Dear friends, 
Due to the issue of word limit, i'm forced to post this article in  6 parts, each part a separate post. If you can take the pain of reading it from bottom to top, you would be able to read it as one article, which's how i wanted it to appear. Hope you would bear with the inconvenience!

(continuation of Tales from Dantewada..page 6)

The Maoists have time and again proclaimed their reluctance to compromise with the “bourgeois democracy” of the Indian state. But when one takes a closer look, what’s happening in Dantewada doesn’t look like a struggle to capture the state at all.  Instead, what’s revealed is the sad plight of a people forced to take up arms when their last resource, the land, is being forcefully looted by a corporate-state nexus.  In their struggle for existence they’ve none to turn to, except the Maoists. So naturally, they become Maoists.  But it’s not the Maoists who have forced the adivasis to take up arms; it’s the vicious and unyielding exploitation inbuilt in the system that’s responsible.

The conflict that’s snowballing in to a full scale war in the Indian heartland is a cause of concern for every citizen in this country. With the murder of Azad (maiost spokesperson) in a fake encounter, the prospects for dialogue between the gov. and the Maoists have become bleaker. The Indrāvati river in Dankaranya is turning dead red.


“History had taught him
how dictators are  born
from the blood of the poor
time and again.


but at this moment
he’s with the these black people
singing the songs of liberation
under these tamarind trees”
                                          (There, Sachidanandan)

Today the Indian democracy is at crossroads, confronting the historic ‘ on whose side are you’ question. It doesn’t look like as if it can escape answering it, not this time.
Will it be able to stand at the side of these “black people singing the songs of liberation”? Shouldn’t it be?

8 comments:

Nivedita said...

If Reds come to power by 2050, matters will go roughly like this –
----There will a Lenin [of course with a goatee] who will ask a Dzerzhinsky to set up a Cheka and a Red Terror to protect Workman’s Heaven.
----There will be level headed people who will organize armies to smash Workman’s Paradise [Workman after all in our Marxist terminology is a code-name for.......OURSELVES ie COMRADES!]
-----If they succeed, then we need not bother further – Uncle Comrades will be hanged – Story ends. If not...
-----Cheka and Red Army will have to exterminate 800,000 people and show in records that only 12,000 were shot and millions will have to be starved to death and Lenin will say......”BEST TIME TO DETROY RELIGION IS WHEN PEOPLE EAT ONE ANOTHER.”
-----By time Workers’ Paradise is secured, millions will starve to death, hundereds of thousands shot and tortured to death [like skinning people alive, roasting them, drowning them, impaling them and so on and on and on and on.]
-----But there is a good side too- masses will be reduced to mere skeletons and Comrades will be having balls.....to borrow Comrade Koba’s phrase as “Bolshevik aristocrats”.
-----Once land is ruined and millions despatched to Hell [so that a Comrade’s Heaven is built on earth], Comrades will begin to think about RECONSTRUCTION. So how will reconstruction proceed?
-----Comrade Lenin imported foreign engineers, foreign machines and of course hehehehe foreign capital. WHAT? CAPITAL!!! IT WAS NOT CAPITAL! IT was “HELP FROM ABROAD! Always say it like that Help from Abroad! Not Capital!”
-----But will this suffice? No. Some native initiative is needed. But we had shot all enterpreuers and farm owners or sent them to concentration camps. ALAS! We dont know how to work either! After all, our livelihood is agitation and terror. Running a factory is not our job! So for a time being let us release those ex-owners.......But dont make publicity out of that. Okay.”
----Alas, Comrade Lenin dies due to syphilis. Now Comrades are in confusion. Now comes WHO?
----The mountaineer with a long moustache and a mischeivious eye – he knows all.
----With Comarde Koba firmly in power, we will go for industrialization. But no one is willing to lend us money nor do we have any money. So how will we buy equipment?
----LOOT THE KULAKS-Said the Comrade Koba. Fills your camps with 15 million slaves – for us it will be 150 million since pop will be 10 times more.
----Find out all traitors, spies, wreckers, Trostskites, Ryutinite and counter-revolutionaries and terrorists and shoot them. Country is filled top to bottom with them.
----But comrade Koba, many of the accused are Old Guard of the party.
----So what? They were saboteurs right from their cradles and had been conspiring to undermine the revolution. Get that!
-----Also dont forget – Before shooting them, make a spectacle out of their trial. Okay.
-----Once this is done, Comrade Koba will execute all generals and sign treaty with Nazi Germany make sure that country is well exposed to invasions and once the invasions begin, Comrades will ressurect the despised bourgeoisie notions of PATRIOTISM and RELIGION to make people fight – You cant tell a block-head to fight in name of Das Kapital!
-----With war over and won and with Comrade Koba dead and with Comrade Krushchev in power, we willl sent mission to Mars and fight mind-games with West. We will help the poor nations of the world, of course while our own poor will be starving. [That is official secret!]
-----With Krushchev the Great gone and Brezhnev in saddle we will go on a pleasure trip and soon Comrade Brezhnev is dead and then comes Comrade [now traitor] Gorbachev who finds himself neck deep in troubles and see that a whole world built on lies and terror is nearing end.
-----But Gorby also follows the best Commie tradition – Stupidity of course- he will set fire to house to hunt the rats and in the end he in front of his gutted house will stand and say – “A Victory To Democracy!” While Commie Fossils sit nearby and grumble.

ARJUN R SHANKAR said...

gud1 lipin...
yet another space given to the brooding n aggravating problem concerning d country n d common people..gud write up...

we all agree about the sad plight of maoism. the ill crafted legacy of despondency, n exploitation which they have inherited..
every single child born is furious n is branded for their larger cause..
n its common indeed for them to bcome a maoist..
there are so many inherent problems existing. Let that b the yield of historic exploitation n their present plight is the sordid testimony to this.
but now there should b chance for the state to redress its mistake..we should give a chance..
the hope shudnt b bleak.
maoist cannot take it as an excuse to defend their arguments. they have crossed their limits. their activities reveal their wanton disregard to human lives..
let there b negotiations.
let them surrender their arms as per 'surrender cum rehabilitation policy' n give d state a chance to redress their problems..
a catastrophic humanitarian crisis is building up...if the govt. retaliates the river is really gona turn red..
so lets unequivocally pledge to respect their aspirations, stop encroaching their lands n entering their private affairs.
respect the freedom of the tribals.
lets do some pragmatic steps to build confidence that is actually bleak now.
we can solve this issue..if we channelise the whole energy in the required path..
be it a give n take policy.
n let them drop their weapons.
And finally as there are so many tribals involved in it. No body can generalize and say that they are fighting for school, hospitals and for development and infrastructure. These are definitely the priorities but we cannot generalize that the tribal need all these. What they need is non-intervention into their private affairs and their mode of life. Everything doesn't come under d same umbrella..
lets start respecting them n finally they will have to respect the law of the land..(long term prospect)feasible only if the road to long term is laid down. now itself.

ARJUN R SHANKAR said...

gud1 lipin...yet another space given to the brooding n aggravating problem concerning d country n d common people..gud write up...

we all agree about the sad plight of maoism. the ill crafted legacy of despondency, n exploitation which they have inhrited..
every single child born is furious n is branded for their larger cause..
n its common indeed for them to bcome a maoist..
there are so many inherent problems existing. Let that b the yield of historic exploitation n their present plight is the sordid testimony to this.
but now there should b chance for the state to redress its mistakes..we should give a chance..
the hope shudnt b bleak.
maoist cannot take it as an excuse to defend their arguments. they have crossed their limits. their activities reveal their wanton disregard to human lives..
let there b negotiations.
let them surrender their arms as per 'surrender cum rehabilitation policy' n give d state a chance to redress their problems..
a catastrophic humanitarian crisis is building up...if the govt. retaliates the river is really gona turn red..
so lets unequivocally pledge to respect their aspirations, stop encroaching their lands n entering their private affairs.
respect the freedom of the tribals.
lets do some pragmatic steps to build confidence that is actually bleak now.
we can solve this issue..if we channelise the whole energy in the required path..
be it a give n take policy.
n let them drop their weapons.

And finally as there are so many tribals involved in it. No body can generalize and say that they are fighting for school, hospitals and for development and infrastructure. These are definitely the priorities but we cannot generalize that the tribal need all these. What they may need is non-intervention into their private affairs and their mode of life.they may want to live a life as they wish , may b in perfect balance wid the nature.Everything doesnt come under d same umbrella..
lets respect their aspirations and finally they will respect the law of the land. its definitely a long term prospect and for this confidence building measures should be initiated through the back channel.
let the road to this b laid down now itself.
then lets "walk with the comrades' upholding common laws and aspirations transcending ideologies.

ARJUN R SHANKAR said...

gud1 lipin...yet another space given to the brooding n aggravating problem concerning d country n d common people..gud write up...

we all agree about the sad plight of maoism. the ill crafted legacy of despondency, n exploitation which they have inherited..
every single child born is furious n is branded for their larger cause..
n its common indeed for them to bcome a maoist..
there are so many inherent problems existing. Let that b the yield of historic exploitation n their present plight is the sordid testimony to this.
but now there should b chance for the state to redress its mistake..we should give a chance..
the hope shudnt b bleak.
maoist cannot take it as an excuse to defend their arguments. they have crossed their limits. their activities reveal their wanton disregard to human lives..
let there b negotiations.
let them surrender their arms as per 'surrender cum rehabilitation policy' n give d state a chance to redress their problems..
a catastrophic humanitarian crisis is building up...if the govt. retaliates the river is really gona turn red..
so lets unequivocally pledge to respect their aspirations, stop encroaching their lands n entering their private affairs.
respect the freedom of the tribals.
lets do some pragmatic steps to build confidence that is actually bleak now.
we can solve this issue..if we channelise the whole energy in the required path..
be it a give n take policy.
n let them drop their weapons.
And finally as there are so many tribals involved in it. Nobody can generalize and say that they are fighting for school, hospitals and for development and infrastructure. These are definitely the priorities but we cannot generalize that the tribal need all these. What they may need is non-intervention into their private affairs and their mode of life. They may like to live a life in perfect harmony with the nature. Everything doesnt come under d same umbrella..
lets respect their aspirations and finally they will respect the law of the land. its definitely a long term prospect and for this confidence building measures should be initiated through the back channel.
let the road to this b laid down now itself.
then lets "walk with the comrades' upholding common laws and aspirations transcending ideologies.

ARJUN R SHANKAR said...

gud1 lipin...yet another space given to the brooding n aggravating problem concerning d country n d common people..gud write up...

we all agree about the sad plight of maoism. the ill crafted legacy of despondency, n exploitation which they have inherited..
every single child born is furious n is branded for their larger cause..
n its common indeed for them to bcome a maoist..
there are so many inherent problems existing. Let that b the yield of historic exploitation n their present plight is the sordid testimony to this.
but now there should b chance for the state to redress its mistake..we should give a chance..
the hope shudnt b bleak.
maoist cannot take it as an excuse to defend their arguments. they have crossed their limits. their activities reveal their wanton disregard to human lives..
let there b negotiations.
let them surrender their arms as per 'surrender cum rehabilitation policy' n give d state a chance to redress their problems..
a catastrophic humanitarian crisis is building up...if the govt. retaliates the river is really gona turn red..
so lets unequivocally pledge to respect their aspirations, stop encroaching their lands n entering their private affairs.
respect the freedom of the tribals.
lets do some pragmatic steps to build confidence that is actually bleak now.
we can solve this issue..if we channelise the whole energy in the required path..
be it a give n take policy.
n let them drop their weapons.
And finally as there are so many tribals involved in it. Nobody can generalize and say that they are fighting for school, hospitals and for development and infrastructure. These are definitely the priorities but we cannot generalize that the tribal need all these. What they may need is non-intervention into their private affairs and their mode of life. They may like to live a life in perfect harmony with the nature. Everything doesnt come under d same umbrella..
lets respect their aspirations and finally they will respect the law of the land. its definitely a long term prospect and for this confidence building measures should be initiated through the back channel.
let the road to this b laid down now itself.
then lets "walk with the comrades' upholding common laws and aspirations transcending ideologies.

ARJUN R SHANKAR said...

gud1 lipin...yet another space given to the brooding n aggravating problem concerning d country n d common people..gud write up...

we all agree about the sad plight of maoism. the ill crafted legacy of despondency, n exploitation which they have inherited..
every single child born is furious n is branded for their larger cause..
n its common indeed for them to bcome a maoist..
there are so many inherent problems existing. Let that b the yield of historic exploitation n their present plight is the sordid testimony to this.
but now there should b chance for the state to redress its mistake..we should give a chance..
the hope shudnt b bleak.
maoist cannot take it as an excuse to defend their arguments. they have crossed their limits. their activities reveal their wanton disregard to human lives..
let there b negotiations.

ARJUN R SHANKAR said...

let them surrender their arms as per 'surrender cum rehabilitation policy' n give d state a chance to redress their problems..
a catastrophic humanitarian crisis is building up...if the govt. retaliates the river is really gona turn red..
so lets unequivocally pledge to respect their aspirations, stop encroaching their lands n entering their private affairs.
respect the freedom of the tribals.
lets do some pragmatic steps to build confidence that is actually bleak now.
we can solve this issue..if we channelise the whole energy in the required path..
be it a give n take policy.
n let them drop their weapons.
And finally as there are so many tribals involved in it. Nobody can generalize and say that they are fighting for school, hospitals and for development and infrastructure. These are definitely the priorities but we cannot generalize that the tribal need all these. What they may need is non-intervention into their private affairs and their mode of life. They may like to live a life in perfect harmony with the nature. Everything doesnt come under d same umbrella..
lets respect their aspirations and finally they will respect the law of the land. its definitely a long term prospect and for this confidence building measures should be initiated through the back channel.
let the road to this b laid down now itself.
then lets "walk with the comrades' upholding common laws and aspirations transcending ideologies.

Nivedita said...

You must forgive my earlier comment. I'm not usually such a bitter person, its just that when it comes to communism, well..
Being a Malayali, I too had a very romantic notion of Communism and thought it the answer to all of our nations problems. But last year interning with an NGO working for Rural Development, I heard it right from the peoples mouths.
Development of tribals is necessary, but really terror? How can a state surrender its sovereignty to a bunch of people who dream ceaselessly about a Workers Paradise(and by Workers Paradise they mean State Capitalism)-a system that is unworkable without secret police, terror and concentration camps.
It is not LIBERATION that these people want but a new kind of TYRANNY.
You put up a question: Why does the Indian state insist on bringing these areas under the “rule of law”?
The thing is all the Govt wants is a greater plunder of minerals in this area, once that is done the Govt will no longer be interested, why else do you think they suddenly developed a fear?
I have lost faith in the political system of our country but Communism is not an answer to anything, its a trick, a lost cause.