Interview/ Vijay Sharma, deputy chief minister, Chhattisgarh
Behind the recent killing of CPI(Maoist) general secretary Basavaraju in Chhattisgarh is the lesser known District Reserve Guard (DRG), the anti-Naxal arm of the state police that includes ex-Maoists. With successive state governments enlisting local people in anti-Maoist operations, the DRG has grown into a powerful force since it was established in 2016.
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma says the DRG’s operations, along with development schemes that are being implemented, have been effective in freeing villages from the Maoist grip. In an interview with THE WEEK, Sharma said security forces were ready to enter Maoist strongholds once considered impenetrable. Excerpts:
Q/ How significant is Basavaraju’s killing?
A/ The general secretary helmed the banned CPI(Maoist). After Ganapathy (stepped down in 2018), Basavaraju was tasked with leading the outfit. He masterminded major attacks like the ones in Jhiram Valley and Tadmetla in Chhattisgarh. He was the brain behind opening contact with the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka) to arrange a training camp in Chhattisgarh for fabricating improvised explosive devices. He rarely handled weapons himself, but provided weapons to innocent youths of Bastar to create a dangerous outfit. With Basavaraju gone, the Maoist organisation will undoubtedly weaken. Whoever takes his place will be eliminated by the security forces.
Q/ Is the government planning an amnesty scheme to encourage Maoist cadres to surrender?
A/ There are many schemes for the rehabilitation of Maoist cadres. The most effective among them is the ‘Elvad Panchayat’ scheme in which the panchayats declare themselves free from Maoists by rehabilitating all its members residing within its area. The government in turn sanctions development work worth Rs1 crore. The village is given mobile network, electricity and bus service. Also, cases against former cadres who have actively worked with the police for at least five years after rehabilitation will be withdrawn. It has also been decided to withdraw cases of persons joining government services; the criteria is being worked out.
Q/ How many ex-Maoists are part of the DRG?
A/ About 15 to 20 per cent of the DRG consists of former Maoists and the remaining are local youth. About 20 per cent are special police officers, or SPOs, who were first made assistant constables based on the Supreme Court decision in 2011. They were later inducted into the DRG. The remaining 60 per cent were recruited through the regular recruitment process. The force is effective because they know the terrain and climate, and can carry out operations for longer durations.
Q/ What kind of development activities are being carried out in areas that were once Maoist strongholds?
A/ The Maoists bombed over 200 schools. They targeted everything—bridges, roads, mobile towers, hospitals. They did not allow electricity poles to be erected. There were no rations, or any kind of training or even sports. The weekly markets were closed and they held the entire region hostage.
Security camps set up in the same areas have now become “camps of development”. Under the Niyad Nellanar (good village) scheme, government initiatives are being implemented in all 125 villages that are within 5km of Central Reserve Police Force camps. Now there is a plan to increase reach from 5km to 10km.
Weekly markets have resumed in places like Jagargunda. Anganwadis, primary schools, ration shops, CSC (common service centre) units have been started near the camps. Ration cards, Aadhaar cards, Ayushman cards, job cards, land documents and many other government services are being provided.
In more than 70 places, voting took place for the first time. Tricolour was hoisted at more than 40 places. Many roads and bridges are being built thanks to the presence of security forces.
Q/ Madvi Hidma, the CPI(Maoist)’s de facto military chief in Chhattisgarh, is still at large.
A/ Maoists have targeted tribals of Bastar. There have been brutal killings of 28 tribals in Darbhaguda, 13 in Kondagaon, 15 in Manikonda, and many more in Jhiram and Chingavaram. Maoists tried to portray Hidma as a hero to attract youngsters of Bastar; but it was only he—a man from Bastar—who carried out these brutal killings. Only to underline this did Maoists put forward Hidma’s name; otherwise he would have remained unknown. Only two things matter here: the people of Bastar want to get rid of red terror, and the morale of security forces is high to defeat Naxals.
Q/ Abujhmad continues to be a Naxal stronghold, with training and weapon manufacturing reportedly taking place there.
A/ Abujhmad is no longer impenetrable for us. Many security camps have been set up there. Bridges are being constructed. A road to Maharashtra that goes through Abujhmad has been constructed. We have recovered many lathe machines that were used by Naxals to fabricate weapons. Many such weapons have been seized during Operation Black Forest at Karreguttalu hills adjoining Abujhmad. No area is now safe for Naxals.
Q/ How essential is interstate coordination in countering the left wing extremism threat?
A/ Left wing extremism is spread across several states, so interstate coordination is important. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has sought the formation of several joint units of security forces for effective coordination. Along with Central forces, state forces are also working together. All arms of Maoists are being profiled—legal, financial, urban, social—and investigated for the last one and a half years, and now victims and their families are also ready to take them on.