructed to probe the matter.
"At this stage it cannot be said without verification if it is a genuine letter from the Maoists or some other elements. That's why the senior police officers have been asked to procure a copy of the letter and look into it", the DGP said.
RAIPUR: Suspected Maoists have threatened to behead Chhattisgarh Agriculture and Food Minister Nanki Ram Kanwar if he failed to pay Rs 10 lakh to a Naxal organisation, officials said on Sunday.
"We have received a letter at our ministerial residence here, in which the Minister has been asked to pay Rs 10 lakh to the Garhwa Zonal Committee of the Maoists Communist Centre (MCC)," the staff of the Minister said.
"The letter, received last week by post, also said if the Minister fails to pay the amount and dares to visit his constituency in Korba district, he will be beheaded", they said.
Since Kanwar was on tour to his assembly constituency, he could not be cotacted. Confirming the incident, Home Minister Ram Vichar Netam said, he had spoken to the senior Tribal Minister last night and the officials have been asked to look into the threat.
The Director General of Police Om Prakash Rathor said the Inspector General of Police Bilaspur and District Superintendent of Police Korba have already been instructed to probe the matter.
"At this stage it cannot be said without verification if it is a genuine letter from the Maoists or some other elements. That's why the senior police officers have been asked to procure a copy of the letter and look into it", the DGP said.
[
Sunday, April 02, 2006 02:30:43 pmPTI ]
RSS Feeds| SMS NEWS to 8888 for latest updates
RAIPUR: Suspected Maoists have threatened to behead Chhattisgarh Agriculture and Food Minister Nanki Ram Kanwar if he failed to pay Rs 10 lakh to a naxal organisation, officials said on Sunday.
"We have received a letter at our ministerial residence here, in which the Minister has been asked to pay Rs 10 lakh to the Garhwa Zonal Committee of the Maoists Communist Centre (MCC)," the staff of the Minister said.
"The letter, received last week by post, also said if the Minister fails to pay the amount and dares to visit his constituency in Korba district, he will be beheaded", they said.
Since Kanwar was on tour to his assembly constituency, he could not be cotacted.
Confirming the incident, Home Minister Ram Vichar Netam said, he had spoken to the senior Tribal Minister on Saturday night and the officials have been asked to look into the threat The Director General of Police Om Prakash Rathor said the Inspector General of Police Bilaspur and District Superintendent of Police Korba have already been instructed to probe the matter.
"At this stage it cannot be said without verification if it is a genuine letter from the Maoists or some other elements. That's why the senior police officers have been asked to procure a copy of the letter and look into it", the DGP said.
The security of Kanwar and other Ministers has also been beefed up in the wake of threat on their lives, he said
RSS Feeds| SMS NEWS to 8888 for latest updates
RAIPUR: Suspected Maoists have threatened to behead Chhattisgarh Agriculture and Food Minister Nanki Ram Kanwar if he failed to pay Rs 10 lakh to a naxal organisation, officials said on Sunday.
"We have received a letter at our ministerial residence here, in which the Minister has been asked to pay Rs 10 lakh to the Garhwa Zonal Committee of the Maoists Communist Centre (MCC)," the staff of the Minister said.
"The letter, received last week by post, also said if the Minister fails to pay the amount and dares to visit his constituency in Korba district, he will be beheaded", they said.
Since Kanwar was on tour to his assembly constituency, he could not be cotacted.
Confirming the incident, Home Minister Ram Vichar Netam said, he had spoken to the senior Tribal Minister on Saturday night and the officials have been asked to look into the threat The Director General of Police Om Prakash Rathor said the Inspector General of Police Bilaspur and District Superintendent of Police Korba have already been instructed to probe the matter.
"At this stage it cannot be said without verification if it is a genuine letter from the Maoists or some other elements. That's why the senior police officers have been asked to procure a copy of the letter and look into it", the DGP said.
The security of Kanwar and other Ministers has also been beefed up in the wake of threat on their lives, he said
Sunday April 2 2006 09:48 IST
CUTTACK/BHUBANESWAR: The R Udayagiri incident still fresh in memory, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday told policemen that Left extremism has posed a great challenge for the security force.
After taking salute at the 71st Orissa Police Formation Day function, the CM said, development requires a conducive and peaceful environment. Police have a task cut out for them, he felt.
He also paid tribute to the three cops who had paid with their lives in the encounter with the ultras on March 24 at R Udayagiri.
Director-General of Police Suchit Das said the State Police is committed to thwart Naxal menace in the State. Former DG of Police Dilip Kumar Mohapatra and former IG N R Patnaik were honoured.
In the Capital, DIG (Bhubaneswar Range) Y B Khurania took salute at a parade. Khurda SP Amitabh Thakur was also present.
CUTTACK/BHUBANESWAR: The R Udayagiri incident still fresh in memory, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday told policemen that Left extremism has posed a great challenge for the security force.
After taking salute at the 71st Orissa Police Formation Day function, the CM said, development requires a conducive and peaceful environment. Police have a task cut out for them, he felt.
He also paid tribute to the three cops who had paid with their lives in the encounter with the ultras on March 24 at R Udayagiri.
Director-General of Police Suchit Das said the State Police is committed to thwart Naxal menace in the State. Former DG of Police Dilip Kumar Mohapatra and former IG N R Patnaik were honoured.
In the Capital, DIG (Bhubaneswar Range) Y B Khurania took salute at a parade. Khurda SP Amitabh Thakur was also present.
Shillong, Apr 02: The Centre has approved Rs 3,740.71 crore for modernisation of all the central paramilitary forces in the country, including the Assam Rifles, for a five year period ending 2007, a Union Home Ministry report has said.
Of the amount, Rs 484.75 crore was approved for the Shillong-headquartered Assam Rifles, the oldest among all the central paramilitary forces.
The report said in the first year (2002-03), an amount of Rs 76.36 crore had been approved for the AR. The fund was subsequently raised to Rs 105.77 crore in the fifth year (2006-07).
The ministry's report for 2005-06 said continuous enhancement of the operational efficiency of the central para military forces was the major focus of the modernisation programme of the forces.
To meet the challenges of increased militancy and terrorist activities, a five year perspective plan for modernisation of weapons, machinery, transport, communication, surveillance, night vision and training equipment were formulated, the report said.
The report said in keeping with increasingly important and high risk roles being performed by the central para military forces in maintaining internal security and guarding of the borders of the country, the ministry increased its budget provisions for all the forces.
Accordingly, budget provision for the AR was increased from Rs 711.20 crore in 2002-03 to Rs 915.95 crore in 2005-06 (upto December 31, 2005).
With a view to providing more job opportunities to the youth of border states and militancy-affected areas, the recruitment scheme of constables in central para military forces was also revised.
Under the revised scheme, 60 per cent of vacancies would be allotted among the states/union territories on the basis of population ratio.
Twenty per cent vacancies in the border guarding forces (like AR, BSF, ITBP and SSB) would be allotted to border districts, falling within the responsibility of the force, the report said.
The rest of 20 per cent vacancies in border guarding forces would be allotted to areas affected by militancy like the north east, Jammu and Kashmir and Naxal-infested areas. The districts or areas affected by militancy would be notified by the government from time to time, the report said.
In forces other than BGF, 40 per cent vacancies would be allotted to militancy-affected areas like north eastern states, J&K and Naxal-infested areas which would be notified by the government from time to time.
On the question of raising additional central para military forces, the ministry said it would assess the future requirement of the central para military forces and initiate steps to augment their strength as well as equip the forces with state-of-art technology.
The CPFs were made available to help the state governments maintain public order. These forces were playing a key role in the overall management of internal security situation in the country.
The strength manpower in all the CPFs was 4,28,918 in 1998, including 52,067 in AR. The figure increased to 7,05,469 in 2005, including 65,185 in the AR, the report said.
Bureau Report
Of the amount, Rs 484.75 crore was approved for the Shillong-headquartered Assam Rifles, the oldest among all the central paramilitary forces.
The report said in the first year (2002-03), an amount of Rs 76.36 crore had been approved for the AR. The fund was subsequently raised to Rs 105.77 crore in the fifth year (2006-07).
The ministry's report for 2005-06 said continuous enhancement of the operational efficiency of the central para military forces was the major focus of the modernisation programme of the forces.
To meet the challenges of increased militancy and terrorist activities, a five year perspective plan for modernisation of weapons, machinery, transport, communication, surveillance, night vision and training equipment were formulated, the report said.
The report said in keeping with increasingly important and high risk roles being performed by the central para military forces in maintaining internal security and guarding of the borders of the country, the ministry increased its budget provisions for all the forces.
Accordingly, budget provision for the AR was increased from Rs 711.20 crore in 2002-03 to Rs 915.95 crore in 2005-06 (upto December 31, 2005).
With a view to providing more job opportunities to the youth of border states and militancy-affected areas, the recruitment scheme of constables in central para military forces was also revised.
Under the revised scheme, 60 per cent of vacancies would be allotted among the states/union territories on the basis of population ratio.
Twenty per cent vacancies in the border guarding forces (like AR, BSF, ITBP and SSB) would be allotted to border districts, falling within the responsibility of the force, the report said.
The rest of 20 per cent vacancies in border guarding forces would be allotted to areas affected by militancy like the north east, Jammu and Kashmir and Naxal-infested areas. The districts or areas affected by militancy would be notified by the government from time to time, the report said.
In forces other than BGF, 40 per cent vacancies would be allotted to militancy-affected areas like north eastern states, J&K and Naxal-infested areas which would be notified by the government from time to time.
On the question of raising additional central para military forces, the ministry said it would assess the future requirement of the central para military forces and initiate steps to augment their strength as well as equip the forces with state-of-art technology.
The CPFs were made available to help the state governments maintain public order. These forces were playing a key role in the overall management of internal security situation in the country.
The strength manpower in all the CPFs was 4,28,918 in 1998, including 52,067 in AR. The figure increased to 7,05,469 in 2005, including 65,185 in the AR, the report said.
Bureau Report
G Manjusainath discovers that Bastar is a far cry from Ram rajya today and indeed has been for many years.
Scenic Bastar is bleeding today. In its worst ever phase, Bastar has slipped into acute anarchy, often being termed as the Naxal heartland.
One can blame the absence of land reforms, lack of development, exploitation and corruption for the present state of Bastar but violence and anarchy were the fate of this tribal dominated area since the Ramayan era.
Bordering with Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Orissa, Bastar region in the southern part of Chhattisgarh has emerged as the headquarters of the Naxalites ever since Andhra Pradesh intensified its operation against the rebels.
However, they are now facing protests from those natives who had once given them shelter. With the anti-Naxal movement, Slawa Judum, initiated by the local administration, now gaining ground in the region, the baffled rebels are not even sparing the poor tribals.
Salwa judum means gather together in local Halbi dialect. Generally this term is used to gather people for some noble cause.
Known as Dandakaranya in Indian mythology, the Bastar region was always fertile for insurgent elements. Covering three districts- Kanker, Bastar and Dantewada - this Dandakaranya zone was the turning point in Ramayana. Plot for the divine objectives of the Hindu Trinity to uproot the rakshasas from this pious land was formulated here only.
Indian mythology says that Lord Rama spent his precious 13 years in this region till the abduction of Goddess Sita.
As noted archaeologist and joint director of the Archaeology and Culture Department of Chhattisgarh, Rahul Singh, puts it, “We worship Lord Rama for he had eliminated the evil forces, who were encouraged by Ravana. Going through the Ramayana one can realise that Dandakaranya was the main area of operation of Ravana and his demon forces.”
“At least Ramayana gives clear indication that Dandakaranya was the breeding place for insurgency and it needed extra attention. We are now facing the results for ignoring the messages from the Ramayana. I can say that Ramayana is still relevant. What we need is a close study of this epic to compare it with present circumstances,” says Girija Shankar Dubey, a scholar.
Scholars say that the evidences of Ramayana era are spread everywhere in this region. A senior photojournalist Vinay S Harma, who travelled extensively in many parts of Bastar says, “I was amazed when I reached Geedam in Dantewada district. I heard an amazing story about this area.”
Cultural hotspots
According to Sharma, local residents claim that Geedam’s old name was Giddham. “It is the place where the vulture named Jatayu had fought with Ravana and laid down his life to save Sita from the demon king.” Sharma adds that there is a place near Kanker where one can find barren land in this densely covered forest. People believe that this place turned barren because of the heat generated from the ‘Pushpak Viman’, or the flying object of Ravana. People claim that at this place Lord Rama had his hut and from here Sita was abducted.
In Dantewada district, two rivers flow from near the Danteshwari temple. Their names are Shankini and Dankini. Underlining the dominion of the rakshasas, the rivers were believed to be named after two demon women Shaakini and Daakini.
Eminent archaeologist Deepak Sharma, who is also an MBBS doctor, claims the existence of Pampa Sarovar of Ramayana era at the border of Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh near river Godawari. “Though thousands of years have passed, this water tank is still known as Pampa Sarovar. I have seen that sarovar (reservoir/lake). The water is still very clean and potable.”
Sharma strongly feels that Ramayana is not an imagination of a poet but a reality. “The circumstances of Ramayana era match those of today. At least Ramayana has proved that Dandakaranya was always the breeding ground for insurgency.”
There is no Rama now to bail out Bastar or the erstwhile Dandakaranya from insurgency. But with the salwa judum campaign, there is hope among the tribals to produce a formidable defence against the Naxalites. The fate of this beautiful land now lies at the hands of its own people.
Scenic Bastar is bleeding today. In its worst ever phase, Bastar has slipped into acute anarchy, often being termed as the Naxal heartland.
One can blame the absence of land reforms, lack of development, exploitation and corruption for the present state of Bastar but violence and anarchy were the fate of this tribal dominated area since the Ramayan era.
Bordering with Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Orissa, Bastar region in the southern part of Chhattisgarh has emerged as the headquarters of the Naxalites ever since Andhra Pradesh intensified its operation against the rebels.
However, they are now facing protests from those natives who had once given them shelter. With the anti-Naxal movement, Slawa Judum, initiated by the local administration, now gaining ground in the region, the baffled rebels are not even sparing the poor tribals.
Salwa judum means gather together in local Halbi dialect. Generally this term is used to gather people for some noble cause.
Known as Dandakaranya in Indian mythology, the Bastar region was always fertile for insurgent elements. Covering three districts- Kanker, Bastar and Dantewada - this Dandakaranya zone was the turning point in Ramayana. Plot for the divine objectives of the Hindu Trinity to uproot the rakshasas from this pious land was formulated here only.
Indian mythology says that Lord Rama spent his precious 13 years in this region till the abduction of Goddess Sita.
As noted archaeologist and joint director of the Archaeology and Culture Department of Chhattisgarh, Rahul Singh, puts it, “We worship Lord Rama for he had eliminated the evil forces, who were encouraged by Ravana. Going through the Ramayana one can realise that Dandakaranya was the main area of operation of Ravana and his demon forces.”
“At least Ramayana gives clear indication that Dandakaranya was the breeding place for insurgency and it needed extra attention. We are now facing the results for ignoring the messages from the Ramayana. I can say that Ramayana is still relevant. What we need is a close study of this epic to compare it with present circumstances,” says Girija Shankar Dubey, a scholar.
Scholars say that the evidences of Ramayana era are spread everywhere in this region. A senior photojournalist Vinay S Harma, who travelled extensively in many parts of Bastar says, “I was amazed when I reached Geedam in Dantewada district. I heard an amazing story about this area.”
Cultural hotspots
According to Sharma, local residents claim that Geedam’s old name was Giddham. “It is the place where the vulture named Jatayu had fought with Ravana and laid down his life to save Sita from the demon king.” Sharma adds that there is a place near Kanker where one can find barren land in this densely covered forest. People believe that this place turned barren because of the heat generated from the ‘Pushpak Viman’, or the flying object of Ravana. People claim that at this place Lord Rama had his hut and from here Sita was abducted.
In Dantewada district, two rivers flow from near the Danteshwari temple. Their names are Shankini and Dankini. Underlining the dominion of the rakshasas, the rivers were believed to be named after two demon women Shaakini and Daakini.
Eminent archaeologist Deepak Sharma, who is also an MBBS doctor, claims the existence of Pampa Sarovar of Ramayana era at the border of Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh near river Godawari. “Though thousands of years have passed, this water tank is still known as Pampa Sarovar. I have seen that sarovar (reservoir/lake). The water is still very clean and potable.”
Sharma strongly feels that Ramayana is not an imagination of a poet but a reality. “The circumstances of Ramayana era match those of today. At least Ramayana has proved that Dandakaranya was always the breeding ground for insurgency.”
There is no Rama now to bail out Bastar or the erstwhile Dandakaranya from insurgency. But with the salwa judum campaign, there is hope among the tribals to produce a formidable defence against the Naxalites. The fate of this beautiful land now lies at the hands of its own people.
Sunday April 2 2006 09:39 IST
BHUBANESWAR: The abduction of two police officials from R Udayagiri on March 24 took a fresh turn on Saturday after two TV channels beamed their interviews which were believed to be conducted in Naxal hideouts ‘somewhere on the borders of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh.’
Though it caused embarrassment to the State Police, the interview confirmed the fact that the two officials are safe and unharmed as yet which brought cheer to their family members who again appealed to the ultras to release them.
Shot in the dense forests, the two cops – jail superintendent R.N. Sethi and R Udayagiri OIC Ranjan Kumar Mallik – were seen surrounded by gun-totting masked extremists. The hostages spoke to the TV scribes and appealed to the Government to take measures to release them.
“Our family members should not worry as we are looked after and treated well by the Maoists. In fact, the food we are served is better than what we usually have,” the two officials said.
However, Sethi, 56, sounded fatigued as he said it was getting a tad hard for him to walk miles everyday.
The two cops even said though they would not pressurise the Government, they would be happy if the Maoists’ demands were met. Sethi said he cannot ask the Government to accept Naxal’s demand on international issues like Posco but the latter can examine the smaller demands.
One of the extremists, suspected to be Sabyasachi Panda, his back to camera, gave an account of what they looted on that day. He said the attack was intended at snatching arms.
“Had we kidnapped a senior official or a political leader, the Government would have come to the negotiation table by now. But since Sethi and Mallik are junior-level officials, the State Government is biding time,” he said.
Meanwhile, Director-General of Police Suchit Das said he was aware of the media interview of the two abducted cops at the Naxal hide-out.
“The Police are making efforts to release them. We want the two freed unharmed. The sooner, the better,” he told this website’s newspaper.
Declining to disclose the plans, Das said police cannot afford to take steps in a huff as it can jeopardise the lives of the two cops as well as those of the search party.
BHUBANESWAR: The abduction of two police officials from R Udayagiri on March 24 took a fresh turn on Saturday after two TV channels beamed their interviews which were believed to be conducted in Naxal hideouts ‘somewhere on the borders of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh.’
Though it caused embarrassment to the State Police, the interview confirmed the fact that the two officials are safe and unharmed as yet which brought cheer to their family members who again appealed to the ultras to release them.
Shot in the dense forests, the two cops – jail superintendent R.N. Sethi and R Udayagiri OIC Ranjan Kumar Mallik – were seen surrounded by gun-totting masked extremists. The hostages spoke to the TV scribes and appealed to the Government to take measures to release them.
“Our family members should not worry as we are looked after and treated well by the Maoists. In fact, the food we are served is better than what we usually have,” the two officials said.
However, Sethi, 56, sounded fatigued as he said it was getting a tad hard for him to walk miles everyday.
The two cops even said though they would not pressurise the Government, they would be happy if the Maoists’ demands were met. Sethi said he cannot ask the Government to accept Naxal’s demand on international issues like Posco but the latter can examine the smaller demands.
One of the extremists, suspected to be Sabyasachi Panda, his back to camera, gave an account of what they looted on that day. He said the attack was intended at snatching arms.
“Had we kidnapped a senior official or a political leader, the Government would have come to the negotiation table by now. But since Sethi and Mallik are junior-level officials, the State Government is biding time,” he said.
Meanwhile, Director-General of Police Suchit Das said he was aware of the media interview of the two abducted cops at the Naxal hide-out.
“The Police are making efforts to release them. We want the two freed unharmed. The sooner, the better,” he told this website’s newspaper.
Declining to disclose the plans, Das said police cannot afford to take steps in a huff as it can jeopardise the lives of the two cops as well as those of the search party.
The Naxal movement saw the creation of a plethora
of poems, songs and street-plays from a very talented pool of youth
The embers of a movement that was as fierce as a devastating forest fire, lie hidden in his near frail appearence as he greets a visitor at his home close to the banks of the Ganga. Remind him of the bloody movement, he spews venom against the Left establishment in West Bengal and the fire is ready to bare its fangs. Accusing the Left of “double standards,” he lashes out at the ruling clique for compromising at various levels with the Congress.
At 52, Amar Bhattacharya who loathes himself to be called an ex-Naxalite - the ideal is still so dear to him - has made himself busy with ‘sundry’ jobs having one connection or other with the failed movement of the 70s.
The memories of bitter days of struggle, tales of alleged facist tortures and sacrifice of young comrades for a cause they espoused, still prod him to “do something.” Bhattacharya has not run short of ideas. He began penning his thoughts in newspapers, even editing a bi-monthly publication, ‘Naya Isthahar’ (New Manifesto).
Through his articles, Bhattacharya mobilised a signature campaign for Black US journalist Munia Abu Zamal who represents the ‘Voice of the Voiceless’ in America and despatched it to the States. Last year, while he busied himself in preparing a documentary, ‘Memories of Springthunder,’ to painstakingly chronicle the years of the famous uprising at Naxalbari, a village in North Bengal, he has now entered the crucial phase of editing the film.
“I have more than 80 hours of footage from which I have to produce barely one or little over an hour’s stuff. I find everything is so important for future generation to preserve,” Bhattacharya says while breathing an asthma inhaler. Three years in jail (1988-December 1990) as a prime suspect for waging war against the state had “gifted” him this disease, he claims. According to him, he will need some critical assistance from filmmaker Goutam Ghosh and some more inputs from Magsaysay award winner Mahashweta Devi, a known sympathiser for the Naxal movement. “The Naxal movement then triggered a spontaneous emotional reaction amongst us; it saw creation of a plethora of poems, songs and street-plays from a very talented pool of youth. Contrast this with the present movement and the difference is so stark and glaring,” observes Bhattacharya.
Prasanta Paul (in Kolkata
The embers of a movement that was as fierce as a devastating forest fire, lie hidden in his near frail appearence as he greets a visitor at his home close to the banks of the Ganga. Remind him of the bloody movement, he spews venom against the Left establishment in West Bengal and the fire is ready to bare its fangs. Accusing the Left of “double standards,” he lashes out at the ruling clique for compromising at various levels with the Congress.
At 52, Amar Bhattacharya who loathes himself to be called an ex-Naxalite - the ideal is still so dear to him - has made himself busy with ‘sundry’ jobs having one connection or other with the failed movement of the 70s.
The memories of bitter days of struggle, tales of alleged facist tortures and sacrifice of young comrades for a cause they espoused, still prod him to “do something.” Bhattacharya has not run short of ideas. He began penning his thoughts in newspapers, even editing a bi-monthly publication, ‘Naya Isthahar’ (New Manifesto).
Through his articles, Bhattacharya mobilised a signature campaign for Black US journalist Munia Abu Zamal who represents the ‘Voice of the Voiceless’ in America and despatched it to the States. Last year, while he busied himself in preparing a documentary, ‘Memories of Springthunder,’ to painstakingly chronicle the years of the famous uprising at Naxalbari, a village in North Bengal, he has now entered the crucial phase of editing the film.
“I have more than 80 hours of footage from which I have to produce barely one or little over an hour’s stuff. I find everything is so important for future generation to preserve,” Bhattacharya says while breathing an asthma inhaler. Three years in jail (1988-December 1990) as a prime suspect for waging war against the state had “gifted” him this disease, he claims. According to him, he will need some critical assistance from filmmaker Goutam Ghosh and some more inputs from Magsaysay award winner Mahashweta Devi, a known sympathiser for the Naxal movement. “The Naxal movement then triggered a spontaneous emotional reaction amongst us; it saw creation of a plethora of poems, songs and street-plays from a very talented pool of youth. Contrast this with the present movement and the difference is so stark and glaring,” observes Bhattacharya.
Prasanta Paul (in Kolkata
HT Correspondent
New Delhi, March 31, 2006
THE CENTRAL Government has decided to extend the Security Related Expenditure Scheme to give Rs 250 crore for the next five year to nine Naxalite-affected states to modernise the police force to fight the menace of Naxalism, Home Secretary V K Duggal said here today.
Addressing a press conference after chairing the Coordination Centre meeting on Naxalism here, Duggal said these states would receive Rs 50 crore annually to fight Naxalism by modernising police force and other schemes. The states have also been asked to fill up all the vacancies in the police force, he added.
Expressing concern over the rise in civilian casualty due to increased intensity of Naxal attacks, Duggal said the government has decided to use retired defence personnel in training local police force in de-mining the areas in Naxal-affected states. This has been decided in view of the fact that most of the civilian casualties are due to Naxalites exploding IEDs killing innocent civilians, he added.
Though the number of Naxalite attacks have reduced by 18 per cent from 475 last year to 391 in the first quarter of this year, the number of civilian casualty has increased from 114 last year to 157 this year, Duggal said.
He said this increase in casualty was due to maximum number of incidents and civilian casualties happening in Chhattisgarh where as compared to 97 last year, 162 incidents of Naxal violence have occurred this year. The number of civilians killed in the state has risen dramatically from three last year to 105
nd added that the number of security forces killed has also increased in the state from six last year to 27 this year. He attributed this increase in attack and casualties as a retaliation against the peoples voluntary movement Salva Judam peace marches and public meetings organised against the Naxal attacks.
He said the people have decided to fight against the Naxal designs and they are being supported by both the ruling BJP in the state and the Congress.
Describing it as ‘peoples’ uprising against red terrorism, he said this fight between ‘two factions’ would continue and it would be consolidated and not abetted. The government would consolidate the rehabilitation and protection measures so as to reduce the civilian casualties.
Denying that the civilians would be armed by the government or Army would be put in place to help them in their fight against Naxalism, he said that only 3500 Special Police Officers (SPOs) would be trained and provided arms to support the civilian movement.
However, the state government felt that the number of SPOs was inadequate in view of the vast size of Chhattisgarh government.
He laid stress on filling vacant police posts and police modernisation. India Reserve Battalions would be deployed for fighting Naxalism in these states.
Moreover, intelligence sharing between these states is going on right track with Chhattisgarh sharing it with Orissa and Maharashtra.
New Delhi, March 31, 2006
THE CENTRAL Government has decided to extend the Security Related Expenditure Scheme to give Rs 250 crore for the next five year to nine Naxalite-affected states to modernise the police force to fight the menace of Naxalism, Home Secretary V K Duggal said here today.
Addressing a press conference after chairing the Coordination Centre meeting on Naxalism here, Duggal said these states would receive Rs 50 crore annually to fight Naxalism by modernising police force and other schemes. The states have also been asked to fill up all the vacancies in the police force, he added.
Expressing concern over the rise in civilian casualty due to increased intensity of Naxal attacks, Duggal said the government has decided to use retired defence personnel in training local police force in de-mining the areas in Naxal-affected states. This has been decided in view of the fact that most of the civilian casualties are due to Naxalites exploding IEDs killing innocent civilians, he added.
Though the number of Naxalite attacks have reduced by 18 per cent from 475 last year to 391 in the first quarter of this year, the number of civilian casualty has increased from 114 last year to 157 this year, Duggal said.
He said this increase in casualty was due to maximum number of incidents and civilian casualties happening in Chhattisgarh where as compared to 97 last year, 162 incidents of Naxal violence have occurred this year. The number of civilians killed in the state has risen dramatically from three last year to 105
nd added that the number of security forces killed has also increased in the state from six last year to 27 this year. He attributed this increase in attack and casualties as a retaliation against the peoples voluntary movement Salva Judam peace marches and public meetings organised against the Naxal attacks.
He said the people have decided to fight against the Naxal designs and they are being supported by both the ruling BJP in the state and the Congress.
Describing it as ‘peoples’ uprising against red terrorism, he said this fight between ‘two factions’ would continue and it would be consolidated and not abetted. The government would consolidate the rehabilitation and protection measures so as to reduce the civilian casualties.
Denying that the civilians would be armed by the government or Army would be put in place to help them in their fight against Naxalism, he said that only 3500 Special Police Officers (SPOs) would be trained and provided arms to support the civilian movement.
However, the state government felt that the number of SPOs was inadequate in view of the vast size of Chhattisgarh government.
He laid stress on filling vacant police posts and police modernisation. India Reserve Battalions would be deployed for fighting Naxalism in these states.
Moreover, intelligence sharing between these states is going on right track with Chhattisgarh sharing it with Orissa and Maharashtra.
Sunday April 2 2006 00:00 IST
Reuters
NEW DELHI: India pledged on Friday to step up the fight against Maoist rebels after several major attacks, with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to chair a high level meeting on the threat in two weeks.
Critics say the Indian government has been slow to wake up to the threat posed by the Maoist or "Naxal" rebels, whose insurgency is killing people almost every day and has spread to huge swathes of the country's rural south, centre and east.
On Friday, Home Secretary V.K. Duggal tried to downplay the threat, but warned against complacency.
"The broad impression is that this violent Naxal movement is by and large under control," he said after a meeting of top officials and police chiefs from 13 affected states.
"But it has the potential to grow unless continuous effective steps, as are enshrined in policy, are not pursued."
On April 13, Singh will step in to chair a quarterly meeting of chief ministers from the 13 affected states, usually presided over by the country's interior minister.
With tensions along the border with Pakistan easing and separatist insurgencies in India's restive northeast "somewhat under control", the prime minister's attention had turned to the Maoist problem, Duggal said. "Obviously it a matter of concern."
Duggal said 157 people had been killed in Maoist-related violence this year, up from 114 in the first quarter of 2005, driven by a jump in civilian deaths in the central state of Chhattisgarh.
The Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) puts the death toll this year at 235 people, describing the conflict as the "the most serious challenge to human rights advocacy in India".
"Reports of violations of international human rights and humanitarian laws both by the security forces and the Naxalites have been pouring in," it said in a report on Thursday.
CIVILIANS IN THE FIRING LINE
Human rights groups have slammed the Maoists for targeting civilians but also criticised the government of Chhattisgarh for putting innocent people in the firing line by backing an anti-Maoist movement among the tribes of its southern forests.
Duggal defended the role of "local resistance groups" but said it would be dangerous to expand them recklessly in areas where security forces cannot protect people.
On Friday, the 13 states were asked to improve ground-level policing and fill tens of thousands of vacancies in police ranks. Officials also discussed how to improve intelligence collection and sharing, and vowed to coordinate their efforts better.
Ironically, some of the worst-affected states like Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkand and Bihar have some of the lowest ratios of police to population or geographical area in India.
The states agreed to speed up development and land reforms in the impoverished rural hinterland where the Maoists thrive. New Delhi also offered them an additional 2.5 billion rupees ($56 million) to beef up security over the next five years.
The insurgency, named after the town of Naxalbari where it emerged in 1967, is thought to affect 165 of the country's 602 administrative districts in a "red corridor" stretching from the southern tip of India all along its eastern half and up to Nepal.
Duggal said the rebels shared some "ideological exchanges" with powerful Maoist guerrillas in Nepal, but were not getting weapons or training from them. Instead, they were getting most of their arms by looting police stations.
Police say there are more than 20,000 armed Maoist rebels in India backed by hundreds of thousands of supporters. Last year hundreds of them took over a town in impoverished Bihar and freed nearly 400 inmates from a jail, including many supporters.
This year they stole 19 tonnes of explosives from a state mining operation in Chhattisgarh, and killed more than 50 people when they set off a landmine under a truck in February.
Reuters
NEW DELHI: India pledged on Friday to step up the fight against Maoist rebels after several major attacks, with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to chair a high level meeting on the threat in two weeks.
Critics say the Indian government has been slow to wake up to the threat posed by the Maoist or "Naxal" rebels, whose insurgency is killing people almost every day and has spread to huge swathes of the country's rural south, centre and east.
On Friday, Home Secretary V.K. Duggal tried to downplay the threat, but warned against complacency.
"The broad impression is that this violent Naxal movement is by and large under control," he said after a meeting of top officials and police chiefs from 13 affected states.
"But it has the potential to grow unless continuous effective steps, as are enshrined in policy, are not pursued."
On April 13, Singh will step in to chair a quarterly meeting of chief ministers from the 13 affected states, usually presided over by the country's interior minister.
With tensions along the border with Pakistan easing and separatist insurgencies in India's restive northeast "somewhat under control", the prime minister's attention had turned to the Maoist problem, Duggal said. "Obviously it a matter of concern."
Duggal said 157 people had been killed in Maoist-related violence this year, up from 114 in the first quarter of 2005, driven by a jump in civilian deaths in the central state of Chhattisgarh.
The Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) puts the death toll this year at 235 people, describing the conflict as the "the most serious challenge to human rights advocacy in India".
"Reports of violations of international human rights and humanitarian laws both by the security forces and the Naxalites have been pouring in," it said in a report on Thursday.
CIVILIANS IN THE FIRING LINE
Human rights groups have slammed the Maoists for targeting civilians but also criticised the government of Chhattisgarh for putting innocent people in the firing line by backing an anti-Maoist movement among the tribes of its southern forests.
Duggal defended the role of "local resistance groups" but said it would be dangerous to expand them recklessly in areas where security forces cannot protect people.
On Friday, the 13 states were asked to improve ground-level policing and fill tens of thousands of vacancies in police ranks. Officials also discussed how to improve intelligence collection and sharing, and vowed to coordinate their efforts better.
Ironically, some of the worst-affected states like Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkand and Bihar have some of the lowest ratios of police to population or geographical area in India.
The states agreed to speed up development and land reforms in the impoverished rural hinterland where the Maoists thrive. New Delhi also offered them an additional 2.5 billion rupees ($56 million) to beef up security over the next five years.
The insurgency, named after the town of Naxalbari where it emerged in 1967, is thought to affect 165 of the country's 602 administrative districts in a "red corridor" stretching from the southern tip of India all along its eastern half and up to Nepal.
Duggal said the rebels shared some "ideological exchanges" with powerful Maoist guerrillas in Nepal, but were not getting weapons or training from them. Instead, they were getting most of their arms by looting police stations.
Police say there are more than 20,000 armed Maoist rebels in India backed by hundreds of thousands of supporters. Last year hundreds of them took over a town in impoverished Bihar and freed nearly 400 inmates from a jail, including many supporters.
This year they stole 19 tonnes of explosives from a state mining operation in Chhattisgarh, and killed more than 50 people when they set off a landmine under a truck in February.
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