Chhattisgarh Chief MinisterBhupesh Baghel raises concerns over reduction in Central funding to combat naxalism and questions the National Investigation Agency (NIA)’s tardy progress in probing major encounters.
What is the extent of the spread of Left-wing Extremism (LWE) in Chhattisgarh?
Half of Chattisgarh is affected by LWE. So far, the policy to solve the problem of naxalism has been a bullet in response to a bullet. Because of this policy, many tribals were arrested or killed; they were sandwiched between naxals and the security forces. Top naxal leaders have either been arrested or killed. In the year 2017-18, around 350 Naxals surrendered, this year already 302 naxals have surrendered... A solution cannot be reached only at the point of a gun, this is a political, social and conomic issue.
In 2018, the Union Home Ministry removedthree districts of Chhattisgarh from the list of LWE-affected districts? Any other districts being removed soon?
The Centre has massively cut the funds that Chhattisgarh earlier used to get; we wrote to the Home Minister regarding this. Earlier we used to get funds in 60:40 [Centre:State] for road construction.
There still exists a large area which is out of bounds for the administration?
The Abujhmaad area falls in Maharashtra as well as Chhattisgarh. Some areas in Bijapur and Narayanpur districts are beyond reach. Naturally, conducting operations is not feasible there... We have sought the Centre’s permission to build pre-fabricated steel bridges. Many jawans die while performing security duty during road construction. We do not have any deployment in areas touching the Andhra Pradesh border. Recently we got permission to deploy five battalions of Central forces in those areas... trying to open a camp so that the distance between camps reduces to 5-10 km from the current 50 km.
The NIA and the Maharashtra police arrested several activists including Sudha Bharadwaj in the 2018 Bhima Koregaon case. Ms. Bharadwaj has been active in Chhattisgarh for the past several years. What is the State police assessment on her role?
The term ‘urban naxal’ has become a jumla. Anyone can be arrested or implicated in the name of being an urban naxal, this has become a fashion. The real action against urban naxals has been taken by the Chhattisgarh government… those who live in urban areas and supply cash and ammunition to the naxals. We arrested some people who were supplying ammunition, shoes, uniforms, walkie talkie sets, and electric wires... they were arrested in the past six months.
People from Delhi came here and became millionaires in five-six years; they got contracts in those areas and supplied money to the naxals. They are the real urban naxals….they had an approach till the top.
We know Sudha Bharadwaj, she has worked in my constituency too... I have seen her work as a lawyer; we do not have any information on her links with naxals, but if she has been arrested, it is possible that there are some secret inputs against her. We do not have such information.
They have not been given bail for over two years...
Ask this question to the Centre. The Jhiram Ghati case (2013) was given to the NIA to investigate but they could not find any evidence. Now we want to investigate that case but Centre is denying us [permission]. A BJP MLA was killed in 2019 general elections, we had completed the probe then all of a sudden the Centre announced an NIA probe. All the documents were taken away by NIA. The agency started interfering that we should give the entire case diary to them. Who are they trying to save?
Who according to you is the NIA trying to shield?
We raised this issue during the Chief Ministers’ meet at Vigyan Bhavan (August 2019). Give us the probe when you cannot do anything. What has NIA got till now? They have not agreed that it is a conspiracy; many leaders like Vidya Charan Shukla and Mahendra Karma were martyred, they were identified and then killed. Naxals do not ask for names and then kill; they just blow up the entire convoy and flee the scene. [However, in this case] they waited hours and pumped bullets after asking their names — was this not a conspiracy?
The FIR filed by the State police names all the big naxal leaders, but when NIA probed the matter they deleted the names. When NIA court ordered to record the statement of Gudsa Usendi (top Maoist leader who surrendered in January 2014) who is lodged in Andhra Jail, why hasn’t NIA recorded his statement yet?
Who are the big leaders you are referring to?
Ganapathy (top Maoist leader) is there, why was his name removed? He leads the naxals. Why is the NIA not questioning Gudsa Usendi?
So where is Ganapathy?
We are after him; we do conduct operations. He has not been caught by any agency or police force yet. There are some areas bordering Maharashtra-Telangana and Odisha, dense forests are there, we have not been able to nab him but if he is arrested then we will definitely take action.
Isn’t it an intelligence failure that police still does not have a latest photograph of Ganapathy?
I agree with you, we do not have any other photo of him, barring one. This is a challenge for the intelligence and security agencies.
The Congress’s performance in the Bihar Assembly poll was particularly bad as it won only 19 of the 70 seats it contested. Do you think not having strong local leaders in the Hindi belt States costs the party?
These are internal issues and I think it is best to raise them within party forum.
Your colleague and senior leader Kapil Sibal has recently said there are not many fora in your party where leaders can speak their mind.
During the corona period, there have been so many meetings including that of Congress Working Committee via video conferencing. And we have all got opportunities to put forth our views. I don’t think such a senior leader [Mr. Sibal] should speak like this. There have been meetings almost every month.
So, you don’t agree that Congress lacks a proper forum for leaders to openly articulate their views?
Congress is the only democratic party where workers can put their views. You don’t have this in other parties. How can put your views in parties that don’t even have a party constitution? Everyone has a right to put forward their views but some people want to talk through the media and that’s unfortunate.
Your party doesn’t have a full-time president. Do you think Rahul Gandhi should return or should the party try out a non-Gandhi?
I have already said that party issues should be spoken in a party forum. However, I feel Rahul Gandhi is most suitable to become party president as he understands the country, its people as well the needs of our workers. It is my personal view that there is none else better suited for the post.
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