Intelligence alert on Maoists

Maoist Week being celebrated in North Telangana districts

Hyderabad: Prior to the state’s bifurcation, the then Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy’s comment that if the new state is created there would be an insurgency of Maoits, created an uproar. But looks like Kiran Reddy’s fears are true. According to an alert issued by the State Intelligence Department to all the north Telangana districts, the Maoists have given a call for the celebration of a Maoist week in the state from July 28 to August 3 to strengthen their cadre base.

As Telangana stands to be India's 29th state, the fear of Maoists using the period of political transition to make gains in the area is increasing. The banned organisation could look to tap into discontent that might arise among marginalised sections, if the new administration belies their expectations for a better life.

“Initially, there could be conflicts, but the police are well equipped to handle them with the latest weapons and technology." said a senior officer in Greyhounds, an elite anti-insurgency force created by the Andhra Pradesh government in 1986 to fight Naxalites.

‘Maoists view the separate state of Telangana as an opportunity to engineer a re-entry into the region,’ says a report of the insurgents' central committee meeting held in 2013 that was seized by security forces.

“Unlike other states, where Maoists are active, the police force has had training in conducting anti-insurgency operations, right from the village level. Their intelligence-gathering networks are strong,” stated a senior security officer.

“Police have increased combing operations and would curb the increase in the Naxal movement,” expresses an officer of DG level.

Varavara Rao, a veteran Maoist sympathiser and poet, who is always watched by the police for his links with the insurgents, said that the law that had enabled the creation of the state had many flaws that could harm the interests of marginalised communities. Rao fears that certain decisions taken by the Centre and the state may help the transfer of land in the nearest four districts around Hyderabad from farmers to businessmen. "If people don't fight, in ten years more of this land would be lost to this class," said Varavara Rao.

“In some ways, the real struggle over issues linked to the development programme, will only start now. The Centre’s decision on Polavaram project has been very strong. The tribals would get displaced and they are sure to add to the insurgency,” he added. The Maoists acknowledge that they have not been able to get new recruits for several years.

As early as 2002, the Maoists had lamented that social and economic conditions had changed and were not conducive for recruiting. While the capability to counter left-wing extremism may be in place, the new state's policies will also play a part in determining how amenable people in the Maoists' traditional strongholds will become to support the organisation’s re-entry. The new state will have to take decisions on issues of development and investment. These could turn contentious and create the potential for Maoists to tap into the resulting discontent.