
We have been witnessing that immediately after the new state government under current Chief Minister Bishnu Deo Sai in Chhattisgarh installed on 13 December 2023, mass killing of Tribal people of Bastar is on the rise through horrifying bloodbath. It appears that the government has declared war and a policy of genocide against its own citizens in the name of suppression of ‘MAOISTS’. We are constrained to say that the present Union Home Minister Amit Shah has openly declared the policy of physical elimination of Maoists, which is not only blatant violation of Article 21 of Indian Constitution but also violative of all norms of International Human Rights and stood against all forms of humanity.
The paramilitary forces from CRPF, CoBRA and DRGs (District Reserve Guards- the new avatar of disbanded infamous murderous Militia Salwa Judum) are engaged in a massive military operation. This massive military attack is part of ‘Operation Kagaar’ that has claimed not less than 300 lives in its most barbaric form with each passing day. The reality of encounter killings in the past as well as present have shown us that often it is civilian who are killed in such a large-scale hunt and passed off as Maoists killed in exchange of fire in fake encounters. While the identities of those killed have not been ascertained yet and it cannot be stated in full confidence that those killed were Maoists engaged in exchange of fire with security forces, especially in a scenario where staged encounters of civilians and captured Maoists, has become an unquestioned norm in the recent times. Unfortunately, the mainstream media is celebrating the cold-blooded carnage of fellow countrymen without demanding any investigation and thereby promoting a total genocide in Bastar as the only viable solution being brought forth by the BJP-RSS led government in Centre and the State.
The stony silence and indifferent response from various sections of the society, to this onslaught, is quite shocking.
As it is reported in the media, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah has declared the deadline of March 2026 for eradication of Maoists. It is very much possible that the State has given its corporate friends like Adani a date for the final handover of Bastar, so that its rich quality mineral resources can be plundered. It is the very reason why more than 300 people have been killed since January 2024, more than half of whom were either ordinary villagers or allegedly Maoists, captured and killed. From decades, with the introduction of the ‘Liberalization,
Privatization and Globalization’ scheme, the names of the operations might change but the killing and bloodshed of Adivasis is continuing at a rampant pace through rampant militarization happening in the region. Almost 200 paramilitary camps are there in Bastar and it is very visible that these camps are being built to encircle the mining blocks to provide a carpet security to extractive process.
We have been maintaining that the problem of left-wing extremism or ‘Naxalism’ is a socio-economic problem which has its deep root in structural inequality and social exclusion. Without addressing the issue in this perspective and seeing the issue from the eyes of police will not resolve the core issue of community ownership over natural resources, forests lands, the policy adopted by the Indian state is destined to fail.
We condemn such genocide of its own countrymen in Bastar by the State force and Demand:
1)To stop ‘Operation Kagaar’ and all other such operations being undertaken to massacre Adivasis immediately.
2)As Killing, extermination is being not the solution, stop immediately massacre of armed opposition groups/parties (in popular parlance Maoists Guerillas) by military operation.
3)Declaration of policy of elimination must be withdrawn; the Government must engage in dialogue with the Maoists. Eradication of a thought or ideology, however, unpalatable to the ruling dispensation, is completely against Art.18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
4)To stop further building of paramilitary camps and disband existing every camp.
5)Withdraw the Ban imposed on Adivasi organisation ‘Moolwasi Bachao Manch’ and end the draconian and undemocratic practice of banning.
6)Release of All political prisoners and Adivasi villagers jailed under false pretence of being Maoists.
7)Stop any projects and infrastructural activities in Adivasi areas protected by the 5th Schedule. Prior consent of Gram- Sabha through genuine and fair process must be taken to undertake any activity in such regions.
8)Stop drone bombing and mortar attacks in Bastar and other Adivasi areas.
Rangta Munsi, General Secretary, Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR), Kolkata
E-mail: [email protected]