CPI (Maoist) admits desertion by party cadres

"To get benefits of rewards and promotion, security forces are attacking villages and arresting Tribals, non-Tribal activists and youths and declaring them as Maoists," a Maoist leader claimed.

The outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) has admitted that its cadres are deserting the party and are getting attracted towards the “bankrupt” surrender policy employed by the government.

“It is true that some of our ‘weak’ cadres are getting attracted towards the bankrupt and corrupt surrender policy of the government and laying down their arms,” Gudsa Usendi, the spokesperson of the Danda Karanya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) of the CPI (Maoist), said in a press statement .

The Maoist statement has come in the wake of a spate of alleged Maoist surrenders in Bastar region of Chhhattisgarh. 

“The revolutionary public term those who surrender before police as enemies of people. The revolutionary public hates such people. When such people are coming back to their villages, they have to face people’s ire,” claimed the DKSZC spokesperson citing the example of surrendered former Mad Divisional Committee member of CPI(Maoist) Navin. 

“When Navin went back to his Dhanora village in Narayanpur district along with the police, hundreds of villagers surrounded the police station and protested against him," said Gudsa Usendi and termed the current surrender policy of Chhattisgarh as “an earning opportunity” for senior police and paramilitary officers posted in the State. 

“Under this surrender policy, hundreds of crores of rupees of un-auditable funds are being given to the police and paramilitary officials, which is leading to criminalization of security forces in conflict areas. The government has also declared internal rewards and promotions for security forces. To get the benefits of rewards and promotion, security forces are increasingly attacking villages and arresting Tribals, non-Tribal activists and youths and declaring them as Maoists,” contended the Maoist leader.

Accusing Chhattisgarh police of “threatening and forcing" people to surrender, Gudsa Usendi said that the police propaganda through print and electronic media on surrenders and arrests was an attempt to “defame” the Maoist party and to put "psychological pressure" on Maoist ranks, which might lead to confusion.

Gudsa Usendi pointed out that Chhattisgarh police’s propaganda on surrenders was a part of a Low Intensity Warfare, which the government employed against the Maoist  PLGA (People’s Liberation Guerilla Army), Janatana Sarkars (Maoist Village level organizations) and other party wings. 

“As a part of this Low Intensity Warfare, the anti-displacement activists and those who opposed paramilitary camps are also being arrested and declared as Maoists carrying rewards of lakhs on their heads. The people who left the party over the years for personal and family reasons are being captured and shown as dreaded Maoists,” contended the DKSZC spokesperson.

The Maoist leader cited the example of Sita from Chirabai village in Barsoor area of Dantewada district who was a member of the PLGA’s Battalion No. 2. 

“Sita had left our party in June this year and went back to a village to spend a peaceful life. The police forced her to surrender by threatening her father. Police officers told the media that she carried a reward of Rs.8 Lakh on her head. But she was given a meager Rs.5000,” he added  while claiming that there were “hundreds” of cases like the Sita’s. 

The Maoist’s spokesperson also claimed that “attacking villages, nabbing people between the age group of 20 to 45 and pressurizing them to become SPO (Special Police Officer) or surrender” was an integral part of Chhattisgarh government’s new surrender policy. 

“Those who refuse are being arrested and implicated in false cases. Some of them are being killed in fake encounters,” said Gudsa Usendi and appealed to every cadre in every rank in CPI (Maoist) to “oppose this surrender policy and fight for revolution and real independence till the end”.

He also claimed the Communist Party of India and the Congress party had already raised questions over the spate of surrenders in Chhattisgarh.

The Maoists also appealed to journalists to travel to these parts and expose the “hollowness” of the surrender policy and asked the human rights organizations to openly oppose the “unconstitutional and criminal” surrender policy of the government.

Source http://thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/cpi-maoist-admits-desertion-by-party-cadres/article6646517.ece/