Naxalism and Poor People of India: 50 Years of Naxal Movement in India !

Before I discuss the completion of 50 years Naxal or Maowadi revolution in India, I want to put the background under which these revolutions came and is ticking and surviving in India as class struggle ! Today State power discuss much about Naxalism but seldom think about atrocity, exploitation,rape, murder of tribal and poor in the woods and rural areas of plains as well as non-availability of the fruits of development to them mainly devoured by landlord class, capitalists, industrialists, mafia etc Their lands are being grabbed, tribal women are being raped, male members are shot dead indiscriminately. And Naxalites are their only saviors.!

Before the full bloom of revolution in the shape of armed struggle, beginning from Naxalwari village in Darjeeling district of West Bengal in 1967,a group of ultra -left started the movement in the then Purulia district, then in Bihar and now in West Bengal . Many ultra-left militants created a reign of terror among feudal landlords and killed many of them and also plundered their land and property to distribute them among poor landless, particularly Adivasis . Ultra -left succeeded in the movement in Purulia, which was under Bihar that time. It gave agonizing moments to Bihar government led by Dr S K Sinha and also neighboring West Bengal chief minister Dr Vidhan Chandra Roy.The revolution of ultra-left was being led by one Mr Bose in Purulia. Many criminal cases were initiated against them, especially Bose, Bose and many others were arrested. They were languishing in judicial custody. Trial of cases were going on . An additional judge of Bihar judiciary Anant Prasad Singh was hearing all the cases against ultra-left revolutionaries.

Bihar the then Chief Minister Dr S K Singh chalked out a plan to contain the influence of ultra left, Dr Singh along with his close cabinet colleague the then Finance Minister Dr Anugrah Narayan Sinha, according to files in the Bihar Secretariat archives, suo-motto Called Anant Prasad Singh to Patna. And after many round of talks with him Dr S K Singh and Dr Anugrah Narayan made a secret pact or understanding with Anant Prasdad Singh. Anant Prasad Singh, who later become judge of the Patna High court, was persuaded to pass capital punishments to Bose and a few more revolutionary. After hectic persuasion Anant Prasad Singh agreed hesitantly. Trials in all cases started in Purulia court and in course of time in six months, all including Bose were given death sentence, Ultra-left were not given proper time to plead their cases. And all of them were hanged in jet -set speed.

As per assurance Anant Prasad Singh was given out of turn judgeship in the Patna High Court in yet another jet-set speed. Anant Prasad Singh remained judge of the Patna High Court for many years and after his retirement he died at his Rajendranagar residence at Patna. At that time Dr S K Sinha, a zamindar himself, was more interested in suppressing left movement for fair share of wealth among poor instead of land reforms and other welfare measures to the poor of Bihar after independence.

In my opinion, the 50 years of naxal movement came after Purulia incident of revolutionary by ultra -left. For the first time in the history of the independent India, human right violations in the shape of extra-judicial hangings started from Bihar !Many bright students mainly from Calcutta and Delhi universities joined the movement. Usually Naxalites are considered far-left radical communist, supportive of Maoists political sentiments and ideology In the meantime, many top leadership of Naxal movements were killed in the so called encounter.Between 2000 to 2010, over 3000 people were killed in Naxalite-Government conflict.

Term Naxals derives from the name of the village Naxalwari in West Bengal, where the movement had origin. Large number of urban elite were also attracted to the ideology through Charu Mazumdar's writings, particularly "historic Eight Documents", which formed the basis of Naxalite ideology.

Thereafter, Naxalwari movement was started from Naxalwari by Charu Mazumdar, who was born in a zamindar family. From his College days, he developed hatred against landlords and their exploitation. He plunged into politics and joined Congress. Charu started to mobilize beedi mazdoors in Bengal. Later in 1937-38, Charu joined CPI. And he launched a concentrated movement for 'tebhaga' (one part to zamindar and remaining two parts to peasants). Charu succeeded to great extend. Being emboldened with partial success of 'tebhaga', CHaru wanted to launch armed revolution throughout the country to release poor from the clutches of landlords. Movement started in right earnest. But Charu was arrested in 1948. There in jail, Charu met Kanu Sanyal, a fiery ultra-left leader, who was in jail for showing black flag to the them CM of E West Bengal Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy. Jangal Santhal was key player in the team of Chari and Kanu in 1967 armed revolution.

Both Chari and Kanu joined hands and joined CPI (Marxist) after their release from jail,. Both of them acquired huge arms and ammunition and started armed revolution in different parts of the country. They also visited China. Almost all revolutionaries made Mao their idols. Both Charu and Kanu believed that power comes from the barrel of guns. In the process many landlords were beheaded in Musahari in Muzaffarpur and Bhojpur and Patna in Bihar. Leadership of revolutionary also spread in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and a number of operations were held there. At that time entire nations came under tremor of naxalites and State power became active to suppress them.Naxalites, today mainly operate from forest lands in tribal dominated areas and as underground activists in plain areas in the country.Initially the naxal movement failed as people for whom the armed revolution started did not cooperate with naxalites whole-heatedly !

Today Naxalites have vast cadre. Over 20,000 armed cadres of Naxalites were operating in addition to 50,000 regular cadre. According to Maoists sympathisers, the Indian constitution, "ratified colonial policy and made the State custodian of tribal homelands and other areas of poor in plain rural areas."Besides that, prevailing resentment against successive governments against inequality and unfair share of natural resources is forgetting momentum and Naxalites or Maoists have started getting support and sympathy in large number !

In Bihar many comrades including Umadhar Singh led the revolution and murdered many landlords, money-lenders, security forces etc. Later Umadhar Singh was also arrested and remained in jail. Likewise another great name in naxal movement, another Bihari Satyanarayan Singh operated from deep-forest of Andhra Pradesh. During that period, he fell ill in the forest and died for want of treatment. A man born in Bihar died in Andhjra Pradesh forest and his funeral taken place in Calcutta

Now that from a village in Darjeeling, Naxalism is spreading throughout the country to save poor from the clutches of exploiters, Now the naxalites are regrouping and have become active in entire red corridor. Naxalites are concerntrating more in Chhattishgarh , Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh. All these provinces are vulnerable to exploitation of tribal and poor people. Plain rural areas are also on the radar of Naxalites. They are also finding places in urban areas to take up political thieves and corrupt bureacratcts. Many cases of exploitations like rape of adivasi women and murder of innocent tribal men have been reported in Chhatishgrah and naxalites have decided to intensify movement

Of late there are complaints of Naxalites, deviating from their paths and collecting money. A high-level committee of naxal organisations is examining the allegations and many cadre have been punished for wrong doing.

LONG LIVE NAXAL REVOLUTION TO END EXPLOITATION AND ATROCITY !