Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently stated that over 250 security camps have been established in Chhattisgarh's Bastar division since 2019, with a camp placed approximately every 2 to 5 kilometers. In February 2024, the Inspector General of Bastar announced 50 more camps, effectively transforming the region into one of the most heavily militarized zones in the country — with an estimated one security personnel for every nine civilians.
In recent years, tribal communities in Bastar have mounted sustained protests against the establishment of these camps on their land. In some places, like Silger in Sukma district, demonstrations have continued for over three years. While the government maintains that the camps are necessary to maintain territorial control and combat the spread of Maoism, locals view them as an imposition on their constitutional rights.
The government claims that the camps help facilitate development — including road construction, schools, health centers, and polling stations — and argues that Maoists are instigating opposition out of fear of losing ground. However, this narrative has been challenged by a group of concerned citizens who visited the region in February 2023 to investigate the situation. They have now released their findings in a report titled “Security and Insecurity: Bastar Division, Chhattisgarh, 2023–2024.”
The report highlights severe violations of constitutional provisions and tribal rights. According to the team, camps are often built without the consent of the local communities and in direct contravention of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA), the Forest Rights Act, 2006 (FRA), and provisions under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution. Residents have reported widespread harassment and surveillance by security forces, even in weekly markets — lifelines for local communities.
Villagers told the team that they are not against roads per se, but believe they should be consulted about where and how they are built. In many cases, the alignment and width of these roads appear to cater to mining operations rather than public welfare. Between 2019 and 2022, 51 mining leases were granted in Bastar, of which only 14 went to public sector companies.
With the proliferation of camps has come a spike in arrests. From 2011 to 2022, official data shows 6,804 arrests under Maoist-related charges — many of them seen as attempts to suppress legitimate demands. The presence of security forces and units such as the District Reserve Guard (DRG) has also coincided with a rise in alleged extrajudicial killings and fake encounters. Between January 11 and July 15, 2024, there were 141 recorded killings in the region.
Similar patterns are emerging in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district, where at least 30 camps have been established in the forests of Saranda and Kolhan over the past four years. Many of these camps are situated in areas designated as conservation or non-mining zones under the Ministry of Mines’ Sustainable Development Framework (MPSM), 2018. State and central governments are reportedly working to amend these guidelines to permit mining, raising further concerns.
The fact-finding team concluded that the rampant establishment of paramilitary camps in Bastar and similar tribal areas has deeply disrupted local life. Peaceful protests have either been ignored or violently suppressed through baton charges, arson, and even shootings. According to the report, the real aim of these camps appears to be safeguarding corporate — particularly mining — interests at the expense of tribal lives and constitutional guarantees.
The group has called for a restoration of the rule of law, an immediate end to human rights violations, and the full implementation of PESA, FRA, and the Fifth Schedule. It also urges the government to seriously consider local grievances and commit to a fixed timeline for removing camps established without consent.
The full report can be downloaded here.
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