In Chhattisgarh, letters seized from Maoist camp tell story of govt push, ‘dire situation’
Indian Express
March 26, 2018 11:12 am
All these letters, recovered by the Chhattisgarh Police after exchanges of fire, tell stories — of increasing police and government influence in some areas; promises to intensify Maoist military and political schooling; of consolation, solace and loneliness.
The letters carry no addresses. Most
don’t even have names, for those would be a giveaway. Some may have already
been delivered. Others perhaps en route, in the complex, hand-to-hand postal
system that is the medium of communication for Maoists in the jungles of
Bastar. It is difficult to tell. But all these letters, recovered by the
Chhattisgarh Police after exchanges of fire, tell stories — of increasing
police and government influence in some areas; promises to intensify Maoist
military and political schooling; of consolation, solace and loneliness.
In January this year, teams from the
Chhattisgarh Police were on an intelligence-based operation in Doditumnar area
of Dantewada district, at the confluence of Dantewada, Bijapur and Sukma
districts. Senior police officials told The Indian Express that they came
across a small hill, where they found a Maoist hideout. “In truth, we did not
expect to find them there, but it was clearly a hideout. Both sides spotted
each other, and there was exchange of fire, but the Maoists fled,” said a
senior official. But what was important was what they left behind.
Police found signs of the presence
of Maoist commander Kawasi Bheema. Also known as Situ, Bheema has earned
himself a fearsome reputation, and is ‘deputy commander’ of ‘battalion number
1’, headed by Hidma. Carrying a Rs 30 lakh bounty on his head across two
states, his profile, in the Chhattisgarh Police records, says, “jhuk kar
chalta hai, baye bhuja mein goli lagne ka nishan hai, subah pratidin vyayam
karta hai (walks with a stoop, has a bullet injury on his left arm,
exercises every morning)”, and the crucial, “ghatna ki planning karne mein
tej hai (is proficient at planning attacks)”.
“Situ has been instrumental in
several massive attacks on security forces and, with Sonu, is a big name in
South Bastar region. It is almost certain that he was part of the Bhejji and
Burkapal attacks that left 37 jawans dead,” said D M Awasthi, Special DG,
anti-Naxal operations.
Much of what the police found at the
makeshift camp was not out of the ordinary, such as daily use material and
wire. But they also found a small bag containing letters which they believe to
be Situ’s. “Some of these letters have status reports from various places. So
they were either marked to Situ, or he could be sending it to the higher-ups
such as Ramanna, Hidma, or other Central Committee members hiding in Bastar,”
said a senior official.
One letter, written to a “Comrade
Kumari”, notes the government’s push inside the AOB (Andhra Odisha Border)
division of the Maoists, as well as the upcoming elections in 2019. “There are
serious problems in the AOB division. Every day, the search operations by the
police are increasing. They are catching hold of the public and beating them
up. The situation right now is very dire. There are elections in 2019 so the
government wants to finish Maoism everywhere. That is why we will study the
principles of MLM (Marxism-Leninism-Maoism) well, and however difficult the
problem is, we will take it to the party and try and solve it. We will pay
attention to the political military school and try and learn. I am also trying
to learn these things, Comrade Kumari,” says the letter, which identifies the
writer only as a member of the “supply dalam” of the AOB division.
Another letter, addressed to
“Kumari”, also speaks of the difficulties in the Bhairamgarh division in
Bijapur district, saying the ‘sangham’ members in villages were finding it
difficult to work, but were attempting to “despite the difficulties”.
A four-line letter, addressed to
Situ, reads, “I am writing you a short letter. Could not find mobile batteries.
Will get it on Saturday and will send it to you with a letter. Sending Rs 900
and supplies with Sannu. As I finish my letter, with a revolutionary salute,
Lal Salaam. Comrade Kumbha.”
Senior police officials said even
letters as short as these are often revealing, giving information on the name
of the supplier. “Also, for instance, there are two possible reasons Situ wants
a mobile battery. One is that perhaps even senior cadre are now using these
phones, or the second is that these batteries, as we have known, are being used
in improvised explosive devices. Both constitute valuable intelligence,” said a
senior official.
It isn’t always the substantive
content of what the letters revolve around, but stray sentences that reveal the
intricacies of the lives of Maoists. For instance, each letter is handwritten
in Devanagari script, but the language is Gondi, later translated into Hindi by
the Chhattisgarh police. At least two letters say “please forgive me if the
letters that I use to write are wrong. Correct them and then read”. And in a
world where names change constantly, even cadres lose track. “There used to be
a Paike who was with you. Where is she now? Has she kept the same name or has
she changed it,” says one letter.
“These letters give us crucial
information on their internal happenings, confirm our push, and often shows us
their disillusionment and sense of frustration,” said Awasthi. It was such
literature which confirmed to the police the creation of a new Maoist zone
called the “Maharashtra Madhya Pradesh Chhattisgarh (MMC)”, as reported by The
Indian Express.
One letter, for instance, written to
“Kumari behen”, says, “How are you at this time, I do not know. I hope you are
happy with everyone else. Why don’t you ever write me a letter? We met once at
that place, but even then you did not come to my dera to sit with me?” In the
same letter, the un-named writer beseeches Kumari not to think about marriage.
“We knew about all of this when we entered the party. We should not get angry
when these small and big problems come. If you fall ill, take some pills, and
learn from the political military school. We should not think about returning
home. Rina is also where we left her. If there are some problems because you
are not travelling home, then you should narrate this at the branch meeting and
fix the issue,” it says.
Another letter, recovered from
Situ’s bag, says, “It is happening such that the enemy is targeting our RPC and
sangham, and their target is to finish them off. We have given responsibilities
to the sangham of the villages where they reside. Whatever they know, they are
doing. Therefore, you should also think that you left behind your parents,
sister, brother and everyone else in the village for the people, to solve the
problem of the poor people, and to fight against the thieves. Think comrade.
There are illnesses, but the party is responsible. Whatever subjects the
commander raises, don’t think of them as criticism. Don’t get angry and don’t
think about going home. Heat, rain, cold — these are all problems that will
always come. We are working for the people.”
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