Volume 1, No. 3, May 2000

V : Like most others from this part of South Bastar our family are first generation migrants from Dantewada region. This was virtually virgin forest, while in Dantewada there was scarcity of land. We migrated here when I was a child in about 1972. In our village there was a violent clash with our relatives over land. They killed my uncle and also tried to kill my father and brother. We walked four days and nights to reach this spot. At that time there were only three other households in this village, living in this dense jungle.

We cut the forest and did some agriculture but wild animals ate up most of the crop. Till 1980 we subsisted mostly on forest produce, eating mahua, leaves, etc., and hunting with the bow and arrow. If we fell sick we went to the local vadde (witch doctor). There was a lot of malaria. If we needed any item like salt, chilli, tobacco etc., we had to walk 25 kms. The government was totally absent. Then, as our village numbers grew the forest officials, sarpanch, village patels only terrorised us and extracted chicken, goats, liquor etc. Though we have 20 acres we could barely meet our needs even when conditions improved in 1983 with the arrival of the People’s War squads.

V : In 1983/84 word spread that a ‘Jungle Military’ was roaming the area. There were two types of rumours — one that they beat forest officials, patwaris etc; second, that they take away young girls from the village. The latter, we found out later, was spread by the landlords, patels, officials etc. Yet, no one in our village had ever seen them.

Then, that summer, some 300 villagers had gone hunting, some 50 kms away from our village. Suddenly, one night we saw a torch light. It was the ‘Jungle Military’. On seeing us, they (7 to 8 men and one woman) held a meeting explaining how it was necessary to fight the officials. They spoke mostly Telugu and broken Gondi. They were dressed in uniforms like the police, but the difference was their clothes were torn and dirty. (The squads had just entered Bastar from AP around this time — correspondent)

V : One month later they came to a neighbouring village. We went to see them. They shook hands with all of us and said Lal Salaam (Red Salute). They held a meeting, sang songs, danced etc. They said that they would eat anything the villagers would give. Later they came to our village; they ate anything we gave them. While on the one hand we gained confidence, on the other a massive propaganda was there that they take away young girls. The local sarpanch/landlord also got his daughter married off, to prove the point. In 1985/86 the propaganda reached a peak saying that they cut off people’s heads and carry it in their kit-bags. People were all told not to give food, and if possible, poison the food and kill them all. The situation continued to be fluid. It took until 1987 before the squads really established themselves in the area.

V: Firstly, we never saw any girls supposedly taken away by them. Secondly, they were completely open, and their kit-bags did not appear to have any heads in them. Then they thoroughly beat a landlord who was instigating much of this propaganda. Besides, I was facing enormous harassment by the forest officials and local patel, for building a house. They threatened to beat and arrest me if I did not give Rs. 2,000; they would come and abuse; all in the village capitulated and asked me to give the money. Then one day the squad thoroughly beat up these forest officials, who never came back. With such incidents they won over our confidence. Then the police began coming and asked us to go hunting with them, deep into the forests. Later we were told their intention was to find the ‘Naxalites’, so we stopped cooperating.

V : In 1987 two youth from a neighbouring village joined the squad. This gave many of the youth in our area more confidence. It is then that, two of us also decided to join. By then I had already married and had one child. Also I had started a small shop in the village with a friend (which never really ran well). After roaming one month with the squad, when I visited the village, my mother cried, and relatives put a lot of pressure. Also the squad life was quite tough. I told the commander that I will return to the village. They then gave me the responsibility of building DAKMS in the area. I became the president of the local unit. But then, in the terror campaign of 1989, eight of us were arrested from the village. I was severely beaten in the lock-up, and then sent to Jagdalpur jail. I was there eight months before being released on bail. It was here that I got my first lesson and learnt the Hindi alphabet and how to count. On coming out, I became more active and a Range Committee member of the DAKMS. By the end of the year I was recruited to a candidate cell of the party in my area. But as police repression increased, in May 1990 I joined the squad. Since then I have been continuously in the squad.

V : When I came out of jail my second child died, as I could not give it attention. Everyone opposed my joining the squad. Even villagers opposed saying that the peasant organisation would weaken if I joined the squad. Initially my wife opposed, but now even she has joined the squad in 1996 leaving the child with relatives. At present the child is very hostile to both of us as she feels we have deserted her. This was in the earlier period, when there was more opposition to joining the squads. Today it is different.

V : First, they have given us youth a sense of purpose in life and a future. Otherwise it was all darkness, like living in muck without any future. When we were small we dreamt of learning and getting a job as a policeman (that was the only job visible to us). But I could not even go to school. I have learnt now upto the 5th Standard in Hindi and Telugu, within the squad.

After the arrival of the squad, all have got land; the rates of Tendu leaf-picking has been increased; the loot and atrocities of the forest officials, the patwari, the sarpanch, the village patel,etc., has come to an end; killings on flimsy pretext has stopped; violent clashes between villages over land have been settled; forced marriages have been stopped and other forms of women’s oppression reduced; modern medicine has been introduced and superstition has been reduced and now even development works have begun, which the government has never undertaken till today.

V : Over the years, through the DAKMS conferences and study camps I understood the nature of oppression in society; and that we can build a better society and gain equality only by wielding the gun. Then, just prior to entering the squad I attend the huge one million peasant rally at Warangal. There, we even put on a dance from Bastar. I saw a vast movement developing.

V : I have spent a lot of effort in learning — not only to read and write, but also general knowledge and Marxism. I was made a full party member soon after entering the squad. In 1993 I was made a member of the party SAC (Squad Area Committee) with responsibilities for DAKMS and the GRD. In 1994 I became a deputy commander, and in 1995 commander of an LGS. In January ’98 I was made a CGS commander and also the SAC secretary.

Specifically after joining the SAC, I got a lot of organisational experience and knowledge. As a deputy commander, I got experience of military responsibilities of the squad — to organise sentry duties and drills, to lead the pilot and assault batch, etc. Also I have participated in many ambushes and raids which has given me a greater military sense. After becoming an LGS commander it was no doubt difficult taking up all responsibilities, but we have to slowly learn. Now as CGS commander there are even more responsibilities. Now it is even difficult to get time for my own studies. But, somehow time has to be found.

V : The GRD is set up with militants from the village who have been working in DAKMS. Their responsibility is restricted to the village. They use local weapons like the bow and arrow, and barmar (muzzle-loader) and we give them training in the use of dynamite, claymore mines etc., which they also use. They are also trained in use of weapons, military drill etc., in military camps. Here they get the rudiments of military training.

One important responsibility is to find out the informers and take the necessary action. This they have done in a number of places. During bandh calls they dig up roads and blow up bridges. During the bamboo and tendu-leaf struggles they have burnt down depots. They have confiscated trucks of contractors who try and steal forest wood. They have also attempted ambushes on small police parties. They also assist the squads and help in sentry duties.

V : No doubt it will develop slowly, but we will win. I have joined only with the confidence of one-day winning. Besides, in village life there is no future for the youth. Here there is a cause. The youth, like me, come to the squad with the idea of serving the people. And in the process, even if we lose our life, it does not matter.

V : Yes very happy .... imagine our lives today, if the squads had never come !

V : That is a small sacrifice for a big cause. Many have already given their lives. Besides, unlike us, she is getting educated. Once she grows up, she will hopefully realise the truth and follow in her mother’s footsteps.

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