During the last week, reports have surfaced of the first activities in the People’s War in India, led by the Communist Party of India (Maoist). These activities happen in light of the 21st anniversary of the People’s Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA) under the command of the Maoist Party, for the “PLGA-week" from December 2nd to December 8th.
In a preventive manner, the old Indian state closed down governmental services in many districts of India, in fear of actions taking place.
The Government bus services have been suspended in “Maoist-dominated” Districts including Koraput District of Odisha. Reportedly, the Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) has suspended bus services on 14 out of 17 routes in Jeypore in Koraput District and on six routes in Rayagada for security reasons. Also, additional arrangement in the district border of the district, Kham Dhamal and Kahaki, and additional arrangements in Kashipur Police were made. Security has also been beefed up along the border areas of Telangana and Chhattisgarh for this reason.
In many areas the PLGA-week is already promoted with banners and pamphlets.
In Telangana, a statement was released by the Maoist Party Secretary Aruna to hold high the PLGA. In many areas, posters, banners and pamphlets were hung. On the other hand, the police also heavily controls vehicles and the movement of the people. Pamphlets were also distributed close to residential areas situated in Koyalibeda Police Station limits in Kanker District of Chhattisgarh. In the state of Jharkhand, on the first day of ‘PLGA Week’, Maoists have pasted posters in Chak Bazar under Manatu Police Station limits in Palamu District, as reported by the reactionary website „south asia terrorism portal“, the CPI (Maoist) has made Anganwadi Centre, School Bhawan and Panchayat Bhawan as its recruitment centre. Through posters, signed by the „Janamukti Guerrilla Sena“ unit the Maoist party has declared Anganwadi Center, School Building and Panchayat Bhawan as their recruitment center. The Maoists have written that people should submit their applications in school buildings, panchayat buildings and Anganwadi centers to be admitted to PLGA. On November 27, the CPI(Maoist) put up posters and banners in several areas of Saranda, Kiriburu, Chhotanagra, Barajamda, Sonua and Manoharpur. In them, the Maoist party talked about expediting the process of recruitment of youth and women in the PLGA on a large scale. They called upon the masses to strongly oppose the fascist attacks on student youth, human rights, social activists and lawyers.
One heinous attack against the party happened on November 15th in Gadchiroli. "26 Naxals, including six women were killed in Gadchiroli district. Milind Teltumbde, a central committee member, was also killed on Saturday," Dilip Valse Patil, Maharashtra's Home Minister told reporters. In retaliation for this, on December 3rd, Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres have set ablaze vehicles engaged in road construction in the Devbeli Police Station limits in Balaghat District of Madhya Pradesh. The Maoists also threw pamphlets on the spot, in which a bandh (a strike with general shutdown, that is conducted in a militant way) has been called in protest against the massaker, to hold high the martyrium of comrade Teltumbde. Also, a road roller was set on fire. After the action, the Maoists have also thrown pamphlets on the spot against the massaker, for the bandh.
Only one day afterwards, a similar attack was successfully conducted in Telangana. The CPI(Maoist) cadres set a road roller ablaze in Eturnagaram village in Mulugu District. The road roller was brought in to lay a road between Eturnagaram and Tupakulagudem in the forest area. In light of this, the Police officials have sounded a high alert in the area. In a letter that was recovered from the area, penned purportedly by the members of the Maoist party’s Eturnagaram and Mahadevpur area committees, the activists called upon the masses to make the PLGA Week a grand success. The activists also requested the people to take part in their fight against the corrupt Telangana Government, which would eventually help the party strengthen its base in the State.
These first firework of activities shows that the people are supporting the People’s War. Hand in hand with the giant mass struggles that take place in India right now, new masses are accepting the PLGA as their instrument for liberation.