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तीनों बंधक पुलिसकर्मियों को नक्‍सलियों ने छोड़ दिया

KITS Team — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 06:50:14 +0000

पटना: 06 सितंबर, लक्‍खीसराय एन्‍काउन्‍टर के दौरान बंधक बनाये गए चार पुलिसकर्मियों में से तीन को नक्‍सलियों ने मुक्‍त कर दिया। एक पुलिसकर्मी लुकस टेटे को तीन दिन पहले नक्‍सलियों ने निर्ममतापूर्वक हत्‍या कर दी थी। बंधकों को छुडाने के अभियान में अबतक पुलिस ने सात नक्‍सलियों को गिरफ्तार भी किया है, जिसमें से एक एरिया कमांडर बताया जा रहा है। बंधकों की रिहाई पर मुख्‍यमंत्री नीतिश कुमार की पहली प्रतिक्रिया थी- चलो, अंत भला तो सब भला !खबरों के अनुसार, नौ दिनों तक बंधक रहे ट्रेनी सब-इंस्पेक्टर अभय यादव, सब-इंस्पेक्टर रूपेश कुमार और बिहार मिलिट्री पुलिस के हवलदार एहसान ख़ान को नक्सलियों ने लखीसराय के करीब लाखोचक गांव में सोमवार, 06 सितंबर की सुबह रिहा किया। बताया जाता है कि बंधकों के कई परिजन भी वहां पहुंच चुके थे। बाद में स्‍थानीय पुलिस द्वारा उन्‍हें लखीसराय पुलिस स्टेशन ले जाया गया। सभी बंधकों की स्थिति ठीक-ठाक बतायी जा रही है।

रिहाई में विलंब का कारण बताते हुए नक्‍सली प्रवक्‍ता अविनाश ने फोन पर मीडियाकर्मियों को बताया कि बंधकों की सुरक्षा इंतजाम के कारण यह देरी हुई। बताते चलें कि अविनाश ने परसों शाम घोषणा की थी कि बंधकों को रविवार सुबह तक रिहा कर दिया जाएगा।

Is There No Limit To The Profits Industrialists Make ?

KITS Team — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 14:10:22 +0000

|| Stan Swamy ||

|| the compensation amount the land owner gets is a pittance ||
When it comes to industrial investments, what is high lighted are the thousands of crores of rupees the company is going to invest, the amount & nature of the product the company will produce and the amount of land, usually in several thousands of acres, the company will require. If one looks more closely the MoU agreed between the government and the company, one will also find other requirements such as how many million square feet of water and how many million kilo-watts of electric power the company will require for its production process. It is important to note that except for the monetary investment, all other requirements (land, water, power) are expected to be provided by the Indian govt ! Tragic but true, the Indian govt accepts to fulfil all these requirements of industrialists when it has not met these needs even to a minimal level to the great majority of its citizens.

So the investing industrialists start their production enterprise with a big boost from the govt. But once they set up their companies and start production, it is profits and ever growing profits. To make matters easier, they demand tax exemption from the govt ranging from 3 to 5 years, and our benevolent govt grants that too!

Is there no limit to the profits industrialists make ?
Since mining is the most prominent industry in Jharkhand, let us have a look at the enormous profit they make:

Of this, NTPC has offered a maximum of Rs. 10 lakh per acre to the land-owner which would include compensation for land and resettlement such as housing, monthly allowance, infra-structural facilities. PANEM offered even less.

If we work out a ‘income-and-expenditure’ account for the companies, it would work out some thing like this:

50% of income per acre may have to be spent in (1) cash compensation to land-owner, (2) setting up the factory, (3) purchase of machinery & equipment, (4) purchase of water & power from the govt, ( 5) resettle-ment of displaced land-owners, (6) employment of technical, non-technical, managerial staff, (7) royalty to the govt, etc.

That means, the remaining 50% of the income is pure and simple profit for the company. To put it graphically:

All this just from one mine! No wonder industrialists become millionaires and billionairs in no time.

Let us reflect now on the plight of the land-owner. With the Rs. 10 lakh he gets as compensation for his land, he has to start a new life as a landless person. He has to build a new house, look for alternative ways to sustain his family economically. From being a producer, he is reduced to being a pure consumer. He and his family now depend wholly on the few lakhs of rupees which they received as compensation. Since there is no other source of income, the few lakhs of rupees will soon be finished and the family will become landless labourer.

Here is the criticalness of the situation. The rich investor comes from outside, makes super profits and goes back richer. The poor land-owner, on the other hand, loses the little asset he had, and becomes poorer.

One concrete proof of this is industrial production grows by 12% whereas agricultural production grows by 2%. The end result is national wealth (GDP) is increasing whereas development of people is decreasing. Development should include all sections of society. Otherwise, it is growth without development.

हिन्दुत्व की अवधारणा ही आतंकी है

KITS Team — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:37:18 +0000

|| अमलेन्दु उपाध्याय ||
कांग्रेस के साथ आरंभ से दिक्कत यह रही है कि वह किसी भी मुद्दे पर कोई भी स्टैण्ड चुनावी गुणा भाग लगाकर लेती है और अगर मामला गांधी नेहरू खानदान के खिलाफ न हो तो उसे पलटी मारने में तनिक भी हिचक नहीं होती है। उसकी इसी कमजोरी का फायदा उठाकर देश में सांप्रदायिक और फासीवादी ताकतें अपना विस्तार करती रही हैं और कांग्रेस फौरी नुकसान देखकर अहम मसलों पर अपने कदम पीछे हटाती रही है जिसका बड़ा नुकसान अन्तत: देश को उठाना पड़ा है। कुछ ऐसा ही मामला फिलहाल 'भगवा आतंकवाद' के मसले पर हुआ जब राज्य पुलिस महानिदेशकों के एक तीन दिवसीय सम्मेलन में गृह मंत्री पी. चिदंबरम ने ध्यान दिलाया कि देश में भगवा आतंकवाद भी है। बस भगवा गिरोह ने जब शोर मचाना शुरू किया तो कांग्रेस बैकफुट पर आ गई और चिदंबरम से उसने अपना पिण्ड छुड़ा लिया। नतीजतन हिन्दुत्ववादी आतंकवादियों के हौसले बुलन्द हैं।
यहां सवाल यह है कि क्या वास्तव में भगवा आतंकवाद जैसा कुछ है? और क्या आतंकवाद का कोई धर्म होता है? जाहिर सी बात है कि समझदार लोगों का जवाब यही होगा कि आतंकवाद का कोई धर्म नहीं होता और न कोई रंग होता है। लेकिन चिदंबरम ने जो कहा उससे भी असहमत होना आसान नहीं है। चिदंबरम के शब्द प्रयोग में असावधानी हो सकती है लेकिन भावना एकदम सही है। जिस आतंकवाद की तरफ चिदंबरम ने इशारा किया उसकी आमद तो आजादी के तुरंत बाद हो गई थी और इस आतंकवाद ने सबसे पहली बलि महात्मा गांधी की ली। उसके बाद भी यह धीरे धीरे बढ़ता रहा और 6 दिसम्बर 1992 को इसका विशाल रूप सामने आया।
हाल ही में जब साध्वी प्रज्ञा, दयानन्द पाण्डेय और कर्नल पुरोहित नाम के दुर्दान्त आतंकवादी पकड़े गए तब यह फिर साबित हो गया कि ऐसा आतंकवाद काफी जड़ें जमा चुका है। इसलिए भारतीय जनता पार्टी का चिदंबरम के बयान पर हो- हल्ला मचाना 'चोर की दाड़ी में तिनका' वाली कहावत को चरितार्थ करता है।
पहली बात तो यह है कि भगवा रंग पर किसी राजनीतिक दल का अधिकार नहीं है और न करने दिया जाएगा। यह हमारी सदियों पुरानी आस्था का रंग है। लेकिन चिदंबरम के बयान के बाद भाजपा और संघ यह दर्शाने का प्रयास कर रहे हैं गोया भगवा रंग उनका ही हो। अगर ऐसा है तो भाजपा का झण्डा भगवा क्यों नहीं है?
अब संघी भाई कह रहे हैं कि हिन्दू कभी आतंकवादी हो ही नहीं सकता। बात सौ फीसदी सही है और हम भी यही कह रहे हैं कि हिन्दू आतंकवादी नहीं हो सकता और आतंकवादी गतिविधिायों में जो आतंकवादी पकड़े गए हैं या अभी पकड़ से बाहर हैं वह किसी भी हाल में हिन्दू नहीं हो सकते वह तो 'हिन्दुत्व' की शाखा के हैं। दरअसल 'हिन्दुत्व' की अवधारणा ही आतंकी है और उसका हिन्दू धर्म से कोई लेना देना नहीं है। कोई भी धर्मग्रंथ, वेद, पुराण, गीता रामायण हिन्दुत्व की बात नहीं करता न किसी भी धर्मग्रंथ में 'हिन्दुत्व' शब्द का प्रयोग किया गया है।
हिन्दुत्व एक राजनीतिक विचार धारा है जिसकी बुनियाद फिरकापरस्त, देशद्रोही और अमानवीय है। आज हमारे संधी जिस हिन्दुत्व के अलम्बरदार बन रहे हैं, इन्होंने भी इस हिन्दुत्व को विनायक दामोदर सावरकर से चुराया है। जो अहम बात है कि सावरकर का हिन्दुत्व नास्तिक है और उसकी ईश्वर में कोई आस्था नहीं है। जबकि हिन्दू धर्म पूर्णत: आस्तिक है। उसकी विभिन्न शाखाएं तो हैं लेकिन ईश्वर में सभी हिन्दुओ की आस्था है। लिहाजा ईश्वर के बन्दे आतंकी तो नहीं हो सकते पर जिनकी ईश्वर में आस्था नहीं है वही आतंकी हो सकते हैं।
जो अहम बात है कि हिन्दू धर्म या किसी भी धर्म के साथ कोई 'वाद' नहीं जुड़ा है क्योंकि 'वाद' का कंसेप्ट ही राजनीतिक होता है जबकि 'हिन्दुत्व' एक वाद है। और आतंकवाद भी एक राजनीतिक विचार है। दुनिया में जहां कहीं भी आतंकवाद है उसके पीछे राजनीति है। दरअसल आतंकवाद, सांप्रदायिकता के आगे की कड़ी है। जब धर्म का राजनीतिक स्वार्थों की पूर्ति के लिए हथियार की तरह प्रयोग किया जाता है तब सांप्रदायिकता का उदय होता है और जब सांप्रदायिकता के जुनून को पागलपन की हद तक ले जाया जाता है तब आतंकवाद पैदा होता है।
भारत में भी जिसे भगवा आतंकवाद कहा जा रहा है वस्तुत: यह 'हिन्दुत्ववादी आतंकवाद' है, जिसे आरएसएस और उसके आनुषंगिक संगठन पालते पोसते रहे हैं। संघ की शाखाओं में बाकायदा आतंकवादी प्रशिक्षित किए जाते हैं जहां उन्हें लाठी- भाला चलाना और आग्नेयास्त्र चलाने का प्रशिक्षण दिया जाता है। दशहरे वाले दिन आतंकवादी अपने हथियारों की शस्त्र पूजा करते हैं।
फिर प्रतिप्रश्न यह है कि भाजपा और संघ को चिदंबरम के बयान पर गुस्सा क्यों आता है? 'मजहबी आतंकवाद', 'जिहादी आतंकवाद' और 'वामपंथी उग्रवाद' जैसे शब्द तो संघ के शब्दकोष की ही उपज हैं न! अगर मजहबी आतंकवाद होता है तो भगवा आतंकवाद क्यों नहीं हो सकता? अगर वामपंथी उग्रवाद होता है तो दक्षिणपंथ का तो मूल ही उग्रवाद है। अगर 'जिहादी आतंकवाद' और 'इस्लामिक आतंकवाद' का अस्तित्व है तब तो 'भगवा आतंकवाद' भी है। अब यह तय करना भाजपा- आरएसएस का काम है कि वह 'किस आतंकवाद' को मानते हैं?

( लेखक राजनीतिक समीक्षक एवं वरिष्ठ पत्रकार हैं।)

The Conundrum of Bihar Politics

KITS Team — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 12:27:52 +0000

|| by Vijay Bhaskar ||
Lalan Singh was once the most powerful man in Nitish fold, deciding about who or who won’t get the JDU ticket, among many other things. He was quite powerful without any power tag which made him more enemy than friends. One wonders why he chose a difficult path of alienating himself from Kumar at a time when he is the best bait. Was he really hurt by Nitish way of working?Anyone who knows Nitish knows it better that his style of functioning is centralised, hardly leaving a space for others to raise their voice of concern. This gives more space to bureaucracy than elected representative of the people. But this is an open fact and should not be any deterrent to aspiring politicians. Second, Nitish is touchy enough to tolerate criticism of any amplitude, a fact once referred to publicly by his close aid Shivanand Tewari. Tewari found Laloo to be more thick-skinned as compared to Nitish. But the way he has cruised Bihar safely and effectively out of jungle-raj is not an achievement of lesser degree. People who have seen jungle-raj of Laloo’s regime can actually feel and tell the difference. When Nitish overtook the throne his every minister was more concerned about the law and order situation of his/her constituency than the portfolio assigned to them. But perhaps Nitish very well knew the Pareto formula of how to do 20 percent and get an impact of 80 percent. He rightly seized the opportunity of doing something effective on law and order front. He put an immediate full stop to state-sponsored crime. Fast track courts worked real fast and send criminals behind the bars. Many left the state fearing possible crackdown. Most importantly he did not spare people of his own party; he shows extra toughness while dealing with party members who were at the wrong side of law giving a message that people across party-line would be severely dealt with. This was his one stand that effectively returned a sense of safety and security in the environ of Bihar. This was not only precursor to all his achievements but also laid down a road map for development. If, Laloo criticizes Nitish today for his failure to control crime and that the crime rate has increased but he will have to agree that state-sponsored crimes have been rooted out. It also underlines the fact that if, people felt unsecured and were eroded of basic right of safety and security it was largely due to state-sponsored crimes. Institution like government hardly existed in jungle-raj, highways were left unrepaired and unattended to in most parts of the state making road journey a nightmare .As if this was not enough notice board was erected on the side that the maintenance of highways was the Centre’s responsibility. Retracting his claim from prime –minister ship to chief minister ship of the state, though Laloo seems to be more realistic this time but his meeting with Shahabuddin in jail shows that he has not changed and would go to any extent to bring Bihar in the same game of politics of which he is veteran.
However comparison of Laoo’s and Nitish regime is not the subject matter of this write up.
Anyone who’s slightest concern for Bihar cannot forget what an unprecedented mass-based support Laloo had, especially in the first five years it was phenomenal, and how miserably he failed to convert this mass-based support in to better governance. This Lok-sabha election he marginally won from Chapra seat and lost the Patna seat to his friend-turned-foe Ranjan Yadav. Yadav used to be one of the most powerful men of Laloo coterie and was called his Chanakya. He did not need any post to exert his authority, everybody knew that he was second in command and played a pivotal role in execution of Laloo’s orders. If, Laloo could safely pull through next ten years Ranjan Yaday may be considered its main architect. But ultimately he also left RJD and joined Nitish. But he could not attain the same position as in Laloo’s regime. And, this shows the difference in style of functioning of Laloo and Nitish. Nitish require much more personal space for his functioning and he does not like interference. It makes him look more stubborn, eccentric and sensitive to slightest criticism. He made Narendra Modi issue more personal and returned Rs. 5 Crore cheque to Gujrat making it Bihar ki janata ke swabhiman ka sawal-janata fully knew that it was a question more of self pride of Nitish himself rather than the people of Bihar at large. The main complaint against him was that he does not give a free hand to his ministerial colleagues. But either you love it or hate it you have to live by it- this is Nitish way of working. No doubt it angered many and Lallan was one of them. But why did Lallan chose to avoid a safe heaven and settled for more turbulent political life? Was it because somewhere he thinks he is no less than Nitish Kumar and he must get a chance to prove his abilities, or does he think he has major support of his cast that will fall in line whenever required or does he think there would be huge polarisation of votes on cast basis this vidhansabha election. Unfortunately, answers to all these questions are in affirmative. Congress has for a long time been in oblivion in Bihar and its fertility has receded to a great extent .In Bihar, it has to import leaders to survive, the need to survive is so strong that it did not hesitate to import erstwhile (!) Sadhu Yadav and likes who were largely responsible for taking Laloo regime away from governance. Most of the leaders, offshoot from JP movement and joined congress in Bihar are a spent force now. Bihar polity is peculiar in the sense that leadership of JDU, BJP and Congress claim to have legacy of total revolution of JP but those in Bihar have seen the legacy of total revolution brought to pieces by JP’s own followers representing diametrically opposite ideological parties. Bihar elections have been hardly fought on development issues, but state elections have been famous for springing surprises that have greatly puzzled the political analyst on national and international foras. Lallan Singh naturally believes himself to be competent enough to be at the helm of affairs in the state. If, any irony of fate fulfils his wishes he also would not like to delegate power to his subordinates as he wishes Nitish Kumar to do. This is what power in politics is all about.

Vijay Bhaskar

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Jharkhand Panchayat Elections from November 20

KITS Team — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 04:18:51 +0000

The state government has decided on conducting the Process of Panchayat Elections from 20th November to December 20th.The voting would be in 6 stages. There would be a three days gap between every stage.All the results will be declared by December 20th. The information was provided by the advisor of governor VS Dubey after a high level review meeting.
For the Panchayat elections the government will need nearly 2.5 lakh ballot boxes where the available boxes are only 1.25 lakhs boxes. The rest of the boxes would be taken from neighbouring states Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh.
An expenditure of Rs. 110 – 115 crores has been estimated which is more than the budget and so the money will be adjusted from the JCF.

Tiny-Tots Celebrate Independence Day

KITS Team — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 06:42:27 +0000

Ranchi: The tiny-tots of Eurokids, Upper Bazar Centre, celebrated Independence Day on Saturday. Smartly dressed in the school uniform and totting the tri-colour proudly, the children presented many patriotic songs and dance.
All the children yelled ‘Jai Hind’ and ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ in a chorus, much to the wonder and amazement of all the parents present at the function. The children received thundering ovation for their presentation of ‘Sare Jahan se accha Hinustan hamara’ song.
Puja, Preeti, Jyoti, Shweta and Drishti managed the show.

Screening Peepli [LIVE]

KITS Team — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 11:08:37 +0000

Peepli [LIVE], one of the most talked about and most awaited film of the year got released today on 13th August 2010.
Peepli Live was screened to the critics days before its release, and that shows the confidence of its makers.They seem to be sure of their final product, because it takes lots of guts to premiere early, for the simple reason that bad reviews could affect the opening of any film. But as expected, Peepli Live received accolades from all quarters. It is expected to earn huge in spite of lack of stars.
Peepli Live sheds light on the struggle of farmers in India and also tells how the people right from the politicians to the bureaucrats, the television reporters and the local people try to exploit a situation to their advantage.
The story is about two brothers who are struggling to pay back the loan taken for their mother’s medical treatment and are at risk of losing their land if the loan remains unpaid. A local politician advised them to commit suicide, as the compensation of the government, on such an act, would be able to help the family get out f the burden of loan. Thus, Natha, the younger brother agrees to comimit the act for the peace of family.
The story is published in a newspaper, and then reported on national television and soon the topic becomes ‘Breaking News’ on all leading News Channels, which in turn Kicks off a political stir.
As every channel tries to be one step ahead in reporting the matter things take a different turn all together.
The music of the film has however been in some controversies, first the song ‘Mahngai dayan’ and now the most recent ‘Chola maati ke ram’ over which the film has been caught in a plagiarism row.
“Chola Maati Ke Ram” was originally composed by Gangaram Siwar(1930-1982), a celebrated folk singer of Chhattisgarh in 1978. The protestors say that song has been used in the movie without giving any credit to Siwar and are demanding that his family which is living under poverty working as daily wage earners should be financially remunerated in addition to giving credit to Gangaram Siwar for the use of his song. However, the Habib Tanvir Theater group which has recorded the song for movie maintains that the group has officially purchased the rights for the song and protesters do not need to protest.
Though, it looks like the controversy will do more good than harm, as it will surely give a huge publicity to the film.

by Kelly

FIR Lodged Against Koda and Five Other Ex- Ministers

KITS Team — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 10:24:45 +0000

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered FIR against former chief minister Madhu Koda and his former cabinet colleagues – Kamlesh Kumar Singh, Harinarayan Rai, Enos Ekka, Bandhu Tirkey and Bhanu Pratap Shahi allegedly for accumulation of disproportionate assets.
The agency lodged the FIR following a Jharkhand HC order of august 4. The court had transferred the ongoing vigilance probe against these former ministers to the CBI.
The CBI SP, R C Choudhary says that the FIR has been lodged against the six accused under various sections on IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act. He further adds that the transfer of the case from the vigilance Bureau to the CBI will not change the present status of the accused and those who have been arrested will continue to remain in jail.
However, the CBI is still to decided on which of its branch will investigate the matter. Sources in CBI informed that considering the vastness of the case and load at CBI’s Ranchi Branch, the territorial jurisdiction of case might be split to two parts. It is likely that the CBI will also involve branches other than Ranchi to investigate the case.

पांच डीएसपी बर्खास्त, आपराधिक मुकदमा भी चलेगा

KITS Team — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 04:47:29 +0000

रांचीः जेपीएससी फर्जीवाड़े के पर्दाफाश के बाद अब कार्रवाई का दौर शुरू हो गया है। जेपीएसएसी से पुलिस डीएसपी बने पांच लोगों को नौकरी से बर्खास्त कर दिया गया है। राज्य के ग्रृह विभाग ने एक अधिसूचना जारी करते हुए डीएसपी के रूप में कार्यरत मुकेश कुमार महतो, रवि कुमार कुजूर, शिवेन्द्र, हरिहर सिंह मुंडा और राधा प्रेम किशोर को नौकरी से निकाल दिया है।इनपर आपराधिक साजिश कर नौकरी हथियाने का मुकदमा भी चलेगा। बर्खास्त डीएसपी राधा प्रेम किशोर और मुकेश कुमार महतो क्रमश: वरिष्ठ कांग्रेसी नेता राधा कृष्‍ण किशोर और प्रदेश के पूर्व गृहमंत्री सुदेश महतो के भाई हैं।

Endless Cry In The Red Corridor

KITS Team — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 08:42:27 +0000

|| Gladson Dungdung ||
After the arrival of the Monsoon, the city dwellers are enjoying the cool weather. The farmers are busily preparing their paddy fields. However, the atmosphere in the red corridor is more or less the same, a mood of anxiety, uncertainty, fear, pain and shock prevails in the region. Perhaps, one could hear the endless cry in the village like Sosokuti, which is a Adivasi dominated village comprises of five hamlets – Barulata, Hesahatu, Kochasindri, Sosohatu and Sosokuti situated in the middle of Balanda, Mosanga and Sosokuti forests in Arki block, which comes under Khunti district in Jharkhand. These forests are also known as the abodes of the Maoist Guerillas. Interestingly, Sosokuti is merely 75 kilometers far from Ranchi the capital city of Jharkhand however the state has completely failed to content the discontents. Consequently, the Indian State included the village in the part of the red corridor and a camp of the Security Forces was established in the Primary School, at its neighbouring village Mosanga. Now both the parties – the Security Forces and the Maoists have been exploiting the innocent villagers but they can do nothing except shouting, weeping and crying.

It is obvious that the Security Forces have terrorized the atmosphere in the villages. Frankly speaking, when a vehicle enters into a remote village, it becomes fun for the children. They start running behind the vehicle. However, the situation is just opposite in Sosokuti village. Whenever, a vehicle enters into the village, all the villagers including children, women and men run away to hide, shield and protect themselves. These days, the police visit to the village all most everyday and humiliate, beat and torture to the innocent villagers and also destroy their food and shelter. Therefore, they assume that each vehicle entering into their village belongs to the Police. However, there is some special rule, which only few people know that if anyone blows the vehicle’s horn before entering into the village that means the vehicle does not belong to the police therefore the villagers have nothing to worry about. Once the vehicle enters into the village by blowing horn, the villagers’ gather nearby the vehicle immediately assuming that some one is there to hear them in the village. Once you start hearing them, all most everyone wants to tell you the painful, shameful and heartbreaking experiences, which they face almost everyday in the red corridor.

Creating livelihood crisis:

There are about 2500 people live in Sosokuti village, whose livelihood is based on agriculture, forest produces and daily wage. However, there is a huge livelihood crisis in the village after launching of the anti-Naxal operation widely known as the ‘operation green hunt’. Earlier, each and every family used to earn Rs. 100 to 150 per day by selling firewood, leaf and other minor forest produces in the local markets. Now the villagers have stopped going to the forests in fear of losing their lives while collecting the forest produces. According to Sufal Muda of Sosokuti, who used to sell the firewood, the police exploit the villagers in the forest. He says, "Police can catch us, shoot and project it as a case of the encounter therefore we can not dare to roam in the forest".

35 year-old Etwari Devi of Sosokuti village is a daily wage labourer lives in the village with her husband Arjun Lohra (40), mother-in-law Sokhi Devi (70) and 14 year-old son Rajan Lohra. Her family earns the livelihood through daily wage and selling of the firewood. Presently, she has been working in the road construction scheme under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA). On July 8, 2010, when she was busy in road construction, the Security forces entered into her house after breaking the locked door, poured the cooked food (rice and vegetable) into the wood-burning stove and scattered the utensils. In the evening when Etwari returned home with the hungry stomach, she was stunned to see the broken door, scattered utensils and spoiled food in her house. She says, "I knew that the Police must have done this. However, I wanted to be confirmed therefore I asked my neighbour Ambika Devi who was present in the village when the incident took place, told me that the police had entered into my house". Suddenly she became angry and says, "Ask the police to give us food, cloth and shelter we’ll desert the village if living in the village makes us the Maoists. She questions, "The police torture us in the day and the Maoists in the night, what is our crime we want to know?"

A meaningless war between the State and the Maoists has terrorized the village atmosphere, which is resulting in migration of youth to the cities for ensuring their livelihood with the peace. Three youth of Kochasindri, which is a hamlet of Sosokuti village, migrated to Panjab where there was no such case of migration before. A brave woman of Kochasindri, Shanti Devi, who fights against the police torture says, "The police humiliate, exploit and torture the innocent villagers after branding them as the Maoists therefore the youth think that it is better to ensure livelihood from the outside of the village rather than facing the police torture while collecting the firewood in the forest". She questions, "Why don’t the police go to the forests and fight with the Maoists instead of exploiting the innocent villagers?" Indeed, the villagers are facing the livelihood crisis, which will increase day by day and the failure of monsoon would just add fuel in the fire.

Happiness is a crime in the red corridor:

Can anyone be surprised to hear that the Security Forces do not want the villagers to lead joyful lives in the red corridor? The painful reality of Sosohatu another hamlet of Sosokuti village reveals the truth. 28 year-old Satnarayan Munda of Sosohatu and 20 year old Basanti Kumari of Nawadih village of Tamar block got married on 30 June, 2010. Thereafter, Satnarayan Munda returned to his village with his newly wedded wife Basanti and the villagers who were part of the marriage ceremony in Basanti’s village. There was a reception party in Satnarayan’s village on July 1 therefore the villagers and Satnarayan’s relatives had gathered in Satnarayan’s house. They did the reception rituals thereafter ate, drank and danced till the late night.

Meanwhile, the Security forces assume the marriage function as a celebration party of the Maoists therefore they went to the village in hunt of the Maoists. It was 4’ O clock in the morning on July 2, nearly 150 security personals blocked Sosokuti from the every corner. Satnarayan Munda’s father Dhan Singh Munda was lying on the bed in his courtyard when a team of the Security forces entered into his house and asked him, "Is it the party of the Maoist? He was stunned to hear the question but replied humbly, "Today, there was a marriage function of my son". Perhaps, the security forces didn’t believe in Munda’s words therefore they continued their operations for hunting the Maoists.

Suddenly, few policemen entered into a bedroom where Satnarayan and Basanti were spending their first night. Basanti states about the nightmare saying, "I was shocked to see the Policemen entering into my bedroom without permission." She questions, "Can any one do this? Who has given right to the police for taking away our personal freedom whenever and wherever they want?" The police dragged out Satnarayan Munda from his bedroom and severely beaten him in front of his wife. Basanti says, "My husband started vomiting and he fell down into the ground. I asked the Police, "What is his crime?" They replied, "He is a Maoist." After a few minutes, the policemen took him with them." "I don’t know what is his crime but of course, I know is, the police blocked my life before the beginning of a new adventure of my life", ‘She added and started weeping.

The police also arrested Dhan Singh Munda, Rekha Kumari, Sunita Kumari, Devilal Munda and another two villagers who were part of the wedding party alleging them of supporting the Maoists. Later on, the police released five of them but Satnarayan Munda and Rekha Kumari were sent to Jail. Ironically, Satnarayan was booked in 17 CLA though the FIR claims that he we keeping the pamphlets of a banned Naxalite organization and working for it but it doesn’t describe about arms. The interesting part is, the pamphlet which the police found from Satnarayan’s residence is issued by a forum called "Operation Green Hunt Virodhi Nagrik Manch", which is headed by a pioneer Human Rights Activist Stan Swami and of course, the pamphlet is also drafted by him only. In fact the police have taken for guaranteed that the every party, function and marriage ceremony to be organized in the red corridor is of the Maoists. The million-dollar question is, do the villagers have no right to enjoy their lives? The villagers are between the sword and the sickle but where will they go in this situation? Who is there to hear their grievance? Do they have right to live with dignity too?

Dress code in the red corridor:

We have heard so many times about the dress code imposed on women by the fundamentalist groups, of course, which is counted under the purview of violation of the liberty of individual. However, anyone would be shocked to hear that the Security forces have imposed (unofficially) the similar kind of dress code in the red corridor. Can you dare to wear a dress, which would be enough to brand you as a Maoist? 14 year-old Lalita Munda of Sosokuti village reveals about the terrible experience, which she had undergone and of course, there are many who undergo through the ordeal everyday.

Lalita left her school after death of her mother a few years back and now plays a role of her mother. On July 8, 2012, about 100 security forces arrived to her village in the afternoon when she was boiling the paddy grains so that she could make rice out of it and cook it later. The security forces entered into her house without permission (remember common men can not enter in the camps of the security force without permission but they can do anything with the power of gun). She heard a voice coming from outside of her house, "Take out her if she is in ‘salwar suit’ and leave her if she has worn school dress". Fortunately, Munda had worn her old school dress, which protected her for the moment.

She says, "The security forces brand those girls as Maoists who wear salwar suit and take them to the police station, torture, molest and even rape them and finally put them behind the bars therefore we can not wear salwar suit". After a few moments she gets angry and says, "If police want us to be naked, just tell us we’ll go naked. We’ll throw our clothes into bay if clothes make us the Maoists". After seeing the rapid growth of anger, one should not be surprised if these girls and women of the red corridor decide to walk in the capital city of Jharkhand nakedly. Are we ready for that? The Indian State must respond the question very seriously because the same villagers have given their mandate to protect their rights.

The peculiar thing about every village situated in the red corridor is, there are more or less the same terrible experiences of humiliation, torture, molestation, rape, and cold-blooded murder of the innocent villagers by the security forces deployed in the anti-Naxal operations. However, no one goes to the police station for filing a FIR against the perpetrators for the obvious reasons. If anyone dares to speak against them is coined as a Maoist and thrown them behind the bars. Xavier Soy of Shiyadih village comes under Kuchai block of Saraikela-Kharsawan district was thrown behind the bars for raising questions against the police atrocity. The Superintendent of Police (Khunti) Manoj Kaushik says, "The villagers speak against the police due to immense pressure from the Maoists, which is part of their strategy to use the villagers in their favour". The pertinent question is why are the people not favouring the police? Is it only because of fear from the Maoist menace? Does it mean the villagers are voiceless? If so, it is a shame for the Indian democracy, which could not empower the villagers for last 63 years?

The most worrying factor is, the way discontent has been growing against the Indian State and the victimization of the innocent villagers by the security forces is just multiplying the anger of the angry masses. The villagers are not against of the Maoists though they have also terrorized them but the villagers are going against the security forces. Therefore, one can only imagine what would happen if every discontent takes up the gun and joins the Maoist folk? In that case, the India State won’t be able to deal the situation. However, the India’s corporate Home Minister P Chidambaram has publicly claimed that he would be eliminating the Maoist menace within next three years by serving the development cola and organizing the licensed killings in the red corridor. But the question may remain unanswered is will he wipe out the discontent of the villagers without addressing the issue of injustice?
- 31 July, 2010 -
[Gladson Dungdung is a Human Rights Activist and Writer from Jharkhand]