[Type text]

Tamil Nadu National law School

This Project on Sociology I Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of B.A. LL.B (Hons.) I Semester

Topic: Maoist violence in Jharkhand Submitted on: January 22, 2014

Submitted to:Submitted By:Prof. Kannankumar nischay roll no (80)

acknowledgementI have been taught the subject of sociology by our Respected Professor, Prof. Kannan who helped us all through the accomplishment of this project. I would like to thank my teachers who helped me to gain resources through various sources through which I could give the final shape to this project. He not only provided me a platform but also guided me at all levels.I would also like to thank my friends and library staff who helped me in providing the books and certain research papers for the completion of this project.

Table of contents 1. Introduction1.1 Factual Case1.2 Need for this paper 2. Origin of Maoism in Jharkhand2.1 brief general background3. Review of Literature.3.1 Collect the material.3.2 Research paper 3.3 Why this paper is different other research papers3.4 Theory building4. Profile of what I have done5. List of massacre and the activities done by the Maoist till 2013.(in Jharkhand) 6. What do the Maoists want to achieve.7. How the government can reduce this threat.8. Conclusion9. References

1 Introduction The project titled maoist violence in Jharkhand deals basically with the maoist activities in Jharkhand. Maoist has been defined as the biggest internal security threat by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The maoist have led to an internal war within the country. This research paper would give a clear cut idea about the maoist activities during the following days and the reasons for this violence which is spread throughout in India by their activities. 1.1 Factual case:- The Maoist Communist Centre of India (MCCI)[footnoteRef:2] and the Communist Party of India, Marxist Leninist (Peoples War) come within the united formation, the Communist Party of India (CPI Maoist), in September 2004. The Maoist movement has been started in India in late 1960, after some section of political workers have their connection off from Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM) because they felt the CPIM party and other such parties like CPI, RSP, etc. had discredited themselves with the opportunist politics of placating and compromising with the rich. The movement has been developed gradually with time. The present party CPI (Maoist) came into existence in 2004 by merger of number of fraternal organisation. In their party programme[footnoteRef:3], Maoist characterizes the postcolonial Indian state as a reactionary and autocratic and seeks a worker peasant alliances to overthrow imperialism, feudalism and capitalism via an armed revolutionary struggle. The CPI (Maoist) politburo, which constitutes its ideological leadership, is thus supported by an underground Peoples Liberation Army. [2: The outfit was earlier known as the MCC before merger with the Punjab-based Naxalite group, the Revolutionary Communist Centre of India (Maoist), RCCI (M)] [3: http://www.bannedthought.net/India/CPI-Maoist-Docs/Founding/Programme-pamphlet.pdf]

The CPI (Maoist) is active mostly in eastern and central India where human development ranks is the least; the area is forest cover and rugged terrain which help the Maoists to facilitate guerrilla tactics and protracted low-intensity insurgency, According to the Indian prime minister, Maoist rebels pose the greatest internal security threat to India since independence. In reality, Maoist comrades are estimated to be around 10,000 to 40,000 in a country of nearly 1.2 billion populations; this no does not include the people who are the supporters of the rebels (non combats). These thinly spread groups are active chiefly in the area what journalists and scholars call as the Red Corridor, running from the Nepalese border through the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh. In these areas, the elections are held very frequently and state and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) actively participate in rural development. Since 2005-06, the state government has deployed paramilitary forces along with the state police to combat with these Maoists guerrillas but this act of government yield nothing except violence and bloodshed. Shared sovereignty is thus the norm, not the exception, as in other insurgent zones in India such as Kashmir and the north-eastern frontier. This state of affairs also suggests that the everyday realities of Indian Maoism are somewhat different from its ideological self-image as a vanguardist revolutionary move. The unification of the Maoists has led to a new phase of the Naxalite movement; it has also been influenced by the over helming success of Maoism in Nepal and activities of several front organizations in the last few years.[footnoteRef:4] [4: Statement in Parliament by the Union Minister of State for Home on December 14, 2004. See, Maoist violence claims 518 lives: Jaiswal,http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID= IEP20041214093514 &Page=P&Title=States Topic=0&. Also see, Annual Report 2003-04, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, at http://www.mha.nic.in/AR0304-Eng.pdf]

1.2Need for this paper:-

There has been an attempt in this research paper to map the trajectory of Naxalite movement in Jharkhand in keeping in minds about the current developments, historical experience and complex interplay of factors that have shaped the course of the movement. The research paper argues that the course of the Naxalite movement in this State would depend, to a great extent, on how it manages contradictions emerging out of complex interplay of the ideological commitment and various factors that have influenced the behaviour of these groups at the grassroots level. From last one decade there has been continues struggle between the Maoists and paramilitary forces, many lives has been gone many innocents have been killed but no one cares about this bloodshed. No one has ever tried to know the reason behind all these activities, and if they are known then also they are being known by few peoples only. If few killed are on one side then some has to die from the other side also. This is the only policy which is being followed from the last decade. This project has all the reasons behind that violence along with some suggested way to tackle this problem. The project also deals with the no of causalities that has happened in last few year.

2. Origin of Maoism in Jharkhand2.1 Brief general background:- The origins of revolutionary Marxism in India, particularly its Maoist avatar, are typically traced to 1967, when the radical left split from the CPI (Marxist). In May 1967, the revolutionaries who later formed the new CPI (Marxist-Leninist, M-L) supported a local peasant uprising in the village of Naxalbari in the Himalayan foothills of north Bengal. The CPI (M-L) thus came to be popularly known as Naxalites or simply Naxals. Inspired by the Revolutionary writings of Mao Zedong, the Naxalites selectively targeted rich peasants or Kulaks in the countryside and bourgeois representatives of the comprador state, and endeavoured to mobilize rural masses to encircle major cities such as Delhi and Kolkata and eventually seize power. They tapped into widespread disillusionment, especially among students and intellectuals, with the postcolonial regime dominated by the Congress party.

By 1970, hundreds of young men and women from the countrys most prestigious universities had joined the movement to fight for their peasant and proletarian comrades. Urban middle class and invariably upper caste activists thus made common cause with the struggles of subalterns, particularly peasants in eastern and central India, whose interests had been betrayed by Congress nationalists towards the end of the anti-colonial movement. From its epicentre in West Bengal, the Naxalite movement spread initially to the neighbouring states of Bihar and Orissa, and then, up the northern plains to Uttar Pradesh and Punjab as well as West wards to Maharashtra and southwards to Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

While there were other naxalite groups opposed to CPI (ML) in Andhra Pradesh, Naxalbari movement led by CPI (ML) spread to Srikakulamand North Telangana districts of AP by 1971. The Andhra Committee split away from CPI-ML, became the Peoples War group (PWG) led by Kondapalli Seetharamiah in 1976, which formed CPI (ML) Peoples War group (PWG) in 1980. They decided to persist in armed struggle and during1980-85, the party formed armed squads (Dalams). It spread its area of operation to other States. It indulged in attacks on the police, kidnapping, extortions, killing of civilians and political leaders. Its strength kept increasing, though ups and downs. Seetharamaiah was expelled from the party in 1991 due to ideological differences and Muppala Laxman Rao, also known as Ganapathi, emerged as PWGs leader. Guerrilla Zones were formed in North Telangana and Dandakaranya. In 1998 CPI (ML) Party Unity, based in Jehenabad, Bihar, merged with PWG. Peoples Guerrilla Army was formed in 2000. PWG had spread their area of activities to through contiguous forest and hilly areas of Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Jharkhand. In 2002 Tactical Counter Offensive was launched by the party by forming striking forces. Meanwhile, the Dakshin Desh group had broken away from CPI-M in 1968 and became the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) in October 1969. It indulged in squad activities mainly in forest and mountainous regions of West Bengal (WB) and spread to undivided Bihar. Later on, it became Maoist Communist Centre of India (MCCI). On September 21, 2004 when PWG merged with MCCI to form Communist Party of India (Maoist) (CPI Maoist), Muppala Laxman Rao, aka Ganapathi, became it General Secretary.

3. Review of literature

This project has been carried using empirical method data of collection. The source used is primarily secondary in nature. It makes the use of abundant literature in form of books renowned authorship, journals of prestigious institution, newspapers of public credibility and authoritative internet sources.3.1 Collect the Material Material for this project has been collected from various sources. Chiefly, reliance has been put on Research papers, and Web sources etc. a detailed list of all the sources from where the material has been collected is attached at the last of this project.3.2 Research paper.Help from various research papers has been taken in building this project. Such as papers published by Cambridge University press, Orient Journal of law and social science, times of India article and reports of BBC etc.3.3 Why this paper is different from other research papers This project has been carried out extensive review of the present by studying the literature available. This work has been explained, at length exact scenario the fatalities caused by the Maoists activities. At last in conclusion I have come to some suggestion that effective and practical in nature. Hence in this way this project makes a small but valuable in the knowledge of this topic.3.4 Theory building The condition of Jharkhand before 2000 was horrible as the area was considered as backward and underdeveloped because of the political and bureaucratic establishment was dominated by officials who were from the non-tribal areas of Bihar; they did not care for the tribal. It was then thought that there must be another government which would look after the tribals and would listen to their legitimate grievances. But the successive government have failed and it led to expansion of naxalism. Indeed, it seems that the creation of Jharkhand has helped the Naxalites consolidate their roots in the region. At present, the worst affected districts are: Chatra, Palamu, Garhwa, Giridih, Latehar, Gumla, Ranchi, Hazaribagh, Lohardaga and Bokaro. Jharkhand, as the name itself suggest it is an area which is covered with a dense forest over large parts of the State, it offers favourable conditions for the Naxalites to operate and build their bases. The Naxalites have also spread their roots in areas bordering Orissa and West Bengal and have been responsible, to a substantial measure, for escalation of Naxalite violence in the neighbouring States. Taking advantage of poor coordination and weak enforcement of law and order between two States, the Naxalites commit crime in one State and slip into the borders of neighbouring states without any resistance. Annual Fatalities in Naxalite violence in Bihar and Jharkhand[footnoteRef:5] [5: http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/India/Maoist/datasheet....]

State20012002200320042005 200620072008 2009

Jharkhand20015711715096 94120163217

Bihar11111712715510640497178

Indeed while overall Maoist has declined dramatically across the country, the decline in Jharkhand has been the least. According to Union ministry of Home Affair (MHA) data, total fatalities in Jharkhand declined by14 percent, from 198 in 2011 to 169 in 2012. The Communist Party of India, Marxist-Leninist (People's War)and the Communist Party of India (Maoist) CPI-Maoist Both the groups have been the most powerful ones, accounting for about 88 percent of the countrywide Naxalite violence and 90 percent of the resultant deaths[footnoteRef:6] [6: Annual Report 2011-12, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, at http://www.mha.nic.in/AR01112-Eng.pdf]

. Profile of what I have doneHere in this research paper i have given a brief detail about the activities of Maoists and reasons for doing these activities. The history of these rebels along with the suggested ways to suppress these rebels is also given in the papers. Tables and charts are being provide toHave a better understanding of the paper. Footnotes along with some books are being given to get accessed to more information where it is required. It is also mentioned about the source and the URLs from where the information has been collected so that the reader could be able to take more informations wherever he requires.

5. List of massacre and the activities done by the Maoist till 2013. 1. On 2 December 2006 BBC has reported that at least 14 Indian policemen are killed by the Maoists in a landmine ambush near the town of Bokaro, which is at least 80 miles from Ranchi, the capital of the State of Jharkhand.[footnoteRef:7] A group of officers died when they were on a routine patrol when the powerful blast occurred on a dirt road off a dense forest, M.S. Bhatia, he was the SSP of Ranchi at that time, and he gave this report to a news channel. [7: Maoists' kill 14 Indian police',BBC, 2 December 2006]

2. On 4 March 2007 Maoist shot dead a member of the parliament (Sunil Mahato) of theJharkhand Mukti Morcha(JMM) party fromJharkhandstate.3. On 16 July 2008 a landmine hit a police van in Malkangiri district, killing 21 policemen4. On 22 May 2009 Naxalite guerrillas ambushed a police party, after luring it into the jungles of Gadchiroli district to investigate a roadblock, killing 16 policemen.5. On 10 June 2009 nine policemen including paramilitary jawans and a CRPF officer were killed in a Naxalite attack while on routine patrol in what is considered to be a rebel-stronghold area deep in the Saranda jungle. Sudhir Kumar Jha, superintendent of police said: "As Naxalites are aware of the topography and knew that the convoy would have to return through the same spot, they had planted a powerful can-bomb and ambushed the police vehicle.[footnoteRef:8] The policemen died in a landmine blast that ripped apart their vehicle while the CRPF inspector, who was part of the convoy on routine patrol, was shot in the head. [8: Kumud Jenamani (11 June 2009)."The Telegraph - Calcutta (Kolkata) | Nation | Cops killed". Calcutta, India: Telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 13 July 2009]

6. On 13 June 2009 Naxalites launched two daylight attacks in and around a small town close to Bokaro, killing 10 policemen and injuring several others using landmines and bombs. Two Naxalite guerrillas were also injured.[footnoteRef:9] The attack in Phusro town, 45 km from Bokaro, began around midday when policemen from Bermo police station were escorting a van carrying a Damodar Valley Corp remittance of Rs 14 lakh to the State Bank of India branch located in the busy market area. [9: Divy Khare (13 June 2009)."Naxalites strike again, kills 10 cops in Jharkhand - India - NEWS - The Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 13 July 2009.]

7. On 16 June 2009 4 policemen were killed and 2 others seriously injured when Maoists ambushed them at Beherakhand in Palamau district. Reportedly the guerrillas were waiting inside the deep jungles and started firing indiscriminately as the policemen went past them, killing four of them on the spot.[footnoteRef:10] The security forces were on a long-range patrolling, when the ultras attacked them near a village in Manatu area, about 200 km from Ranchi, Deputy Inspector General of Police gave this report to media at that time. [10: "South Asia | Indian police killed by 'Maoist". BBC News. 21 June 2009. Retrieved 13 July2009]

8. On 23 June 2009 during a 48-hourBandhorchestrated by the Naxalites in protest against intensified paramilitary activity in Langargh a group of motorcycle borne armed Naxal rebels opened fire at the Lakhisarai district court premises in Bihar and freed four of their comrades. One of the four rescued was Ghaskar Marandi, who is the zonal commander of Ranchi[footnoteRef:11].On the same day the Indian government banned theCommunist Party of India (Maoist). Many including theLeft Frontoppose the ban arguing that "there is a requirement to bring all such outfits back into the mainstream politically."[footnoteRef:12] [11: "Lakhisarai: Naxals attack to free comrades | Bihar News". Jai Bihar. 23 June 2009. Retrieved 13 July 2009.] [12: "Associated Press of Pakistan (Pakistans Premier NEWS Agency) - Communist Party of India (Maoist) declared terrorist organization". App.com.pk. Retrieved 13 July 2009]

9. On 6 October 2009 the body of the police man whome they have kidnapped was found inJharkhand, was found.[footnoteRef:13] [13: "Maoists kill kidnapped policeman".BBC News. 6 October 2009. Retrieved 25 May 2010]

10. On 30 April 2010 2 lorry drivers were dragged out from their truck and shot dead.[footnoteRef:14] [14: Maoist mayhem continues, two fall prey to rebels in Jharkhand. YouTube]

11. A 16-year old girl who escaped from the Maoist camp was raped by the Maoists.[footnoteRef:15] [15: Jharkhand girl raped for fleeing Maoists'camp. News.oneindia.in (1 May 2010).]

12. On 18 February 2010 Maoists kidnapped a doctor from his house and shot him as they supposed him to be an informer of police. They also threatened the villagers that they would have to face a similar consequence if they would be an informer of police.[footnoteRef:16] [16: Maoists kill doc for being police informer. Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com (18 February 2010)]

13. On 11th January 2013 Maoist killed 10 jawans in an insurgent operation which was against them in lathehar district. After killing them they inserted bomb inside their abdomen by removing their vital organs like intestine and spleen to create cavity inside their stomach. The stitching was done precisely that it was not easy to recognise it. NSG team was called diffuse the bomb. The cop in whose body the bomb was inserted, his name was Babulal Patel.[footnoteRef:17] [17: Maoists plant bomb in CRPF jawan's body - The New Indian Express www.newindianexpress.com]

Incidents of attack on economic targeted by LWE extremist in Jharkhand from 2008-2012.

20082009201020112012

Railway71713102

Telephone exchange1014683

Pole transmission 00100

Panchayatbhawan 07401

Mining42620

School building437760

Source: MHA

6. What do the Maoists want to achieve[footnoteRef:18] [18: War against Maoists but who are they and what does they want by Rita khanna .]

The Maoists want the following changes.1. Land to the poor landless labours and destruction of landlord class.About 60% of the Indian population is dependent on agriculture. However the primary input the land is concentrated in the hands of only few landlords and rich farmers. The elite villagers have been blocked from using their own land by the corrupt practices of the politician and the bureaucrats. (Source NSS report). In last four decades the percentage of household from has increased from 60% to 80%. The Maoists revolutionary want to change this for equitable distribution of land.2. Freedom from moneylenders and traders.Public rural banks are being closed due to relaxation of government funds in recent decades. So the villagers are being forced to take loans from the moneylenders who are generally the landlords. The landlords give the money to them at high rate of interest and ultimately the villagers have to work in their farm free of cost. The BBC news has reported that more than 200,000 farmers have committed suicide in India since 1997 under the pressure of such indebtedness. The Maoists rebels want to change this.3. End of caste system and eradication of untouchability

It is well known caste system still prevails in India. According to NCDHR report, on average, 27 atrocities against Dalits take place every day. The well off landed sections still comes mainly from upper castes. They use brahminical ideology to keep all other sections under domination. The Maoists want to break the stranglehold of upper caste and ensure equal rights for dalits and adivasis.

4. Freedom from exploitation by foreign multinational and its local partners.

In the name of development thousands of lands are being to big business and multinationals. For example in Bastar, Chattisgarh in the name of Bodh Ghat Dam, tens of thousands of Adivasies are being forcibely evicted from their land. In Neyamgiri, the land which is abode of several Dongaria tribes has been multinational Vedanta group which will completely destroy livelihood of these tribes affecting more than 20,000 peoples. The state government and the mainstream parties are mainly supporting these activities. The Maoists over year has been resisting such plunder.

7. How the government can reduce this threat.

A possible reason for this surge in violence in Jharkhand could be the decision of the Maoist leadership to Strengthen base, while maintaining a low profile in Chhattisgarh, where security forces are making inroads in the otherwise impregnable Bastar forests[footnoteRef:19]. [19: Naxals/Maoists of Fr. Paul G]

The complexity of the causes of Naxalites problem as well as its implications both for internal and external reflect a solution that is multidimensional and calls for synergy between the central government and the states. In order to comprehensively dissolve the Naxalite the government should take the help of army but army will destroy and disengage everything many innocents may die in their operation and the Naxalite will gain the sympathy of the local residents and villagers and they will turn more violent. So I think that in order to overcome this problem the central government and the states need to cooperate together to solve the internal security threats and coordinate the implementation of this multi dimensional approach. Both organisation must complement and support each others initiatives and strategies. The government has overall responsibility of mobilising development but it cannot do without the support of the state. In order to completely dissolve the Naxalites, the government has to address its root because this problem has to be dealt in three stages which are as follow.1. Socio economic development.The naxalites have their main source of growing is the support which they get by the poor. These downtrodden people act as the fuel for growing of these Naxalites. More focus should be put on these poorer regions economically through initiatives regarding health education, social welfare and rural and urban development. Both state and government should ensure that necessary requirement such as minimum wages, access to land and water sources initiative must be implemented. If the needs of these marginalised people are meeting, there will be no discontent to fuel Naxalites.

2. DialogueBy opening dialogue, the government can give an opportunity for the rebels to be a part of political system in a legitimate manner. They will have to no longer to depend on violence to attain their demands. For example in AP concluded that as a result of ceasefire and dialogue with Maoists in 2004 has reduced the violence to 80 90 %in the region.

3. Military.This is the main instrument which the government is using to address the naxalites but as I have explained earlier the use of military forces alone could make the situation worse. It will make the people to rally against it the state. It can be used to some extent to combat against Maoist guerrillas.

4. Governance In my own opinion to some extent Naxalites insurgency is going on due to flaw of federal structure because in Jharkhand there is always political unstablelity. Jharkhand is the state with having the largest no of time the President rule. This must be avoided by having a mutual understanding between the parties.

8. Conclusion To conclude, the naxalites problem reflects underlying issue in the Indian social, economic and political institutions which threatens to expose India to even more danger from outside forces. While the Naxalite movement is mainly an internal threat, with globalisation, external and internal security threats are inextricably linked. There is little evidence, under the present circumstances, that the present and projected initiatives by the governments will succeed in neutralising the growing menace of extremism in these two States. Moreover, the factors that sustained the movement and pattern of politics remains the same in these States and if the forces that shaped the course of the Naxalite movement remain in the control of socio-political and administrative structures of these States, and Naxalites do not make any positive intervention to alter them, the recent trends in ideological synergy and resultant upsurge in violence cannot be interpreted as any fundamental change in the character of Naxalite groups. The complex and multi faced approach of solving the naxalite issue also reflects the fact that is the biggest menace to the Indias security in the future. At last i would like to say only this that if the problem of these rebels which Jharkhand and other neighbouring state is facing if is not solved immediately in the coming near future India is going to face a very extreme serious threat in all fields of development.

9. References

1. Naxalite movement in Bihar and Jharkhand. a journal by Sanjay Kr. Jha2. Maoists violence in contemporary India. A journal by Uday Chandra3. Naxals/Maoists of Fr. Paul G4. War against maoist but who are they and what does they want. A journal by Rita Khanna5. www.BBC. com/time line of Maoist activity 6. www.newsIndianexpress.com7. Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com (18 February 2010)