A REPORT ON THE ADIVASI MOVEMENT UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF CHASI MULIYA ADIVASI SANGH (C.M.A.S.) AND THE DISRUPTIVE ACTIVITY OF GANANATHA PATRO

All India Khet Majdoor – Kisam Sabha (AIKMKS) constituted an All India Study Committee to study the on going movement and the life of the people of Bandugam Block of Koraput district and the matters related to it.

The following is the composition of the committee:

1. Com. Subodh Mitra – Convenor of A.I.K.M.K.S. and Convenor of the Study Team.

2. Com. Sambhu Mahato, A.I.K.M.K.S. (Jharkhand)

3. Com. S.D. Bose A.I.K.M.K.S. (Bihar)

4. Com. Brahmanand Mallick C.M.A.S. (Orissa)

5. Com. K. Kotaiah, General Secretary, R.C.S. (A.P.)

Terms of Reference :

1. The movement by C.M.A.S. in Koraput and Rayagada districts.

2. The Gang Rape of C.M.A.S. activist Kirma by Sondi Caste liquor brewer.

3. The violent attacks on the people and on C.M.A.s. by the break - away faction of Ganananth Patro (G.P.) – Nachakalinga

4. The Role of the administration.

The tour of the fact finding committee.

The Committee reached Parvathipuram on 14.09.2009 evening and Charted out the programme with the help of Chasi Muliya Adivasi Sangh (C.M.A.S.) and R.C.S. (A.P.) The team visited various villages and hold mass and individual hearing sessions.

On dated 15.09.2009, the team, to start with, visited the burnt down village Jadaba, in Bandugam Block followed by the visit to Kunthesu village of KOMARADA mandal of Viziyanagaram district, A.P. These two villages are separated by a distance of not more than 2 Km.

On way back the team conducted enquiry sessions at Kaviti and Bankini villages. The committee went back to Parvathipuram for the night stay.

On 16.08.2009, the team met Block development Officer in Bandugam and also met the I.I.C. of Bandugam police station.

The team went to the house of Suresh who was killed by the G.P. – Linga fraction. There it has fruitful interaction with the parents and the wife of the deceased and with the neighbouring residents. Then the team proceeded to Santa Sorupalli Centre where more than thousand people from 30 villages gathered. The people and the activists of CMAS provided lot of information. On the way to Bandugam, the team observed many burnt down lemon grass distilleries

In the evening the team went to attend a mass gathering of more than two thousand people at KUMBARIPUTTI Centre. It is a congregation of people from 60 – 70 villages.

On way back to Parvathipuram in the night, we once again visited villages – Kaviti and Bankini to meet the parents of the two tribal women Kidnapped by G.P. - Linga faction and kept under their custody at an unknown place since 3^rd September, 2009.

The Study Team held discussion with leaders of C.M.A.S and studied their published literature. The team members have also gone through the media reports of last 6 months and also saw the O.T.V. Coverage on 16^th night.

REPORT

I. A brief summary of CMAS activity

C.M.A.S. was formed in 1998 to work for the realization of the natural rights, constitutional and legal rights of the Adivasi People of Koraput district. This is an extension of the work of Rythu – Cooli Sangham (A.P.) in Paravthipuram division of Viziyanagaram district, A.P. The R.C.S. has been working in Parvathipuram since 1990, in this movement. This activity is being guided by Com. S. Jhansi. Gananadhi Patro who normally resides at Rourkela was being invited occasionally to the programmes in Parvathipuram division, Bandugam, Narayanapatna Blocks of Koraput district. Several Adivasi and Non-Adivasi comrades work day to night to build up a mass oriented massive revolutionary people’s struggles for various genuine demands and on the demand of “Adivasi land should be restored to the Adivasis” At the same time, the leadership of the movement has a clear perspective and necessity to unite the tribal people and the toiling masses and middle class that belongs to the non-tribal sections of the society. The struggle basically aims against the exploitation of Sahukar, Land-lords and “PETHAAN DARI” sections and forest official harassment.

At this juncture it is important to note that entire Adivasi people living in the forests of India has a glorious tradition of fighting back of the on-slaught of British colonial rulers and the subsequent rulers of so-called independent – India. The present struggle led by CMAS in Koraput and Raigada districts should be seen as a dialectical continuation of previous many a glorious struggles by the Adivasis to achieve their un-hinder right to forest and the land in vallies and for PODU. The people of Koraput and Raigada districts once again follow the path of struggle because of non-implementation of Act 2/56 of Govt. of Orissa and the forest rights act of 2006 of Govt. of India. The Govt. of India moving the reserved forest boundaries closer to the habitats of the tribals, has been narrowing down the elbow space of tribals. The entire fertile land in vallies are grabed by a small section of plain’s people settled in a big villagers and small towns of agency area. The forest officials have adopted methods of horrible harassment, at times seriously manhandling the adivasi men folk and commit atrocities women. Illicit liquor brewing is rampant. It is mainly undertaken by the non tribal Sondi caste people.

C.M.A.S. has been organizing the people on all these issues in democratic methods since 1998. Naturally this movement is definite blow to the various exploitative elements and to the corrupt forest officers and certain anti-people elements in the administration.

By the end of 2008 , the movement spread to more than 200 villages. Hundred of Acres of land under the illegal occupation of non-tribal rich is being taken back by adivasi’s through this organized movement. The non- adivasi poor too is provided with land by the movement.

Gananath Patro started interfering in the movement and began to give a different direction in some villages of Narayanpatna Block. He started propaganda by raising slogan that all non tribal people should be driven away from the agency areas to attract the Oriya cadres for his wrong line. He began to speak narrow national Chauvanism – the entire Andhra cadres should leave Orissa. A few Orissa Adivasi organizers are being effected by his anarchist line, the main among them are Nachika Linga and Singanna. After the huge public meeting held at Narayanpatna on 23^rd December, 2008 under the leadership of A.O. B.C. Gananath Patro deserted C.M.A.S. along with Nachika Linga and Singana etc.

Since then especially since the 3^rd of September, 2009, G.P. – Linga fraction is resorting to violence attack on the people following C.M.AS. and its activists and non-tribal people.

Taking advantage of these activities of G.P. and his fraction, the Sondi arrack (country liquor) brewers have also resorted to violent attacked on the villagers under the influence of C.M.A.S.

II. Violent attack by Sondi Caste Liquor Merchants

1. Gang Rape of Kadraka Kirma and burning down Jadaba village.

Kirma a 30 years old woman is an energetic activist of C.M.A.S. She is a residents of Jadaba village, Bandugam block. In that village the family of one Mandesu Lokanth is a big country liquor producer and Merchant. As a part of the programme taken by C.M.A.S., Kirma and another woman by name Papi led the militant movement against the liquor production and trade. These two women are in the forefront in the struggle for taking back the lands under the illegal occupation of Lokanth and a few of his Sondi Caste people. The struggle forced Loknath and his henchmen to vacate the village. Because of these he was planning and waiting for an opportunity to take revenge – a unjust revenge.

On September 11, 2009, Friday, the activists of a few villages around Jadaba held a meeting at the village Kuntesu.

After the meeting was completed most of the people dispersed and only a few of the activists remained there to discuss about the movement. While they were returning from Kuntesu village, under the leadership of Loknath, the Loknath and his gang attacked and captured Kirma and she was gang raped and severely beaten up. She was kept captive whole night and raped again and again and tortured brutally. During the same night, she was taken to Komugandi village centre to where all the villagers are called at the gun point, vividly told the obnoxious story of the rape on Kirma and warned women of that village that they will meet the same fate if they do not dis-associate from the activities of C.M.A.S.

The next morning (4 September, Saturday) Kirma was dragged to her village Jadaba. It was around 11.00 a.m. All most all the people were in field at that time. The armed gang ordered Kirma to put fire to the houses. She valiantly refused and prepared to die. In fact throughout the night she has been saying “kill me instead of raping me. I am prepared to be a martyr”. The same word she repeated in the village. Then the gang beat her once again and put fire to many houses after looting grain, cash of lack of rupees and few gold ornaments and chicks. Then they dragged Kirma into near by bushes and left her there.

The people informed this horrible incident to C.M.A.S. leadership. The leadership rushed to the village and brought Kirma to Parvatipuram and admitted her in the hospital and filed a complaint with D.S.P. Parvatipuram. Kirma in her statement to the police she narrated the whole terrible incident and named the 17 rapists. So far the police did not arrest a single culprit. People caught hold of one the rapists, beaten him and handed over to the police.

The study team visited this Jadaba village on 15^th at 11.00 a.m. The villagers narrated whole incident and described the entire story. They further informed the team that the same Gangsters armed with rifles led by Lokanth went to the village on 15^th morning around 7’O clock, and burnt down a few remaining houses in the villages and also many huts on podu field. The people requested the committee to provide protection. The committee members assured to take the whole matter to the administration and appealed to the people to remain united and not to loose heart, so that they can fight such attack in future.

While the team is leaving the village the entire villagers walked down to the Kuntesu village. There, they caught another suspected rapist and naturally in fit of just anger tried to kill him. But an organizer of C.M.A.S. immediately intervened, and pacified the people. The study team brought him to parvatipuram and presented before the media. He narrated the whole Gasty incident and he pleaded that he had not committed rape. C.M.A.S. organizer after verifying from Kirma let him go.

Another shock await Nay ! in fact it is very sad – Gananath Patro considering to be a revolutionary till the other day, gave a statement to media that Kirma is not raped.

III. Violent attack on C.M.A.S. by G.P. Linga faction.

1. The murder of Pinneti Suresh : Suresh was 25 years old. He was married and have three children between 7 – 4 years. He was hacked to death by the mob led by G.P. Linga faction on 6^th September, 2009 at around 5.00 p.m. near Bansputta village. Suresh was a resident of Bandugam (Block H.Q,) He was relli by caste (scheduled case) and landless daily wage labourers.

On that fateful day, one Singana of G.P. Linga faction phoned some followers of CMAS, informed that they were torching the village Khatragada (under the influence of CMAS) and challenged to go there if they have guts. The word spread like wild fire. Hundreds of people from Bandugam and nearby villages proceeded towards Katragada. When the people went near the village Bansuputa (under the influence of G.P. Linga faction) an organized mob suddenly jumped out from behind the bushes and threw country made bombs. The scarred people ran helter – skelter and in that pelmela Pinnit Suresh fell down. He was hacked to death by some body of mob organized by G.P. Linga faction. His body lied there in pool of blood until 7^th afternoon. The police was afraid to lift the dead body from the place. They sent a word to CMAS leaders. It was only after CMAS organizers and more than 1000 of their followers went to the place, the police lifted the dead body to Bandugam and post-mortem was conducted. So far no one was taken into custody for this offence.

2. Kidnap of 11 Person :

On 6^th September, 2009, coming to know the word that the Katragada village was set on fire, another group of 1500 people were marching towards Katragada from another direction, when this group reached near Dandavadi village, under the Panchayat Kaberibadi, another organized group of G.P. fraction threw bombs on the people. The people felt shcok and ran in different directions. The attackers then swooped on a few people and kidnapped 11 persons. They include two adivasi women, six no-adivasis and three adivasi men.

The mother of kidnapped Kadrak Chilakamma, approached some leaders of G.P. Linga Faction in the village Sunapalamanda and pleaded to let off here daughters. She was told that they did not know where abouts of Chilakamma.

Even now the two women and two tribal man are under the control of G.P. action at an unknown place. Six non-tribal man and one tribal man was let off on 16^th evening, the team was informed by the I.I.C. , Bandugam P.S.

3. In the valley lands of many villages in Bandugam Block, Lemon grass is being grown since many years. Once planted the grass will be cut thrice a year. The cut grass is put in broilers and distilled and the liquid with aroma is collected. It is said the liquid is used in medicines and in scents. So it is a cash crop until a few months back almost the entire land was under the enjoyment of no-tribals. Under the leadership of CMAS the lands are occupied by tribals recently. Then the non-tribal cultivators (many of them tenants) entered into a written agreement with tribals to the effect that the former shall once for all handover the lands to the tribals after reaping the September – October crop this year.

Then the G.P. Linga faction organized a few hundred armed adivasaids and burnt down 20 lemon grass distilleries and on 3 September, 2009. G.P. declares that lemon grass crop cultivation will not be allowed even by tribals. If any body goes against his diktat, he / she will be taken to task, G.P. declares.

So far the police do not take into custody a single person for the offence burning down distilleries.

III. The Role of the Administration

The study team met at Bandage –

1) The B.D.O., Dukhishyam Paik and Inspector I/C A.K. Jena of the Police Station on 16^th September, 2009.

a) The B.D.O. conceded that so far he did not visit the burnt down Jadaba village. The team questioned why so ? and then explained the pathetic situation of the adivasi people of burnt down Jadaba village. He promised to take all possible relief measures immediately.

But when we enquired with the adivasis of Jadaba on 17thb at 4.00 p.m. we are told that no body from the administration visited the village and no relief was provided. Then the team contacted B.D.O. on phone. He said he will be visiting the village on 18^th September, 2009 and relief will be provide on 19^th September onwards.

b) The team of I.I/C of Bandugam P.s. at 6.00 p.m. on 16^th. The team enquired whether any action is being taken in pursuance of the complaints in the contest of –

i) Murder of Suresh

ii) Kidnap of 11 persons

iii) Burning of Jadaba village

iv) Burning out Lemon Grass Distilleries

The I.I/C. replied “The culprits are taking shelter in Maoist villages. We have only one platoon force. It is not enough to go to those villages. We requested Govt. of Orissa for two more platoons as soon as that force arrives we conduct raids and arrest all the culprits”.

Conclusions :

1. Media, both print and electronic is reporting that till very recently the Adivasi area of Narayanapatna and Bandugam blocks in peaceful. But now because of the factional fight between two factions of CMAS, the situation in that area is alarming.

It is totally in accurate assessment, the fact of the matter is like this. :-

i) A small section of Sahukars, Sundhis and the like by hook or cook grabbed the entire fertile valley lands of the adivasis. The forest machinery has been continuously harassing the adivasis on one pretest or other. The entire population of Adivasis are living a life of bonded labour. Can such a situation be called a situation of calm and peace ? Definitely not, we assert.

ii) Because of countless struggles of Adivasis during the last 200 years the Govt. of Orissa brought Act. 2 of 1956. According to this Act Adivasi land can not be transferred to non-adivasi. But, alas, the entire fertile valley lands in Narayanpatna and Bandugam Blocks are under the occupation and enjoyment of no-adivasi Sahukars and Sondies. Around 1993 the Ryotu – Cooli Sangham (Andhra Pradesh) extended it’s activity from the neighbouring Viziyanagaram district to Koraput district and formed Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangh (CMAS) in 1988 and organized people on many a problem faced by tribals. The problems includes abolition of liquor and for restoration of land to the adivasis. Fro this lawful activity false cases are filed against many cadres including Pydamma, the leader of the Sangh.

So the study team is obliged to remark that the successive governments of Orissa and it’s machinery are the basic culprits for the recent so called non-peaceful situation. A real peace can be restored only when the entire agriculture land in the area – valley land and PODY land is legally allotted to adivasis and eligible non-adivasi poor. In fact CMAS is endeavoring to implement Act 2/56 and Tribal Rights Act 2006 through their mass movement.

iii) This movement in AOB area has been continuously under the guidance of Com. Visawam since 1978. Because of 30 years of persistent work by the organizers led by Com. Jhansi the mass movement took strong roots in 400 villages in this AOB area. Gananath Patro was being invited to this area occasionally since 2005 for certain legal representation to the officers. During that time Gananath Patro is afflicted with cynicism and suffering from some hallucinations. He deserted the organizations till January, 2009 and took to narrow national Chauvinism. He has succeeded to divert a few hundred adivasis into his paranoid programme and is resorting to violent attach on the CMAS and the poor non-adivasi people and adivasi people in the movement. It is mot unfortunate that he is reverting back to the suicidal path of left adventurist sectarianism.

The All India study team fervently appeals Gananath Patro to shed his cynicism and hallucination and once again embarrass the mass line.

Demands on the Government of Orissa

1) All necessary measures should be initiated and completed on war footing to implement Act 2/56 of Orissa State and Forest Rights Act 2006 of Government of India,

2) Simultaneously measures should be initiated to resettle the land less non adivasi poor who have been living there for decades by providing a maximum of 1 hectre cultivable land to each family.

3) Fully equipped Primary Health Centres should be established in each and every Panchayat Headquarter village.

4) Schools in every Panchayat should provide education upto 7^th Class in Kui language. Two meal a day should be provided to all the students. Required number of teachers on permanent basis should be appointed. Enough facilities should be created for higher education.

5) Steps should be taken to provide safe drinking water to all the habitats.

6) Check dumps should be built on streams to provide irrigation.

7) ITDA should open permanent purchase centre and pay fair price to the forest produce collected by Adivasis.

Bhubaneswar

Date : 18.09.2009

(Subodh Mitra)

Convener All India Study Team

*Instants* *Jorge Luis Borges*

V.VIJAYAKUMAR:

If I could live again my life,

In the next - I'll try,

- to make more mistakes,

I won't try to be so perfect,

I'll be more relaxed,

I'll be more full - than I am now,

In fact, I'll take fewer things seriously,

I'll be less hygienic,

I'll take more risks,

I'll take more trips,

I'll watch more sunsets,

I'll climb more mountains,

I'll swim more rivers,

I'll go to more places - I've never been,

I'll eat more ice creams and less (lime) beans,

I'll have more real problems - and less imaginary

ones,

I was one of those people who live

prudent and prolific lives -

each minute of his life,

Of course that I had moments of joy - but,

if I could go back I'll try to have only good moments,

If you don't know - thats what life is made of,

Don't lose the now!

I was one of those who never goes anywhere

without a thermometer,

without a hot-water bottle,

and without an umbrella and without a parachute,

If I could live again - I will travel light,

If I could live again - I'll try to work bare feet

at the beginning of spring till

the end of autumn,

I'll ride more carts,

I'll watch more sunrises and play with more children,

If I have the life to live - but now I am 85,

- and I know that I am dying...

After Singur, Nandigram, Dinhata and Ration Riots Now it is Lalgarh – West Bengal is Seething. By Com. Subrata Basu [CPI (ML) Benggal State Secretary]

After Nandigram now it is Lalgarh. Buddhadeb Bhattacharya government and CPI (M) have resorted to state sponsored ruthless terror to crush people’s democratic movement.

But while in Nandigram they unleashed offensive by the combine of police and party goons surreptitiously under the cover of the darkness of night, in Lalgarh they launched the armed operation – in reality an undeclared war jointly with the congress led UPA government (of which Mamata Banarjee’s Trinamul congress is a formidable partner) in broad daylight.

Incidentally, it is not the Manmohan sing government that pressurized the WB government for this paramilitary operation. But it is Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya who with the nod from the state and the central leadership of his party sought Para-military help on a wider scale from the Prime Minister Manmohan Sing.

In Nandigram, for Buddhadeb and the CPI (M) the pretext was to “bring back peace in the area” and in Lalgarh the pre text is to get rid of terrorism and establish rule of law in the area”.

Lalgarh in West Medinipur situated about 200 KM away from Kolkata is one of the 18 blocks out of total 241 blocks of West Bengal where as the report goes the ruling CPI (M) at present is no longer able “to rule and govern in the same old way as they used to before”- which actually means like a colonial rule. These 18 blocks encompass three adjacent districts – West Midnapur, Bankura and Purulia. Incidentally 43 most backward and poverty stricken blocks of West Bengal are situated in this area.

Lalgarh issue has developed over the past few months following brutal police torture on the people of Chhotopelia village in the aftermath of land mine blast at Salboni along the chief Minister convoy returning Kolkata after the ceremony of laying foundation stone of the proposed SEZ project of the Zindals.

The blast took place on 2^nd November, 2008 and CPI (Maoist) claimed its responsibility. On the night of 5 November, Police raided Chhotopelia village situated about 30 KM from Salboni in search of the persons responsible for the blast and let loose hell upon the sleeping villagers. Police hounded each and every house. Inmates were dragged out and beaten up mercilessly. Women were humiliated and roughed up. Many were injured seriously. One tribal woman Chhitamani Murmu lost one of her eyes. Many people were arrested. They were implicated in false cases. Even two school going minor boys were not spared.

Now this sort of police atrocity is nothing new in Lalgarh and in entire Jungle Mahal including adjacent to rural area of Bankura and Purulia.

To Buddhadeb Bhattacharya’s police, tribes and activist of CPI (Maoist) are one and the same. And people mostly tribes have been subjected to worst kind of police repressions over the past one decade. Besides, corrupt and muscles wielding local Party BOSSES OF CPI (m) are in no mood and temper to tolerate any opposition to their policy and programme. So persons having dissenting voice are brought to the police stations and beaten up.

In fact, of late police stations in this area have been virtually turned into CPI (M) party offices. But the fall out of 5th November police repression has a different tale to tell. Entire village rose up in spontaneous protest and in no time the protest developed into spontaneous resistance movement of the mass of Lalgarh and vast rural area of entire jungle mahal under the banner of POLICE SANTRAS BIRODHI PEOPLE’S COMMITTEE formed by the people of 91 villages of Lalgarh block and neighboring rural area. Representation of many political organizations including CPI (Maoist) was also there.

The villagers boycotted the administration and police. They stopped paying taxes. Felled trees, dug-up roads, protest rallies of tribes armed with traditional weapons were part of this resistance movement. Police and administration dared not enter into the area. Even the polling in Lalgarh for the Jhargram Lok Sabha Constituency had to be held outside the boycotted area on the terms and conditions of the Police Santras Birodhi People’s committee.

It needs to be pointed out here that though brutal police repression on the night of 5^th November sparked off the Lalgarh movement, the real cause behind the explosion of people’s wrath is their long deprivation and denial of basic human needs like food and clothing. It being a land of marinate, agriculture is extremely difficult here. Among the populace of the area are Adivasis like Santals, Munda, Lodha belonging to ST, Bagdi, Mal belonging to SC. Besides, there are OBC like Kurmi, Mahato and Bagal etc. Their life during 32 years of uninterrupted rule of Left Front government first under Jyoti Basu and then under Buddhdeb has not changed much from what it was under the congress govt. of Bidhan Roy or Prafulla Ch.sen or Siddharth Shankar Roy. It remains the same – a life of oppression, exploitation, destitution, lack of human rights. Even in 2009 health and hospital care, drinking water, education, road ways and communication facilities, electricity all are a distant dream for them.

The money that is allotted by the govt. – central or state under different development schemes hardly reached the needy as major amount used to be pocketed by local CPI (m) functionaries. Job cards are not issued to persons who are really below poverty line. Hardly any villagers have got work for mandatory 100 days under National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. At best work for 10-15 days were given and that too, to a few and they are yet to receive full payment for the work.

Almost the entire amount of money allotted for the scheme is simply siphoned off in one way or the other by the corrupt panchayet officials who are mostly CPI (m) men. In fact corruption and CPI (m) have become synonymous in Lalgarh.

The deprivation, poverty and hunger coupled with repression and oppression by the corrupt police-corrupt CPI (m) leadership for a pretty long time, ultimately led to the outburst of the pent up anger of the villagers.

Lalgarh movement against administration and police and CPI (m) misdeeds has been sustained for the past seven months. It indicates tribes are united and have risen up against economic exploitation, social neglect and political repression. Any injustice to them from now on is to meet with resolute protest. They are fighting for elementary human rights and democracy for themselves. Buddhadeb Govt. and cpi (m) tried to break the movement by applying the tactics of divide and rule among the villagers, but their attempt failed and they did not proceed further.

Perhaps, with the memory of Nandigram backlash (forcing them to roll back the proposed SEZ of chemical hub and massive erosion of support base among mass of the people all over the state) fresh in their mind they dared not press into service their Harmed leaders like Susanta (Cabinet Minister in Buddhadeb Govt.) Tapan -Sukur, notorious killers of Chhoto Angaria and king pins of Nandigram carnage, to break the Lalgarh movement in similar fashion.

It is some incidents during Loksabha poll and after, like mine blast causing deaths of poll personals, setting ablaze Police stations, and residential buildings of some local cpi (m) leaders (who earned a very bad name locally) and individual killings in and around Lalgarh provided Buddhadeb Govt. and cpi (m) with much needed opportune movement to strike back- i.e. to launch joint armed operation with central govt.

Buddhadeb govt. and cpi (m) are under heavy compulsion to crush the movement – to help create a “congenial law and order situation” in the state for smooth implementation of liberal economic reform programmes. Congress- the most trusted representative of the rulings class and Trinamul congress too, has the same compulsion – perhaps greater, as they are in power at the centre.

Besides, Buddhadeb govt. and cpi(m) have another great stake to prove before the domestic ruling class and imperialism that notwithstanding set back in Nandigram and worst ever poll debacle in Lok Sabha election they have the ability and acumen to tide over opposition and go ahead with policy and programmes as desired by them (ruling class and imperialism).

To prove, further that they are for the dictum “Either reform or perish “not in words only but in deeds also. Buddhadeb govt. and the CPI (M) readily bowed before the central govt. to ban the CPI (Maoist) though they have been mouthing to counter CPI (Maoist) politically. Without an iota of hesitation, Buddhadeb govt. applied newly enacted draconian black law – Unlawful Activities Prevention Act – to arrest the spokesman of CPI (Maoist) in West Bengal.

The riders –‘selective use’ of the black law and a ‘prior discussion in core committee’ before its selective use are nothing but show piece attempt to distance themselves from central govt. on the issue and not to be seen on identical stand with the UPA govt.of Congress and Trinamul on ban and black law.

From the stand point of parliamentary politics, the twist and turn in post poll political situation of the state following launching of joint armed operation in Lalgarh provided beleaguered Buddhadeb govt. and CPI (M) after the worst ever drubbing they received in Loksabha election, with some breathing space at least for the time being to try for salvaging their tarnished image as well as eroded support base.

In the first place, much to their relief the disturbing news of analysis and review of their poll debacle accompanied by wide spread criticism of the leadership, both from inside and out side the party; no longer draw media attention and hence no discomposing public exposure of the unpalatable truth about their misdeeds. Instead Lalgarh operation has hit the news headline.

Besides, they have been able to send the feeler to their rank & file as well as to the sympathizers and supporters that the Buddhadeb ministry with the backing of party leadership do have the ability to rule and govern and become firm in taking effective steps to protect and save the party me who are increasingly coming under the threat of physical elimination by the political opponents and onoccasions are also getting eliminated.

Next, they have got the much needed scope of making re entry into some areas of Lalgarh Block which were so long inaccessible to them because of their earlier misdeeds.

So CPI (M) and Buddhadeb govt. must be thankful to CPI(MAOIST) for extending their helping hand directly to help them extricate at least for the time being from the quagmire of crisis arisen out of their out and out pro-imperialist pro- ruling class policy and programmes of implementing imperialist globalization – a policy that has already caused considerable erosion of their support base in Bengal and there by have reduced the importance and relevance of their role in present day parliamentary politics of coalition govt.

Rendering organizational and political help to ruling class parties or to ruling CPI (M) whom they called ‘Social Fascist’, is nothing new to CPI (Maoist). They helped CPI (M) during the period of 1998 – 2001 to wipe out BJP – Trinamul combine from Garbeta-Keshpur-Arambag belt. It helped CPI (M) to strengthen their political and organizational influence in the area and since then it has been paying them rich dividend in successive elections from panchayet to Loksabha. In the recently concluded Loksabha election CPI (M) supported CPI candidate won the Ghatal seat by huge margin despite considerable erosion of their tribal support base.

Again, as their political equation with the CPI (M) changed, they opted for a new equation with – a regional ruling class party TMC. But TMC at that time could not exact any political benefit from the alliance as their joint armed squads were simply ambushed by the CPI (M) killers.

Again, it is CPI (Maoist that helped TMC and its supremo Mamata Banerjee to impose their leadership in Nandigram movement that started as a spontaneous people’s protest against forcible acquisition of land. It helped Mamata to channelize a potential people movement into the blind lane of electoral politics- gradually killing its potentiality of developing into massive anti SEZ and for that matter anti imperialist movement.

Thus facts tell that the tactics CPI (Maoist) followed in West Medinipur or in Nandigram served the cause of pro-imperialist and pro-ruling class party CPI (M) and TMC, at the cost of people’s cause. This line has no relation with Marxism-Leninism. Theirs is not the Marxist-Leninist line of mobilizing and organizing the mass of the people to develop mass revolutionary struggle. The politics of class based organization and class struggle is alien to their ideological and political line of left adventurism. What they practiced in West Medinipur and in Nandigram is their old tactical line. They have been practicing it for a long time in AP sometimes to the advantage of TDP and at other time to the advantage of Congress. In Lalgarh they made their entry in to the Police Santras Birodhi Peoples Committee and began to assert their line in the core body of the committee. Their line of individual killings- to name only a few, of Vishnu Murmu, Nirmal Sardar,Indrajit Sahis,Sudhir Mandi,Sadhana Besra[Reference : com.Santhosh Rana’s open letter to CPI(Maoist) dated 30^th May2009].

All the victims were landless oppressed poor people. It seems that the Marxist concept of “class” and “class struggle” which com.Mao-tse-Tung applied while conducting Chinese Revolution do not find any place in the political lexicon of CPI(Maoist).

Again, their some other activities in the area can in no way be supported. For example some tribal women were forced to put on garlands of shoes and take part in the procession. One Gopinath Murmu, happened to be a CPI (M) supporter, was clubbed to death and his widow was forced to take part in the procession of the Committee.[Ref.Com.santhosh Rana’s open letter to CPI(Maoist) dated 30^th May 2009]

These sorts of activities have harmed Lalgarh movement. While on the one hand they indulged in such practice of individual killings, on the other hand in the face of joint armed operation except for blasting a few indigenous land mines and firing some shots at the advancing force they have failed to put up any resistance. Peoples resistance remains far cry one may interpret it as a part of their guerilla war. But it was seen that on the very next day of the police atrocities in Chhotopelia village – the entire area rose up in spontaneous protest that soon developed into a resistance movement of the thousands of Adivasi people. But now exodus of alarmed villagers from their village in Lalgarh and many of them both men and women got severely wounded as the joint force mercilessly beat up them. And one villager was shot dead.

Thus a democratic upsurge of the oppressed Adivasi people having the potentiality of developing into mass revolutionary movement was simply blown over by the left adventurist activities of CPI(Maoist) that invited state onslaught on the scale of an undeclared war, at a time when people involved in the movement were not politically organized and needed to be trained and awakened to class consciousness by mass revolutionary action combining political and economic demands, before taking on the state onslaught of such a magnitude. Lalgarh has given exposure once again to the left adventurism – one of the twin dangers of Communist movement – the other being Revisionism.

At the same time Lalgarh has nakedly exposed Mamata and her TMC in their true color –its out and out anti-people people ruling class character. TMC supremo who once lent her support to the Lalgarh Peoples Committee and even attended a rally did not utter a single word decrying the joint armed operation. Her plea was that she did not have any prior information. But she demanded a stop to armed operation. Her only concern is that joint operation would help CPI (M) to regain their lost support base in Lalgarh and as a counter measure to contain CPI (M), demanded declaring Garbeta, Kespur and Bankura as disturbed area. She has welcomed the imposition of ban on CPI (Maoist).

For CPI (M) Lalgarh has again exposed their compulsion to go against peoples interest – a compulsion arising out of their policy of surrender before the combine of domestic ruling class and imperialism with the avowed objective of having a share in the state power ( at the centre ) within the present socio-economic system of the country through parliamentary cretinism.

Indeed, CPI (M)’s role in Lalgarh development has proved once again that in no way they can be called a Leftist Party not to speak of calling them a Marxist Party. Their ready acceptance to the ban imposed on CPI (Maoist) and immediate applying of the draconian black law UAPA in the state have shown it nakedly that they have degenerated to the position where it can well be called that Congress - surrendered to imperialism and CPI(M) are two sides of a coin. In the context it needs to be pointed out here that all these draconian measures applied in Lalgarh would backfire

It is observed that people from different walks of life have come out in protest against joint armed operation. They include among others writers, poets, dramatists, film makers’ actors. And there is unanimous demand that :-

1. Joint armed operation in Lalgarh should be immediately stopped.

2. Ban on CPI (Maoist) should be revoked immediately.

3. Black Law UAPA should be revoked immediately.

4. Maoist spokesman arrested under UAPA should be unconditionally released.

5. Lalgarh problem should be solved politically.

This voice of protest needs to be louder and intensified. For the Communist Revolutionary and struggling left forces Lalgarh development sends a clear message - which dark days are ahead. Lalgarh is not an isolated case. Situation warrants that these forces should act. In the context we reiterate what ou Organization observed at the time of Nandigram movement that – “It is the peoples interest that these forces ( CR and Struggling Left) rise up to the occasion shunning their habitual inertia, incapacity and passivity to react properly and effectively to the demand of the situation”.