The Red Menace

Nihat · Post by **Nihat** » 30 May 2010 14:21

Since 2005, Naxals kill three people in every two days

Suppiah · Post by **Suppiah** » 30 May 2010 14:44

http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/ ... 441435.ece

Intellectuals have charged CPM with causing the rail accident...

as usual chindu does not publish the original statement by 'intellectuals' attacking CPM but onlly CPM's reply...any idea where it can be found? It will be interesting, because though some intellectual puppets have been openly attacking their past comrades, accusing them of such killing is perhaps a first..

Suppiah · Post by **Suppiah** » 30 May 2010 20:17

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Indi ... 991365.cms

PCPA blames Stalinists...will the rapist goon propaganda yellow daily black this out as well?

jaibhim · Post by **jaibhim** » 31 May 2010 00:24

Suppiah wrote:http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/ ... 441435.ece

Intellectuals have charged CPM with causing the rail accident...

as usual chindu does not publish the original statement by 'intellectuals' attacking CPM but onlly CPM's reply...any idea where it can be found? It will be interesting, because though some intellectual puppets have been openly attacking their past comrades, accusing them of such killing is perhaps a first..

Chindu infact today threw away even the pretension of neutrality by singing wholesome praise for the chinese which the chinese themselves when asked wont grant. What is the need for so much flattery? The correspondent went over board today!

Suppiah · Post by **Suppiah** » 31 May 2010 04:01

http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/31/stories ... 221200.htm

For once, bjp's comments get full coverage, that too without any snide remarks, 'the spokesman would not answer when asked...', quoting in third person, ending the report with statement by the other side and so on.....guess why? BJP is criticising Mamta didi...of course, their criticism of Marxists finds no mention...

On a separate note, mods, do we need a separate yellow thread?

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 31 May 2010 19:28

Sorry, we attacked the wrong train: PCPA - http://ibnlive.in.com/news/sorry-we-att ... ml?from=tn

New Delhi: A leader of the Naxal-backed People's Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA) accused of planning and executing the derailment of the Howrah-Kurla Lokmanya Tilak Gyaneshwari Super Deluxe Express train in West Bengal, has admitted that his group was behind the sabotage, but added that they were not planning to target civilians.

PCPA leader Bapi Mahato told The Indian Express that they were planning to target a goods train and not a passenger train.

Mamata defends high salaries to intellectuals in rail panels - http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/bus ... 78591.html

Kolkata, Nov 23 (IANS) Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has defended her decision to rope in intellectuals and theatre personalities into railway committees and their so-called hefty salaries that have come under criticism from the ruling Left Front in West Bengal.
“I am the railway minister. It is my discretion…I am not going to draft (chief minister) Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee…Or those corrupt ministers of the LF (Left Front),” Banerjee told Bengali news channel Star Ananda during an interview Sunday night.

Her decision to appoint intellectuals like theatre personality Saonli Mitra, who has been appointed head of the railway heritage and culture committee, and pay a Rs.50,000 monthly salary to them has drawn flak.

Bengali daily Ganashakti, the state’s ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist’s (CPI-M) mouthpiece, had been critical of the salary and perks fixed for Mitra, as also other committee members like theatre personalities Bivas Chakraorty and Arpita Ghosh, poet Joy Goswami, classical vocalist Rashid Khan and film director Rituparno Ghosh.

The perks include executive class air fare for visiting states, a special allowance of Rs.520 for holding meetings, transport allowance and dearness allowance in the rates payable to railways officers, cars, telephone facilities with STD and medical facilities.

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 31 May 2010 19:32

Ravishankar denies firing was due to internal rivalry - http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news ... ry/627294/

Bangalore Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Monday dismissed suggestions that the firing at his ashram could be due to some internal rivalry and said police cannot absolve itself of its responsibility by taking it lightly and should investigate properly.

"Let us not speculate on this. It cannot be brushed off as some personal enmity. I am very hurt at such reports," he told reporters here when asked about reports on some police personnel indicating that the firing might have been due to internal rivalry among devotees.

Describing such reports as "baseless", he said, "Police cannot absolve itself of its responsibility by taking it lightly. It has to be investigated properly. The fact is that the bullet was fired in the direction of my car and a devotee has been injured. It has to be taken seriously and probed."

An unidentified gunman had yesterday fired a shot at the convoy of the 54-year-old spiritual leader when he was returning to his 'kutir' after delivering a discourse to his followers.

On DGP Ajai Kumar Singh terming the firing as an incident and not an attack, he said, "What is an attack. What is an incident. I do not know."

Meanwhile, administrative head of the ashram Narendra Lamba said, "It could be a threat, it could be a terror attack. Police has to take the responsibility and probe."

On what he meant by terror attack, Lamba said it could have been "to create some confusion, some chaos and settle some score or the other. Not a score with Guruji (Ravi Shankar), but since he has reformed many Naxalites who have come here, surrendered, transformed and joined the mainstream, this may not go well with others."

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 31 May 2010 19:58

‘We’re sorry... Target was goods train’

Speaking to the Express inside the Romroma forests, 8 km from the accident site, after much persuasion, Mahato, a key leader of the PCAPA, said: “We are sorry. We never wanted these innocent civilians to die. Trust me, we targeted the goods train. But somehow, we were fed wrong information that the goods train would cross through this track and we removed pandrol clips from a long stretch. We did not want to harm civilians. There must have been some miscalculation.”

With the police on the hunt for him, the PCAPA leader said over the phone that he wasn’t worried. “Nobody can prove my involvement. I am only concerned and tense about my high school results which will be out in a couple of days,” Mahato said. A student of Manikpara High School, this is his third attempt to pass high school.

Virupaksha · Post by **Virupaksha** » 31 May 2010 20:47

Gerard wrote:‘We’re sorry... Target was goods train’
Speaking to the Express inside the Romroma forests, 8 km from the accident site, after much persuasion, Mahato, a key leader of the PCAPA, said: “We are sorry. We never wanted these innocent civilians to die. Trust me, we targeted the goods train. But somehow, we were fed wrong information that the goods train would cross through this track and we removed pandrol clips from a long stretch. We did not want to harm civilians. There must have been some miscalculation.”

With the police on the hunt for him, the PCAPA leader said over the phone that he wasn’t worried. “Nobody can prove my involvement. I am only concerned and tense about my high school results which will be out in a couple of days,” Mahato said. A student of Manikpara High School, this is his third attempt to pass high school.

All hail my India
where life is a gift
where killing is a sport
where one is crying for his beloved lost
where one is worried about his marks in test
where the killed ask their wrong is what
where the killer has remorse and fear lost
where the babu asks for share in what is left
where he shares it with killer to make cycle complete
where all a soldier recieves is an affront
where terrorists are people gone astray
All hail my India All hail my India

Jai Ho onleee

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 31 May 2010 23:55

British BC ( pakiwale) service chime in.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/10195985.stm

Maoist leader vows to 'punish' rogue rebels

Police say they have "definite evidence" of Maoist involvement A Maoist leader in India has said that they will "punish" any rogue rebels if they are found responsible for Friday's train crash which left 148 people dead. Police say Maoist rebels sabotaged the track, causing the derailment of the Calcutta-Mumbai express in West Bengal. Maoists have denied the charge. But top leader Comrade Akaash told the BBC they would carry out a "probe" to find out whether any rebels were involved. Train services have resumed on the affected route, railway officials say.

Jarita · Post by **Jarita** » 01 Jun 2010 06:38

Great video on "the heart of the the matter"
90% of what is mined in India goes to China (Have heard rumours that the undercover visits by our topmost dignitory have been to facilitate these deals"

http://is.gd/cvVAy

Sachin · Post by **Sachin** » 01 Jun 2010 10:57

chaanakya wrote:You are quite right. Some goods trains do run on pre scheduled timings, but really very few.

IMHO even a normal goods train would have a schedule to adhere too. But unlike a passenger/mail/express train the schedule would not be available for the "mango man". For every train there is some thing known as "working time table" which is given to the train drivers and the guard. Working time table would list out the train operations in detail (like when to leave the yard, halt at what stations, where is the crew-change etc). The working time table is required because Goods train do not run in isolation and have to share space with passenger trains. Working Time table is also provided for train crew of passenger trains as well.

Nihat · Post by **Nihat** » 01 Jun 2010 13:11

Don't Fight the Last Insurgency

Good dignosis but no solutions.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 01 Jun 2010 20:03

I believe there was a meeting between Def min and triservices chiefs and a cabinet meeting also to discuss matter of whether army should get involved more. mamata refused to attend this cabinet meeting for her own reasons.

whatever happens, the planned raising of new mountain formations MUST NOT BE SIDELINED because this is one end-result the PLA would definitely want from the naxal insurgency.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 01 Jun 2010 20:43

chindits blog.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010
DNA EXCLUSIVE: Army's Rural And Jungle Warfare Units To Train Paramilitary, To Counter Maos, Naxals

Indirect army involvement in anti-Maoist fight soon

Special units, mostly from Rashtriya Rifles, will train paramilitary personnel

Suman Sharma. NEW DELHI
The government has said it won't bring in the army to fight Maoists. But a current policy decision shows that the Centre has, in principle, decided on some kind of an indirect involvement of the army.

The defence ministry has decided to raise special units by mostly recruiting Rashtriya Rifles (RR) personnel posted in Jammu and Kashmir who will train paramilitary battalions to combat Maoists. RR personnel in J&K are trained in jungle warfare. Initially, seven such units will be raised. Headed by a colonel, they will be trained in the northeast and will be called rural and jungle warfare units. Two paramilitary units will work under a special unit. Together, they will form a sector. Thus, 21 special units will be raised to fight the Maoists.

But the government will have to sort a few issues first. It will have to decide who will command such a force — defence ministry or home ministry. Another moot question is, who will head a sector — an army brigadier or an IPS officer?

The army is keen that training is conducted directly under its supervision. It is okay with a joint supervisory mechanism. Blueprint of the plan was drawn up after the Dantewada massacre in which 75 CRPF personnel and a policeman were killed by Maoists last month. It is said to have gathered steam after the second attack last week.

A senior official involved with the exercise told DNA: "Each commanding officer of these special units will be given the freedom to choose 70% of the men." Logistic support is expected from Assam Rifles. Existent facilities such as the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School at Vairengte in Mizoram will also be used.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 02 Jun 2010 08:01

Antony meets Services Chiefs, discusses security

http://www.hindu.com/2010/06/02/stories ... 020100.htm

Suppiah · Post by **Suppiah** » 02 Jun 2010 14:25

We should congratulate the Bengal people for turning their backs from mass murderers, rapist goons and traitors..

Sachin · Post by **Sachin** » 02 Jun 2010 15:01

Suppiah wrote:We should congratulate the Bengal people for turning their backs from mass murderers, rapist goons and traitors..

Just now read it in a local vernacular daily that Com. Panthe said that the results were quite okay in W.B

. The commies had gathered with an "available PB" to discuss the local self govt. elections it seems.

Suppiah · Post by **Suppiah** » 02 Jun 2010 15:32

Cant wait to read the yellow daily spin tomorrow.

Viv S · Post by **Viv S** » 02 Jun 2010 16:38

Gerard wrote:‘We’re sorry... Target was goods train’
Speaking to the Express inside the Romroma forests, 8 km from the accident site, after much persuasion, Mahato, a key leader of the PCAPA, said: “We are sorry. We never wanted these innocent civilians to die. Trust me, we targeted the goods train. But somehow, we were fed wrong information that the goods train would cross through this track and we removed pandrol clips from a long stretch. We did not want to harm civilians. There must have been some miscalculation.”

With the police on the hunt for him, the PCAPA leader said over the phone that he wasn’t worried. “Nobody can prove my involvement. I am only concerned and tense about my high school results which will be out in a couple of days,” Mahato said. A student of Manikpara High School, this is his third attempt to pass high school.

I don't know whether to laugh or just be puzzled.

Quote 1:- We are sorry. We made a boo-boo.

Quote 2:- Nobody can prove my involvement.

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 02 Jun 2010 16:41

Suppiah wrote:We should congratulate the Bengal people for turning their backs from mass murderers, rapist goons and traitors..

If by your colorful epithets you are referring to the Maoists then there is an error. Mamata seems to be closer to the Maoists than the CPI(M), and its Mamata that won.

Yagnasri · Post by **Yagnasri** » 02 Jun 2010 16:59

Mamatha is having some support from Maoists (at least over ground) in WB now. It may be tactical and she has single minded aim of getting WB out of CPM grip and she know this time she has a good chance. If need be she will join with devil for that. But what will be effect of these possible actions on the national level fight against Naxals is the question.

INC depends on TMC for UPA2 ‘s survival, TMC may want Maoist support in WB in the coming elections. So there will be some snipping at least from Didi on the anti naxal operations. WB (particularly rural WB) may be for the time being under serious threat for naxals.

It is well known YSR has used offer of peace talk with Naxals in 2004 elections in AP to get some good seats in AP with covert Naxal support who has threted TDP people in large areas of AP. It is another thing once in power YSR wipped naxals out of AP. We can not expect such things from Didi. Will she be in a position to rainin the naxals after coming to power with their support. I am not sure.

The worst luck is of WB people. After some 30 years of Communist rule which destroyed a generation bad time may continue.

Tanaji · Post by **Tanaji** » 02 Jun 2010 18:26

http://news.rediff.com/news/live-commtry.html

A "talk" on the Maoists.

The usual suspects are out in force:

Dotty Roy
Rahul Bose
Dilip D'Souza

Looks like Rahul Bose realized that he needs to find something to do given that his films are disasters...

Tamang · Post by **Tamang** » 02 Jun 2010 19:53

From above link:

June 2, 2010, 17:48: Gautam Navlakha, of the PUDR, and the consulting editor of the Economic and Political Weekly is the first to speak

June 2, 2010, 17:47: Among the known faces are actor Rahul Bose, filmmaker Sunil Sharma, writer Dilip D'Souza, and documentary filmmaker Anand Patwardhan
June 2, 2010, 17:44: About 200 students, activists and journalists are assembled to hear Arundhati Roy and Gautam Navlakha speak on 'War on people'

June 2, 2010, 18:00: On a lighter vein, Navalakha calls Shivaraj Patil much maligned, but says the one good thing he did was not doing anything on this problem.

Shivraj Patil was a disaster for India. Maoists could not have had a better ally than him.

June 2, 2010, 18:23: Calling the state's argument that the maoists should give up arms rediculous, NAvalakha says, the lesson that the Maoists can take from their NEpali counterparts, is to become powerful politically and militarily and then take on the might of the state.

So their agenda is becoming clearer day by day.

Sachin · Post by **Sachin** » 02 Jun 2010 21:24

Not specifically related to the Red Menace, but a web site from the "Socialist Republic". An attempt to show case every day "Fascism" happening in the Socialist Republic of Kerala.
In God's Own Country
* Fascism

fas·cism
/ˈfæʃɪzəm/ Show Spelled[fash-iz-uhm] Show IPA
–noun
1.
( sometimes initial capital letter ) a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism.
2.
( sometimes initial capital letter ) the philosophy, principles, or methods of fascism.
3.
( initial capital letter ) a fascist movement, esp. the one established by Mussolini in Italy 1922–43.

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 03 Jun 2010 00:14

^^^ they mean Yosif Vissarionovitch Stalin and Mao Ze Dong??

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 03 Jun 2010 09:07

If I ever return to India, I will hound this witch night and day:

http://news.rediff.com/report/2010/jun/ ... people.htm

http://yehhailife.wordpress.com/2010/06 ... with-guns/

I'll give her no peace.

Suppiah · Post by **Suppiah** » 03 Jun 2010 11:08

http://www.hindu.com/2010/06/03/stories ... 592000.htm

Hindu Group organises special session with Huawei....always happy to be of service.

Pratyush · Post by **Pratyush** » 03 Jun 2010 12:25

To the admin/ all interested members , I would like to explore the possibility of creating a blog dealing with the Moaist issue . Similar to one which has been created for the Pakistani Situation

Those interested can contact me @ pratyushojha at gmail dot com.

The discussion can also take place on gtalk as well by the timing will have to be from 7:30 Pm Ist onwards. As I will be in the office befor then.

Tanaji · Post by **Tanaji** » 03 Jun 2010 16:07

Suppiah wrote:http://www.hindu.com/2010/06/03/stories ... 592000.htm

Hindu Group organises special session with Huawei....always happy to be of service.

They can make a start by actually disclosing who their owners are... see the post on Huawei ownership in the Telecom dhaaga

Nihat · Post by **Nihat** » 04 Jun 2010 22:36

Army preparing contingency plans to deploy against Maoists

If they're going to deploy the army then this is hardly the way to do it. Being so Brazen and Overt about it will lead to a lot of Rona-dhona from Human rights side.

Gaurav_S · Post by **Gaurav_S** » 05 Jun 2010 08:47

Surat could be the epicentre for Maoists

The arrest of Srinivas Sattayya Kurapati and his wife Hansa, on June 2 from Ahmedabad, on the charges of Maoist activities, has raised many questions. Prior to the arrest, a team of senior police officers, was sent to naxal affected states to study their modus operandy. The team returned with literature pertaining to Maoist activities, besides studying their modus operandy. The literature has some shocking revelations to unfold like Surat could serve as a safe heaven for the Maoists was one such, said an officer on condition of anonymity.

It should be noted that Srinivas arrested from Jaydeep Apartment in Ghodasar has lived in Surat for five years (1991 -2005) before marrying Hansa Solanki of Gomtipur. One Surya Devra, whom Kurapati introduced as his uncle to his father-in-law Ishawar Solanki, was also from Surat.

According to the officer, all the officers, before being sent, were given special training to combat Maoist. In all 10 officers were sent to the states of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Maharastra, Delhi and Rajasthan.

The Maoists consider Gujarat as a high potential region, from where they can co-ordinate their network activities with ease. An officer, quoting the literature, says Gujarat is a place where they can have a good exposure. They are targeting the poor and socially deprived people. The Maoists have long a term planning, they never strike in haste, and all those who are arrested were in planning stage. Also they follow a well organised plan. However, the recent Maoists arrest is a big set back to them.

When Ahmedabad Mirror asked DGP S S Khandwawala, about the same, he said, “Yes, some officers were sent to various states to collect the information regarding naxals and to study the actions taken by the respective state police force.” Further adding he says, “A special squad form in this respect is processing the literature.”

Link

Suppiah · Post by **Suppiah** » 05 Jun 2010 11:38

The Stalinists have been spreading canards about Mamata being close to Maoists which the rapist goon propaganda yellow daily and others repeat shamelessly. The fact is the leftists of all shades have been running a "Shared services center" comprising lawyers, fake human rights campaigners, fake intellectuals, fake historians, movie stars and yellow puppets. And they have been wearing this as a badge of honor..

Recently one Moscow puppet (who is now figuring out who to hand the cut-off string over to) commented that Maoists are attacking schools because Chidambaram is using them for police purpose -so according to the convoluted logic of this traitor, police cannot use schools, buses, roads, markets, buy food etc., that are also used by civilians and cannot travel by road or rail - of course, they cannot fly because that is 'escalation'. IF they do any of that, then every one of these (schools, roads, buses, markets) become fair game for Maoists and their puppets will support them.

The gangland warfare going on is merely a war that often goes on between rival Mumbai or other triad/mafia gangs...they are ALL peas from same pod...

Mamata may be singing some occasional pro-Maoist song which practically every party other than perhaps BJP has done at one time or the other, but she is doing a great job ridding India of this violent ideology of mass murderers, rapist goons and traitors. May god give her more strength.

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 05 Jun 2010 13:15

Finally someone in the Media is admitting who the payroll masters of Maoists, Activists who file court cases are and certain freindly elements within the media

Trigger-happy Maoists don’t touch state’s mining mafia

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Indi ... 012290.cms

Why else is mining being untouched in Maoist areas but schools and hospitals and being blown up.

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 05 Jun 2010 13:23

http://news.rediff.com/slide-show/2010/ ... aoists.htm

rediff: The defence minister has not completely ruled out the use of the army against the Maoists. What role can the armed forces play?

Lieutenant General D B Shekatkar, PVSM, AVSM, VSM: The army will do the same thing that the CRPF is doing. It will go in, dominate, take over the area and carry out ops. The army is certainly better equipped, organised, motivated, better trained and has better leadership.

But where will you bring the army from? Our army is already heavily committed on the borders. Almost 2/3 of the Indian Army is committed in border management in the Northeast, in Kashmir. Troops also require relief, leave, have to retrain themselves.

My reading is there seems to be a grand design somewhere in the world --- maybe Pakistan, China -- to shift the focus of the Indian Army from the border areas into the interiors, force the government to deploy the army into this part which will create a vacuum on the border.

Who will fill in the vacuum? The people waiting across the border who want to infiltrate.

While we have been able to manage the Northeast and Kashmir, brought it back to a semblance of normalcy, things are moving slowly, it's taking time -- so there seems to be a grand design -- to shift the focus of the government and armed forces into these states.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 05 Jun 2010 15:03

per articles in TOI today, the cost of mining and transport of iron ore to ports works to around Rs 500/ton but the prevailing international price is north of Rs 6000/-. the Govt levy is a real pittance something like <2%. after 2000 the chinese demand grew very strong. so a coalition of the willing between politicians and mining barons together ensured our iron ore exports grew 10X in 10 yrs. this reached into lots of forest and marginal land where the poor tribals were chased out and not given much job because open cast mining is a mechanised activity. the mining barons and their political patrons in naxal affected states and the "high commands" in delhi have made 1000s of crores from mining profits. domestic steel plants can create much more jobs but for mining barons & co
its much easier to just export the ore and rake in profits rather than actually run a TISCO type industry, township, employ people.

its this poor and marginalized constituency which the naxals have tapped into.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 05 Jun 2010 15:06

Left-wing extremism will not affect nuclear assets: Menon

http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/ ... 447205.ece

India dismissed concerns about threats to its nuclear assets by Left-wing extremists and said that it is an internal issue of the country which will be dealt with law and order.

“I can assure you that you don’t need to worry about the Left-wing extremism affecting our nuclear assets and I speak with some knowledge of this issue,” National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon said on Saturday in response to a question after addressing an international security forum here.

chaanakya · Post by **chaanakya** » 05 Jun 2010 18:28

Singha wrote:per articles in TOI today, the cost of mining and transport of iron ore to ports works to around Rs 500/ton but the prevailing international price is north of Rs 6000/-. the Govt levy is a real pittance something like <2%. after 2000 the chinese demand grew very strong. so a coalition of the willing between politicians and mining barons together ensured our iron ore exports grew 10X in 10 yrs. this reached into lots of forest and marginal land where the poor tribals were chased out and not given much job because open cast mining is a mechanised activity. the mining barons and their political patrons in naxal affected states and the "high commands" in delhi have made 1000s of crores from mining profits. domestic steel plants can create much more jobs but for mining barons & co
its much easier to just export the ore and rake in profits rather than actually run a TISCO type industry, township, employ people.

its this poor and marginalized constituency which the naxals have tapped into.

There is lot of truth in it.Privatisation of mining activities without commensurate revenue to the states/center, due to meager royalty and cess, has fattened the coffers of few. No benefits accrue to local folks at alll. They become hapless victim in this game. Of course, Maoists take advantage of their plight.

You would rarely find industrialists like Jamshedji Tata or Birla now a days.

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 05 Jun 2010 22:52

chaanakya wrote:There is lot of truth in it.Privatisation of mining activities without commensurate revenue to the states/center, due to meager royalty and cess, has fattened the coffers of few. No benefits accrue to local folks at alll. They become hapless victim in this game. Of course, Maoists take advantage of their plight.

You would rarely find industrialists like Jamshedji Tata or Birla now a days.

My question is - what were the locals getting from these untapped resources before, that the illegal extraction of these has suddenly made them poorer and more frustrated? Were all these villagers sitting around banking on one day getting rich from the minerals? Or are these minerals suddenly near and dear to their hearts because the arrival of illegal mining outfits has tipped them off of their worth?

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 06 Jun 2010 01:17

The process by which the tribals come to oppose the mining enterprises is not that complicated. This has been an age old process - almost as old as the expansion of Brit power. Large scale modern mining activity started with expansion of British colonialism and industrial economy in India. Then also mining activity displaced tribals - but the early activity was in areas already of sparse population density and of little forest cover or agriculturally productive lands. Moreover land was surplus at the time, and where affected some part of the diplaced people could settle in other areas.

At the time there still was tribal disaffection - but aimed primarily at the business interests and merchant mafia who took over forest exploitation rights under British supervised auctions. Not primarily against mining. In fact labour had to be "acquired" sometimes under coercion sometimes out of incentives.

What happened over the recent phase is that Leftist activists have taught the tribals that they should get a cut from any profits being made out of any natural resource in their area. For the Leftists this is a heavensent opportunity. They can alienate the tribals from the state, appeal to traditional tribal concepts of land and natural resource ownership (collective and resident), acquire a political base, but most importantly get a cut of the extracted or extorted money for "party funds".

Another important input has been the approach of the business interests. Typically they try to recruit local elements of "muscle" from among both tribals as well as non-tribals and pump them up with money, drinks and women. In turn they use the muscle to clear the opposition. This easy money also reinforces the Leftist representations. As far as i know, little concrete inputs are made into developing local public-social service infrastructure by the business interests or mining interests. Neither do the leftists. As everyone there is out making money, and investments into such infrastructure means cut on profits.

It is also true that little developmental work actually take place in remote forested areas from the government side - because of low electoral impact from low population density, or even perhaps a traditional perception of these being "marginal" societies and less deserving of modernizing attention. In a sense, the leftist activists are also working against modernization by supporting the bandwagon of "preservation of indigenous lifestyles". One angle to understand the intelligentsia mindset in this regard is to watch the two movies "Day and Night of the Forest" ("Aranyer dinaratri") by Satyajit Ray, and a thinly veiled sequel - "Return to the forest" ("Abara Aranye") made recently. Here the forest is reconstructed as a canvas on which the urban anomie is played out in a fantasy of drugs, intoxication and sex. The intelligentsia, even those political radicals who adopted the forest and tribals - remain as alienated from the forest as they are from the urban life which nurtured them, and which they dream of returning to in triumph.

In many ways the activist forest dwelling tribal-"friendly" leftist is angry at the city which in his perception has refused him the recognition and power he thought he deserved. He is going to wreak vengeance for that using the forest - which for him is a detested tool he has been forced to use because of the villainy of the city.

Thus, because a lot of developmental effort at least is visible in the NE or in areas like Kashmir Valley, this sends the signals that the GOI rewards armed radicalism, better if done under EJ's or Jihadis.