During the last weeks there has been a sustained resurgence of renewed new actions and activity of the CPI (Maoist), countered by merciless repression of the state. In the state of Jharkhand, on the 28th of September, a constable of the CoBRA Battalion, a reactionary Special Forces unit of the old Indian State, was killed by the blasts from three IDEs. planted by the CPI(Maoist) Another CoBRA soldier was also injured by the blasts. The incident took place in the hilly forest between the villages of Tumbahaka and Sarjamburu during a search operation conducted in the West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand. The operation is called “Operation Magnus”, and has been active for a year. During this time, four soldiers have been killed and 28 have been injured, in what the media labels the “Naxalite-infested jungles” in the West Singhbhum district.
On the 25th of September, also in Jharkhand, 10 to 12 Maoists attacked a railway construct site, setting fire to at least three heavy vehicles and an SUV. Similar actions in the region occurred, one month earlier, where six vehicles were set on fire. The attacks have approximately destroyed property costing the equivalent of hundreds of thousands of US Dollars.
In the Wayanad district in the state of Kerala, on the 28th of September, six armed people, belonging to the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), undertook an action against an office of the Kerala Forest Department Corporation. The militants shouted slogans demanding the redistribution of land and put up posters with the same demands.
In an intelligence report the Indian state anticipates more Maoist actions on 8 police stations in the Wayanad district. The police stations have been placed on high alert with 40 police officers being deployed.
Police Infiltrating Maoist Ranks
On October 17th a cadre of the CPI (Maoist) was killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on Tuesday morning. The skirmish took place around 6 am in the forest near Bandepara village under Madded police station limits, Inspector General (IG) of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P said.Personnel of the District Reserve Guard, Bastar Fighters and Special Task Force, in addition to the Central Reserve Police Force’s (CRPF) 170th battalion took part in the operation after received intelligence inputs about the presence of senior Maoists including Madded Area Committee of the CPI (Maoist) in-charge Nagesh Padam, its secretary Buchanna, member Vishwanath and some 15-20 armed cadres of the Maoist party in Koranjed-Bandepara forests, the official divulged.
On October 21st Two cadres of the CPI (Maoist) were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district, a senior official said.
The firefight took place around 8 a.m. in a forest located under Koyalibeda police station limits when a team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG), a unit of the state police force, was out on an anti-Maoist operation, Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P said.
On October 14th Police arrested an alleged CPI (Maoist) courier and two sympathizers at Bhadrachalam in Bhadradri Kothagudem district. Bhadrachalam ASP Pankaj Paritosh said in a statement the three were caught along with explosive material at Bhadrachalam TSRTC bus stand during inspections by the local police. The arrested persons have been identified as Gunji Vijay of Nayakula Kothur of Cherla mandal, Bontha Naveen of Vangara of Bhimadevara mandal in Hanamkonda district and Bhukya Naveen of Badi thanda of Nellikuduru mandal in Mahabubabad district.
A senior Maoist leader was arrested in Jharkhand’s Latehar district on Saturday, police said. The detained Maoist cadre has been identified as Aghanu Ganju, a sub-zonal commander of the CPI (Maoist).
Election Campaign
Parliamentary elections will be held in several states of the old Indian State. Specifically, in Chhattisgarh there will be elections in two phases, on 7th of November and 17th. In Telangana, there will be elections on the 30th of November. In the view of these elections, the Communist Party of India (Maoist), (CPI (Maoist), which leads the people’s war in India, has declared its rejection and condemnation of the bourgeois elections, and pledged to undertake a boycott campaign against the elections in both States.In both cases the CPI (Maoist) has published statements summarising ts position regarding these elections. In the case of the elections in Chhattisgarh, according to local sources, the Maoist spokesperson, Samta, has charged the BJP and the Indian National Congress of “fomenting communal and religious hatred”, exploiting the tribals of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Odisha, and held both Parties responsible for patronising serve the corporations.
He was also calling to boycott the elections in Chhattisgarh. In the case of Telangana, according to local sources, the Maoist leader, Azad, stated that “The successive governments have been enacting laws only to benefit the corporate forces and the capitalists but not for the welfare of common people”. In the same statement, he called to boycott the elections.
To counter the Maoist offensive, the Indian State is devising a strategy for a huge police functional group of 450 paramilitary companies is being prepared, which in total is 45,000 security agents. At the beginning, the State wanted to deploy 15,000 men, but the Electoral Commission warned the Indian State that it would be not enough, and therefore deploying triple the amount has been approved. Also in Chhattisgarh, the paramilitaries who are being deployed in the area are being trained to the very last core.
In Telengana the deployment that has already touched t 7,500 troops, to try to fortify 614 positions. In addition to this deployment, the troops on the border between Chhattisgarh and Telangana have been drilled to the very core in several paramilitary training fields. This denotes how for the old Indian State, both territories are a hindrance in relation to the Maoist guerrilla presence.
All these massive deployments, contradict the statements of the Minister of Interior, Amit Shah, who said at the beginning of this year, that they will completely eradicate the Maoist guerrillas in India before the general elections of 2024.
In these elections, it is amply illustrated how the Indian State is magnifying its repressive efforts in both States, where Indian Maoists have always had a predominant influence. Although the BJP and the bourgeois media constantly claim that “Naxalism” is almost extinguished, or is on the wane, the Indian State makes great military and police deployment, after a Maoist statement or action., which shakes them in the belly.
Strategy Devised to Counter Air Strikes
A report an 80-page document, from the CPI (Maoist), illustrates their new methods to countering aerial strikes in Bastar. The document contains diagrams explaining new tactics as well as criticism on current shortcomings. The report highlights the development of sniper squads, underground bunkers and improvised mortars.The document presents new tactics formulated for defending their forces and counter attacking the enemy in a new situation where the old Indian State is intensifying its repression in the area with increased deployment of forces, new camps in the forests, the use of drones, and aerial bombardment.
It covers aspects like preparing camouflage, remaining hidden, sleeping under trees or in a three-feet deep bunker and to vacate their location after spotting drones. The document also takes into account the differences in conditions based on season and weather.
To combat helicopters and drones the document has instructions to deploy teams on hilltops and use improvised mortars to attack them and how to use pipe bombs for targeting helicopters.
The document also formulates tactics for performing ambushes in areas with multiple police camps by launching rockets from trees and ambushing camps from multiple sides.
Expressing deep fear the former Director General of Police in Chhattisgarh, R.K. Vij “These are new and serious entrants to their (Naxal) strategy. First, snipers can be very demotivating for the forces. It means non-alert sentries are no longer secure now. Areas around police camps need to be better guarded now. Second, their focus on hitting aircraft is alarming. If they are able to take proper positions, especially on hillocks, they can cause serious damage to aircraft.”
It is reminiscent of the tactics used by the Vietcong when couinter attacking USA bomber raids.
Earlier helicopters of the Indian Air Force were hit by the Maoist forces in December of 2011 and January of 2013.
Assessment
Whatever their relentless spirit or dedication, tactic of ‘Active Boycott’ or ‘boycott’ slogan is sectarian or left adventurists, being unconducive to level of people’s political consciousness. or movement. Today no genuine people’s revolutionary alternative or organs have been built up or people running their own organs of revolutionary power. Often calling for ‘Boycott’ in this manner has boosted prospects of ruling class parties candidates.’Boycott’ slogan or tactic, can only be rendered effective, when people have established parallel organs of power. The broad masses have hardly comprehended or grasped the reactionary nature of the state or why it is imperative to launch revolutionary resistance.I can recall number of instances when ruling class parties have benefited from a ‘Boycott’ ‘slogan in Jharkhand .be it Janata Dal, Congress or even BJP. Morally, people have been left clueless and not effectively responded to such calls, even in Chattisgarh.I recommend readers to read the documents of the Communist Party Re-Organisation Centre of India (Marxist-Leninist) and 1973 writings of late Harbhajan Sohi, which summarise the futility of such tactics, with the subjective factors lacking. Maoists fail to politically install consciousness in people.
Day by day the state is infiltrating the ranks of the CPI (Maoist), to hit its very spine. The CPI (Maoist) has not insulated themselves from the merciless attacks of the rulers. In areas, cades are weaning away from Maoist ranks or army, particularly in Orisas and Jharkhand.
Even if tickling or sending down shivers of the state, the actions of armed squads do not have the backing or base of an agrarian revolutionary movement., or isolated from mass movements. No doubt some actions do win popular support of Adivasis or masses and encouraging them to engage in revolutionary resistance or arm themselves, but often, they lead to massive counter revolutionary actions by the state, which the democratic movement cannot counter or face. Fortified base areas have not been established or genuine revolutionary alternative created. No doubt, the CPI (Maoist) must be given credit for waging such a sustained armed resistance or magnifying peoples war, winning important rights for the people and sharpening their striking capacity and most creatively devising new forms of combat. .However it has not properly assessed subjective factors, and thus the state has retaliated by smashing the democratic base or backbone of peoples resistance.
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Harsh Thakor is freelance journalist
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