Shiban Khaibri
Can Communism be safely classified as a political goal, one as a conjectured form of future social organization that has never been implemented and their protracted rule in west Bengal , after their exit did not leave , even in the least , any traces of the complete “rule of the proletariat” and nearly over three decades, excepting trying to erode cultural, social and historical equations into an order where their Party with specific ideologies made deep inroads into every village and rather every household, nothing spectacular was noticed . Their another bastion Kerala with “historical evolution” since 1923, for example in Kunnoor, has proven another form of strict totalitarianism where political dissent often resulted in punishment with death or dismemberment of limbs. It is astonishing to note that in villages adjoining Kunoor, one comes across “Welcome to Communist village” and whether traces of capitalistic exploitation, the base on which communist ideology is spinning , has withered away or not: but one thing has since long withered and that is individual political freedom. Let today, a topic, usually very rarely touched by writers be dealt with, in a precise form, to know how the crude form of Marxist – Leninist movement under the alibi to ameliorate the fate of the “oppressed class” by “feudalist and capitalist ” ruling class , known as Naxalite – Maoist movement has, in fact, made the life, property and the honour of those for whom two Communist “stalwarts” Kanu Sanyal and Charu Mazumdar initiated Naxalbari movement in 1966 , full of poverty, ignorance, victims of exploitation and disease and created an opaque wall between them and the developing India. A movement which derives strength, ideological and moral, from China right from 1966, can neither be people friendly nor country friendly. It is regarding a place known as ‘Abujmarh’. Abujmarh means unknown hills.
Abujmarh is in Chattisgarh, 300 Kms from Raipur, spread over nearly 4000 sq. kms covering districts like Narayanpur, Bijapor and Dantewada and considered as the “Headquarters” of the Naxals and Maoist insurgents. Here, one could find “no traces” of civil administration. Narainpur and kokameita are gateways to this hitherto considered the strongest fortress of the Naxal – Maoist terrorists. It is said that the area is so densely blessed by the nature with forests that even the rays of the sun do not reach the ground and, therefore, is isolated geographically and is inaccessible. Here Naxalite hideouts had been virtually invincible. People do live here under the terrifying shadow of “Laal Kraanti”. The roads to ones who are not hard core locals are quite unfamiliar as also the language to converse with them. Naxalites run their own schools where the curriculum is decided by them and where topics of revolution, struggles, armed revolts, disturbances, not trusting Police or any government apparatus and the like, are “taught”. This is the “liberated Zone ” as claimed by the outlawed and where a parallel government runs called in local parlance as ” Jan Tana Sarkar”, the writ runs large of their “own army’ called as Peoples’ Liberation Guerilla Army. Abujmarh has its own “judiciary”, own Panchayats, separate taxation system, pronouncing of judgments like awarding of punishments to the “guilty” in the form of flogging, and death. They have diktats issued like not to talk to anybody other than the “Dadas” and never believe or help the state Police or authorities. They kidnap young girls to exploit them physically, emotionally and recruit them as insurgents and intelligence gathering agents and also use them as shields against army operations. The people living over here have compulsorily to pay taxes on each item of the agricultural produce which otherwise is too limited in variety. In this area, no proper economic survey or drawing of area wise maps have been undertaken, reportedly since independence. It is said that the British government did the land survey in 1873.There are no roads, no hospitals, no electricity and in short- no infrastructure, not because all the governments so far did not intend to do but these Naxalites never allowed any infrastructural activities to be undertaken as if roads are built, mobility will increase and so shall the security forces be able to reach this area fast. They do not want, not in the least, economic and socio development, to keep their terror operations going.
It may be recalled that ambushing and attacking our security forces , worst examples of which can be traced to incidents like Dantewada etc have been the operational characteristics of Naxalites and as many as 25000 attacks have taken place so far in the country in 118 Districts of our 17 states where as many as 7500 civilians have been killed, nearly 2300 security personnel attained martyrdom while only 2500 Naxalites have been eliminated, not to speak of the public property destroyed in these Naxal attacks. In their stronghold of Abujmarh, people still have no pucca houses, no formal schools for their children excepting Naxalites’ run schools where they are indoctrinated and trained for the “movement”. On the slightest suspicion of being a police informer, the “guilty” is killed, “houses”, grains etc are burnt and cattle lifted. In short, the people who were and are still promised of “liberation” from the “exploiter capitalist class” for which the “peoples’ movement ” known as Naxalite – Maoist insurgency was started, what has resulted is that people are scared, children are frightened and women feel harassed and unsafe.
The attacks from these exponents of “Laal Salaam” Naxals notwithstanding, our security forces are penetrating deep into these horrible inaccessible jungles now, braving bobby traps and land mines strewn all over, risking their lives . Security personnel hailing from different corners of the country are playing heroic deeds in this area, day and night, in not only taking on these misguided people who intoxicated with an outdated and obsolete political doctrine of revolutions and armed struggles, but are transforming it from darkness into light, from fear into assurance, from unemployment into avenues of employment, from exploitation into redemption, from taking up arms against own people and country to surrender and join the mainstream, from getting uprooted into rehabilitation camps and the like. Those who were lucky in getting freedom from these Laal Salaam Marxists – Leninists, feel at the top of the life and vow never ever to return to those villages turned into concentration camps. Recently as many as 50 Naxals have surrendered and many are feeling disgruntled and are keen to leave. ITBP has been doing a commendable job and reaching affected people despite Naxalite threat. ITBP has set up on their own, veterinary centers, opened schools and distributing stationery and books to the students. Solar lanterns have been given to the people of the area who were kept out of the infrastructural building by the government agencies and supplying of electricity. Potable water tanks have been arranged by the security forces. District Reserve Guards (DRG) are too performing highly appreciable role in both combating the Naxal terror as well as making life easy and comfortable for the people. Definitely, lot remains to be done.
It is also heartening that people from smaller villages are losing interest, in case they had any, in “Dadas” and their activities and are eager to join forces to defend the area from them as they know, not only the entire topography but the language, customs and rituals too. The love of the “peasants and workers” by these Naxal emancipators is such that they levy a tax of Rs. 5000 per Motor cycle and Rs.25000 per tractor from the villagers, thus setting in the process, new definition and composition of exploitation. In short, their fort is breached, if not demolished fully by our security forces. The Naxals, as such, are feeling the pinch and the heat of developmental works like constructions of roads and now every contractor, every government official and every farmer shall not have to pay to these Laal Salaam armed guerillas. None of the self styled champions of socio – economic cause of the locals, who were highly critical of the “Salwa Judum” or the peoples’ movement are appreciating the efforts of our security forces there or shedding real tears on their attaining martyrdom, just ask Satya Nath Sarangi , Agnivesh and the like who at once raise their voices when these Naxals get killed in Police action.
Naxalite – Maoist insurgency remains a challenge but the base camp, the fort of Abujmarh is virtually “conquered”, thanks to our valiant security forces. The “Lal Salaam” brigade is shaken and is in disarray. If Naxals and Maoists have no respect for their own security forces, the government does not intend to deploy army against the own people, the difference is there; otherwise to quote CM Dr. Raman Singh, “It is a matter of just 4 hours.”
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