Author: Deepu Sebastian Edmond
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: November 6, 2014
URL: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/a-maoist-leader-admits-ground-lost-in-stronghold/99/

A platoon commander of the CPI (Maoist)’s People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army has confessed that the outfit is not in a healthy state in its former stronghold of Porahat sub-zone, blaming its absence at the grassroots level.

“We had to hurriedly celebrate the Martyrs’ Week (in July). The Foundation Week celebrations too were held hurriedly. Police were swarming here,” said Jeevan Kandulna, 36, speaking to The Indian Express in the Porahat forest of West Singhbum in a rare interview.

Maoists in the area have not been able to even plan their “Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign” for executing major attacks against security forces this year. And they are yet to make their stand clear on the assembly elections due later this month.

Kandulna, or Gajendra Singh, admitted that the response to their efforts to draw mass support for protests too has been mild.

“When a schoolteacher was arrested for being a supporter of ours, we tried to conduct a mass agitation demanding that his replacement be posted immediately. People did not turn up,” he regretted. Villagers have also remained cold to Maoist efforts to mobilise alleged victims of sexual harassment by security forces.

Kandulna blamed it on the outfit not making its presence felt at the ground level. “The party works through its committees. We don’t have the Nari (Mukti Sangh), and the (Krantikari) Kisan Committee is nonexistent. I am the only person running the party here; there should be at least three.”

As a result, the CPI (Maoist) is becoming an overtly militaristic organisation, with overground work by frontal organisations shrinking. Kandulna agreed that their militia remains strong. “Recruitment is still healthy,” he said. “Our cadres could do with more training though. Also, a number of them don’t stay long.”

Most of the 10-15 members of Kandulna’s platoon look well under 18 years of age. Another platoon commander, Suresh — real name Dimba Pahan — who was present with Kandulna, said, “The two of us are the only seniors. Everyone else is gone.”

A full platoon of the PLGA comprises 30 fighters. There are at least two other platoons in the Porahat sub-zone. Kundan Pahan, Suresh’s brother and the second-most wanted Maoist leader in the state, moves around with one of them.

Kandulna got de facto charge of the Porahat sub-zone following the arrest of Krishan Ahir alias Prasadji by the Ranchi police on August 13. He notes that the central committee has neither sent a replacement, nor even talked to him since the arrest. “I am supposed to coordinate with Bundu sub-zonal commander Dheeraj da, but that has not been easy,” said Kandulna.

A Munda tribal hailing from Khunti district’s Torpa block, Kandulna joined the PLGA in 2009, after a neighbour who was with the splinter group PLFI killed one of his sisters.

Kandulna also cites reasons other than personal for becoming a Maoist. “I was there when the Koel-Karo firing (February 2001, in Khunti) took place. I saw people die because they had nothing to fight back with,” he said.