Surrendered Maoists in Odisha cheer for India in world cup hockey

As a jam-packed stadium cheered for the Indian team, there were 30 former Maoists in the audience at Bhubaneswar’s Kalinga Stadium on Thursday evening watching the match flanking the chief minister.

It was not just former Indian opening batsman Virender Sehwag who watched the men’s World Cup Hockey quarterfinal match between India and the Netherlands with Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik.

As a jam-packed stadium cheered for the Indian team, there were 30 former Maoists in the audience at Bhubaneswar’s Kalinga Stadium on Thursday evening watching the match flanking the chief minister. 

Led by Malkangiri’ superintendent of police Jagmohan Meena, the Maoists shook hands with the chief minister before sitting down to watch the knock-out match. Ten of them are from Koraput and 20 from Malkangiri districts and held the ranks of armed cadres and divisional committee members in the Maoist outfits before surrendering to the government.

Many of the surrendered Maoists had the Indian Tricolour painted on their cheeks.

“I am very happy that these young people have come back to the mainstream and given up Maoism. I am sure a lot more people will come,” said Patnaik.

For 30-year-old Ramesh Madkami, who surrendered in 2013 along with his wife Vijaya Hantala, the chance to watch the hockey match was way beyond his expectation. Madkami was involved in at least 14 cases of violence in Malkangiri district before he surrendered after falling out with party leadership.

“I never thought I would one day watch the match with the chief minister. We were roaming in the forests fighting the police and Odisha government. But this is a different experience,” said Madkami, crediting Malkangiri SP Jagmohan Meena for his visit. 

Similarly, Anita Madhi, who had spent over 10 years in a Maoist organisation, said she did not know why they fought the police. “We did just what we were told. Once we surrendered, we found things were not so bad,” said Madhi.

Odisha started a surrender and rehabilitation policy for Maoists in 2006 after a series of violent incidents involving the rebels. The Maoists, who surrender before the Odisha government, get a one-time financial assistance of Rs 2,50,000 for top-ranked cadres and middle-ranked cadres get Rs 1,50,000. The state also gives Rs 35,000 for any arms deposited and Rs 25,000 equivalent for four decimals of land. 

Besides, payment of a house building grant of Rs 45,000 at par with Indira Awas Yojana is given. The state government also gives Rs 3,000 per annum for pursuing education. In case the surrendered Maoist is too old to enrol in a formal school, the option of studying through National Institute of Open Schooling is explored. For couples, who want to marry, a one-time incentive of Rs 25,000 is given.

In 2016 and 2017, 2,628 Maoist cadres, sympathisers and militias surrendered in the state. 

“Many Maoists have been surrendering before the state police nowadays following the holistic development and rehabilitation policy of the state government,” Malkangiri’s SP Meena said.

“We brought them to watch the match after they expressed their desire. Many of them had never come to Bhubaneswar earlier. They will visit some of the tourist locations,” Meena said. 

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/surrendered-maoists-in-odisha-cheer-for-india-in-world-cup-hockey/story-Qlmg3SstyceKg7wLEztjqL.html