Author: Aarti Dhar
Publication: The Hindu
Date: March 19, 2004
URL: http://www.hindu.com/2004/03/19/stories/2004031901921300.htm
Their morale boosted by a huge rally
of supporters earlier this month, naxalite groups in the tribal areas of
Chhattisgarh and neighbouring Madhya Pradesh have intensified their campaign
for a boycott of the elections, concentrating efforts on countering the
work of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh and its myriad affiliates. Outfits
such as the People's War and the Maoist Communist Centre are convinced
that the conflict of ideologies will, in the near future, pit them against
the RSS cadre who have spread their network in the tribal belt.
The PW held the rally in the inaccessible
Abhujmad area of Bastar district when over 25,000 adivasis gathered to
"express solidarity with the PW and its ideology." `Bhoomkal Diwas,' as
the day was described, saw an unprecedented gathering, with supporters
coming from the Dandakaranya region of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand
and Bihar to participate in what was apparently a "show of strength."
Bhoomkaal, meaning upheaval in the
tribal Gondi language, was aimed at consolidating tribal support and giving
a call, through the rally, for the boycott of the Lok Sabha elections.
Speakers urged the participants to maintain their unique identity and not
to be swayed by Christian or Hindu social service groups working in the
region.
The PW leaders told their followers
they did not subscribe to any religious philosophy and believed that the
tribal people had their own unique identity and ideology. Particular exception
was taken to the practice being urged on the tribal people to greet each
other with `Ram Ram' or `Jai Ram.' Efforts allegedly being made to encourage
the recitation of Ram Charit Manas and celebration of festivals such as
Holi also came under criticism.
Naxalites who do not allow the local
administration to enter their `domain,' have permitted missionaries and
social organisations to provide education and healthcare facilities to
the villagers. But they say a firm `no' to the promotion of any religious
philosophy.
In fact, the jungle wale bhaiyya
(brothers from the jungle) have opposed classes on culture and religion
in the Ekal Vidyalayas and have now started `threatening' the churches
for attempts at conversion. In the naxalite areas, the Ekal Vidyalayas
are often referred to as Gram Shiksha Mandirs. Religious discourses have
been done away with.
Taken unawares by the response to
the rally, the local administration said the people gathered out of fear
of the naxalites. No village would of course ever say that a naxalite was
an outlaw or had violated the law of the land.
The PW is also preparing for the
elections, which it wants boycotted. It revamped its organisational set-up
to avoid arrests due to the heavy presence of paramilitary forces in the
region.
The Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisan Mazdoor
Sangh has been disbanded and a new unit, Party Cell, created at the village
level. Each cell has three to five members and will function at the lowest
village level.
