People's Democracy

On Dantewada Massacre by Maoists

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) issued the following statement on April 7, 2010.

THE Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) strongly condemns the massacre of 76 CRPF jawans and Chhattisgarh policemen by the Maoists in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh state. This brutal attack is a reminder that no state government can singly tackle the violence perpetrated by the Maoists. Given the fact that the Maoists are conducting their major armed operations in seven states, it becomes the responsibility of the central government to ensure a coordinated response and for providing adequate assistance through the central police forces. Regrettably, the union home minister has been prone to throwing the responsibility on to the state governments and to blaming them for the consequences of the Maoist depredations. Such an approach should be given up and proper coordination between the centre and the states concerned should be established.

The Maoists are resorting to killings not only of the police forces but are also targeting leaders and cadre of political parties and ordinary people such as school teachers who do not agree with them. It is, therefore, equally important to expose the Maoists for their disruptive activities and their methods of terrorising and intimidating the people. The tribal people whom they claim to be fighting for are the worst victims of such tactics. The Maoists have to be fought politically by mobilising the people against them. 

The Maoists are concentrating their activities where the tribal people live in the forest and hilly areas. It is in these areas of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh inhabited by the adivasis that large tracts of land are being handed over to foreign and Indian companies for mining operations. Instead of adopting measures for the socio-economic development of such regions, the policies of the central government are harming the interests of the tribal people.  The displacement of the tribal people and the loss of their livelihood and habitats are a direct result of the policy of the central government to indiscriminately throw open all these areas for mining operations, legal and illegal. This must be put a stop to immediately. 

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) reiterates its resolve to fight the Maoists politically and ideologically and the need to take effective administrative measures to curb their violent activities.