Maoists in India To advocate seizure of power and to work to change the world is a legitimate project. Whether this should be through an armed struggle, peaceful means or a fusion of all is an open question. But to advocate as an absolute must the disarming of people concedes to the government the right to a monopoly over violence. GAUTAM NAVLAKHA “Sir …26 battalions have been given to the states which are affected by Naxalite he annual report of the ministry of movement...(which) mean 26,000 men and home affairs (MHA) 2005-06 says officers. It is equal to an army of a small Tthat “(n)axalism…is not merely state…(W)e have said that if they need air a law and order problem but has deep support, we will give…(we are ready) to socio-economic dimensions” (p 23). The supply medicines, supply foodgrains ministry of defence in its annual report required by the police for the purpose for 2005-06 claims that “left wing of evacuating injured persons or any other radicalism and extremism (is) motivated purpose….Initially they (Maoists) were by prevailing socio-economic depriva- using axes and swords. Then they started tion…” This gives the impression that using pistols and guns. Then they started the government is walking on two legs; using AK 47 rifles and now they have fighting a “low intensity war”, as well as started using hand grenades and promoting good governance and deve- landmines…Yes they are also using rocket lopment. Officials executing the policy on launchers”. the ground in Bastar district, Chhattisgarh, A 14-page report by Shivraj Patil to the however, describe this to be an “un- Lok Sabha on March 13, 2006, asks the declared war”.1 The language of war, if “affected” states not to enter into dialogue not a war effort is evident in the statement with the CPI (Maoists) unless they give of the union minister of home affairs, up arms. The minister told the standing Shivraj Patil, in the Lok Sabha on committee of chief ministers of 13 Naxalite March 1, 2006: affected states on April 13 that, “local 2186 Economic and Political Weekly June 3, 2006 resistance”, in particular, ‘Salwa Judum’, police stations, falling within 55 of the the government’s policy to de-populate will be “upscaled”. The 20th meeting of worst affected districts. Assuming the villages considered strongholds of the Coordination Centre of Naxalism number to be 500 police stations, this Maoists. Thus, suppression is the preferred concluded that the Salwa Judum had been implies 20,000 personnel. On April 25, the policy. a “huge success” with 142 rallies held so Bihar government announced distribution far. It was decided that it would now be of arms licences to “help villagers combat Maoist Growth concentrated in three-four blocks, and “only Maoists” as well as to provide arms to five after these blocks have been adequately persons in each village in Aurangabad Speaking to the standing committee of secured and dominated by the forces that district. While the home minister of chief ministers of Naxalite-affected states, the movement would be taken to new Chhattisgarh says “we need 50 battalions the prime minister stressed that the Maoist areas” (Economic Times, April 1, 2006). of paramilitary forces” as against the 11 movement had “gained in strength and Meanwhile the affected states have been battalions the government now has (Indian spread to 160 districts all over the coun- asked to set up a unified command and Express, March 26, 2006). Over and above try”. This is remarkable when there is no undertake joint operations. Therefore, these are the special police officers (SPOs) middle class youth rebellion as in the 1960s. prosecution of war remains the preferred and village defence committees (VDCs). And joining them now means inviting course of action of the central and state Chhattisgarh plans to recruit 10,000 SPOs incarceration or death. The cadre strength governments. who will be deployed with VDCs. of the CPI (Maoist) climbed from 9,300 Financial allocations also go towards in 2004-05 to 10,500 in 2005-06. Reports Use and Abuse of Resources augmenting police action. A sum of Rs 825 suggest they have a 25,000 member crore has been provided every year to 55 people’s militia and 50,000 members in The forces deployed against the Maoists Maoist-affected districts for three years village level units. Weapons in their pos- have at their core 26,000 personnel of the under the Backward District Initiative session rose from 6,500 to about 7,300 central paramilitary forces (CPMF). A component of the Rashtriya Sam Vikas with a large quantity of explosives. How- special elite anti-Naxal force comprising Yojana scheme. This will be utilised “to ever, only “(p)arts of 76 districts in the 11,000 personnel, currently undergoing fill in the critical gaps in physical and nine states of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, training in Silchar (Assam), will be avail- social infrastructure” such as building Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Maha- able soon for deployment. The army chief roads, bridges, culverts, etc, for easy rashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh has announced the raising of an auxiliary movement of security forces. Naxalite- and West Bengal are badly affected by force comprising ex-servicemen in con- affected states have been exempted from Naxal violence…in varying degrees”. sultation with concerned states. Bihar, paying deployment charges since July 2004, Government claims that “violent activities” meanwhile, became the first state to begin thus saving Rs 1,100 crore of their revenue were reported in 2005 from 509 out of a enlisting ex-servicemen for a 5,000 strong outgo (Hindustan Times, February 9, 2006). total of 12,476 police stations located in special task force for anti-Naxal opera- Under “police modernisation” in 13 states, 76 districts in the country (MHA, annual tions. In Andhra Pradesh, the “greyhounds” Rs 3,085 crore was spent from 1996-97 to report, 2005-06, pp 24). While they are comprise 18,000 personnel. They are set- 2004-05. In 2005-06 a sum of Rs 517 crore better armed than before and their cadres ting up two new centres in Rayalaseema was allocated. Central support for raising receive arms training, incidents of vio- and Visakhapatnam (Newsblog:Andhra IRBs have been hiked from Rs 13 crore lence were confined to just 4 per cent of café, February 1, 2006). Each centre is to to Rs 20 crore for each battalion, or Rs 380 the total police stations. have 20 units and each unit is to have 35 crore for raising 19 battalions. Further- A distinction must be drawn between persons. Andhra Pradesh is also raising more, employment is being created in the spectacular raids such as for looting two ‘girijan’ battalions from agency areas, CPMF for youth from Naxalite-affected armouries, freeing prisoners and defend- which would comprise people from tribal areas. In 2004-05, 29,000 persons were ing what is called the “janta sarkar” as in as well as settler communities. The Orissa employed and 18,241 more posts were to Bastar. The Jehanabad raid of 2005, for government plans to raise a tribal force of be filled in 2005-06 (Asian Age, April 25, example, was criticised for inviting pos- 3,000. Jharkhand is raising ‘pahari’ bat- 2006). The MHA annual report (2005-06) sible retaliation by landlord armies in Bihar. talions, apart from having recruited a special speaks of meeting security related expenses Nothing like that has happened so far. force of 14,000 to fight Maoists. Each state of the nine states including for newly Instead the raid exposed the administration is also being financially aided to raise India recruited SPOs and VDCs as well as as being capable of stopping landlord armies Reserve Battalions (IRBs). Nineteen such encouraging “local resistance groups”. For if it so wished. This enhanced rather than battalions have been raised until 2005 by this purpose, from 1996-97 to 2005-06, eroded the sense of security of landless the nine affected states. They have been Rs 160 crore has been spent. Towards dalit agricultural labour. The war in Bastar asked to raise 19 more. They can avail their “management of public perception” the is altogether different. The district col- services and, at no cost to them, requisition centre reimburses “expenditure incurred lector of Dantewada admits that the IRBs from other states such as Chhattisgarh on publicity material” (All-India Fact Maoists’ strength lies in their village level from Nagaland, or Orissa from Haryana. Finding Report or FFR, p 31). The units which comprise “the illiterate com- They can also request armed police CRPF has a budget of Rs 50 lakh to mon man who like others takes care of his battalions from other states. Gujarat has counter anti-establishment propaganda of family through earning daily wages”(FFR, sent one battalion of its armed force to the Naxalites (Asian Age, January 1, p 11). Local CPI leaders in Dantewada also Chhattisgarh. As part of a centrally coor- 2006). Finally, in Dantewada district of point out “98 per cent of the Maoists are dinated plan, nine Naxal hit states will Chhattisgarh central funds are paying for adivasis”. For nearly three decades, Maoists enlist about 40 “villagers” in each of the 28,000 tribals living in camps as part of have lived, mobilised, radicalised and Economic and Political Weekly June 3, 2006 2187 empowered the tribals to set up their own Maoist government in Dandakaranya! slept, the cadres are digging wells, paying “governance”. What began in the early (Economic Times and The Tribune, for repairs of hand pumps, installing 1980s as a campaign against forest, rev- April 14, 2006).3 Against this background, new ones, getting well-to-do farmers to enue and police departments and money- the district collector of Dantewada is use diesel pumps to create water reservoir lenders started to address “internal contra- categoric: “To end the problem of for village use, as well as ensuring dictions” in adivasi society, including land Naxalites it is not enough to kill Naxalites equitable distribution of water (Jansatta, ownership.