Raipur: People in Gudelguda village in Jharkhand are filled with anger and resentment. Two women were shot at by CRPF officers on February 2 in in the forest of Rengaiguda village, around 450 kms from Raipur, under Polampalli police station limits, when a joint team of security forces was returning after an area domination operation.
 
While a woman named Podiyam Sukki died of the gunshot wounds, another woman Kalmi Dewe was wounded and is currently being treated at a hospital. The police have been calling them Maoists but villagers have rejected these claims and said that they were not involved in any skirmish.
 
Gudelguda villagers claimed that the CRPF jawans deliberately shot at the women. They even said that they forcefully made one of the wounded women wear a Naxal uniform while she was screaming in pain and that the police were trying to pass this incident off as an encounter when the firing was one-sided.

 
What the police says
 
Sukma SP Jitendra Shukla said that two women had sustained bullet injuries on Saturday in Polampalli region of Sukma district, one of whom died during treatment. they came under crossfire during an encounter between Maoists and CRPF men. The women were rushed to CRPF field hospital.
 
SP Jitendra Shukla in his press conference on Sunday said that in the forest, the encounter between the soldiers and the Naxalites lasted for about 10 minutes. “A firearm, Rs 9058 cash, cortex wire, detonator, gelatine sticks and other materials were recovered from the site of the encounter. During the encounter, both women were gathering woods in the forest nearby. After hearing the firing, both of them ran in the direction of the shootout and Podiyam Sukki was shot in the stomach while Kalmi Dewe was hit in the thigh,” he said.
 
He also said that a case has been registered against unknown people in connection with the death and a magisterial inquiry is going on.
 
Though police admitted that the women were common villagers from Gudelguda, villagers came forward with a different narrative that there wasn’t any encounter that took place as there’s also no forest close to Gudelguda village.
 
Police have paid Rs 25000 compensation to Sukki’s family and Rs 20,000 to Dewe.

 
What the eyewitness says 
Following the incident, Dainik Bhaskar’s journalist Neeraj Bhadauria published the statement of Podiyam Hungi, the eyewitness in the incident. She recounted the details of the day.
 
“I, Podiyam Sukki and Kalmi Dewe had gathered at 7 am to collect timber from the forest near the village. We had an axe in our hands. We had just reached 500-600 meters away from the village when we saw jawans in the area. We immediately returned to the village. The moment we turned back, we heard a gunshot. We started shouting that we have come here to gather wood. I was at the back and Podiyam and Kalmi were ahead. Podiyam was shot from behind and so was Kalmi. I supported Kalmi and took her back to the village. I heard Podiyam screaming for water,” she said.
 
“When we returned with water, we saw that the jawans were trying to dress Podiyam in a Naxal uniform. When the villagers protested, they said that they would take her to the hospital. Podiyam was incessantly requesting for water and shivering. The jawans said that they will wrap her in a plastic bag and we protested saying that she will become breathless in it. Only three shots were fired during the whole incident. There was no skirmish or encounter,” she said.
 
When we went back with water for Podiyam Suqi, some young men were trying to wear her uniform. The villagers protested against this, the soldiers told him to take him to the hospital. During this time, dry water was demanding and shaking hands. Then the soldiers started to build them in the membrane (plastic bag), then we said that his breath would stop in the membrane. During this entire incident, only three bullets had gone, there was no such thing as an encounter. “
 
Soni Sori reaches the village 
Soni Sori, a social activist working for tribal rights, reached Gudelaguda on Sunday with a 15-member investigating team on the second day of the incident.
 
Talking to Times Of India, tribal leader Soni Sori, who visited the village narrated first hand information collected from locals and said, “There were three women who went to collect fire woods on Saturday morning, about 500 metres from village and on spotting the CRPF men on a distance, they immediately turned back to return village in fear. But there came three rounds of firing from security forces despite that the women waved and showed them the woods and axe from far to claim they were common villagers and not Maoists. By then two women had sustained bullet injuries already.”
 
As per the statement of villagers, Sori said that the jawans came to the women and on realizing they were village women, they carried the severely injured Podiyam Sukka saying that she was being taken to the hospital. The third woman somehow took the injured one Kalmi Dewe to village and group of other women rushed towards CRPF team to check on Podiyam.
 
Sori added that the group of women were shocked to see that CRPF men were trying to dress Podiyam in Maoist uniform while she was wailing in pain and was very much alive. When the women objected, the jawans tried packing her in plastic sheet excusing to rush hospital. The women were told that they could also bring injured Kalmi to the field hospital.

 
Sori said that Podiyam was dead by the time villagers reached the hospital. Calling it a fake encounter, tribal leader Soni Sori demanded judicial inquiry in the case.
 
Sukma police then have lodged an FIR against unknown persons over the killing and officials said that there would be magisterial probe ordered in the case while compensation was also given to families of both women.
 
But villagers and Soni Sori said that they were not demanding magisterial probe in the case but action against the offenders who fired at women.
 
Sori said that when the police have admitted that the women came under crossfire, they should act against those who fired at them.
 
Sukma Bandh called to protest this incident 
Sarv Adivasi Samaj president, Prakash Thakur, stated that there was no encounter in the area and that the police’s claim of women being shot during a crossfire was categorically false. “Sukki died due to gunshot wounds and a gun was deliberately fired at her. All tribal communities demand strict action against the guilty policemen and call for a Sukma Bandh,” he said.
 
Questions arise after the encounter 
The story being peddled by police officers has so many holes that it is proving itself wrong. A newspaper reported that “Our team inspected the site of the incident. The place where women were shot, there is no thick forest. On one side there is a field and on the other side, there is a pond. It can be understood that there is no place to hide or practise hidden firing during the encounter. After looking at the site of the incident, many questions raise themselves.”
 
Two days after the shootout in Gudelguda, women’s axe and other tools were lying on the spot. But the marks of blood stains were missing from the site of the incident. Social workers, tribal communities and villagers believe that evidence was being tampered with to disturb the investigation.
 
In the last 15 years that BJP formed a government in the state, many such cases were reported. In many of them, police officers were found guilty but were never investigated or punished. This is the first such case in the newly formed Congress government. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had talked about investigating the atrocities against villagers on suspicion of being Naxals. All eyes will be on how the new government will deal with this Gudelguda incident with sensitivity.
 
 

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Representation Image

Every BJP worker in Chhattisgarh knows that situations are dire for the party during this election. The officers who trust the management have planned something to win on the day votes will be counted. If you are a voter in Chhattisgarh, the following things will happen on that day. If Congress, the election commission and the vote counters are aggressive and alert, they still have time to liberate the state from BJP.
 

1. With the help of administrative officials, BJP will play its games in those seats in constituencies where there is a match between three different factions. 
2. BJP also has eyes on those seats where Congress won in the last election with a less margin. 
3. You must have noticed that many places had defunct and damaged EVM machines on the day of voting. The conspiracy was to damage the machines so that the people who came early morning to vote would not return to cast them. The party knows that the people are disappointed with the rule and how the party has conducted itself in the last five years. They would want to take revenge the first chance they get by voting as early as possible. It should be noted that most machines went defunct in the 8-11 am slot. Most damaged machines were found in the areas with a strong Congress hold. It was Congress who complained to the EC that EVMs were not functioning. Did BJP complain about anything? Remember that all the damaged machines were from Gujarat. The same region from where PM Modi shouts about Digital India. 
4. On the day of voting, BJP tactfully and cleverly manipulated the machines by using time management. 
5. In the early phases of vote counting, Congress will be ahead and then BJP will start soaring. 
6. BJP will win in the seats which were being contested by three or four factions so that nobody suspects anything. 
7. If there is a strong competition between parties and if Congress is in a position to win from a small margin, the returning officer can play BJP’s agent and announce the result in their favour. Once he gives the results, that’s the end of it. Then the case will keep dragging just like Mohammad Akbar’s case. Ramesh Bais lost the Lok Sabha election in the same way because of the returning officer of Raipur. After fighting the case in the court for many years, the order came in their favour.  
8. The party and the agent’s objection during the counting process is of particular importance. If the agent or the party can not object on time, the game changes.  
9. The agent who sits on the counting table is of special importance. The people of the ruling party make special purchases here. 
10.  If the receipt from the VV PAT and the number of votes cast in the machine are different, understand that the game has already been played. How many people cast their ballot in which booth, every agent has this knowledge. VV PAT receipts should be counted without mistake. Along with the information that which party received more slips and which ones saw a decline.  
11. Be alert that the results for the seats which are being gamed by BJP will be delayed. Congress will have to show strength and resistance when the votes are counted.

 
(Note: The above article was shared by a senior journalist from Chhattisgarh. Due to critical reportage on the oppressive policies of the government, he was transferred to another state before the election.)
 

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Raipur:  After the capital city of Raipur, the Bilaspur constituency is the most important seat in the state. Usually, there are two lakh voters registered here. To estimate the ongoing the sentiment with regards to the election, we went to many bylanes and areas to understand people’s views. Eight of 10 people said that the person who has been running the state for the last 15 years on behalf of the ruling party needs to go because they have ruined the city. Whatever happens, we will not vote for him. Many are convinced that he is going to lose. Then suddenly, only the day of the election, 35,000 people in the constituency find out that their names have been removed from the voter list. Which means that 35,000 votes that could have gone to the oppositions, almost 17.5 per cent people, were rendered useless in one stroke.
 
The second phase of the polls where 72 seats in 19 districts were being contested ended on Nov 20. A total of 1079 candidates including 119 women were included in this phase. According to the Election Commission, 71.93 per cent of the people voted in the second phase. In the first phase on Nov 12, the voting percentage of 18 seats in the Naxal affected areas was 76.42 per cent. The total combined voting percentage of the state was 74.17. On Tuesday, about 1.54 crore people (77.53 lakh male voters, 76.46 lakh female voters and 877 transgender voters) exercised their voting rights.
 
Bilaspur: The Kingmaker
Taking stock of the constituencies that are being contested, Bilaspur is Chattisgarh’s biggest division with 24 seats in its kitty. Out of which five are reserved for Scheduled Tribes and four for Scheduled Castes. Whoever takes an edge in this division, is said to form the government.
 
Bilaspur is also the district headquarter and the High Court of Chhattisgarh is also located here. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah, Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, BSP supremo Mayawati, Aam Aadmi Party’s Sanjay Singh and Gopal Rai have used all their power in this division to attract voters.
 
Bilaspur is a crucial seat for BJP as Amar Agarwal from the party has been the MLA of this region for the last 15 years. Talking about ground realities, his defeat was considered certain, and many placed bets that Congress candidate Shailesh Pandey will be victorious.
 
Over the years, due to the poor sewage work, Bilaspur was overtaken by dust and dirt. People were either dying by falling in pits or by contracting diseases. The anger reached disproportionate heights and the MLA got wind of the disappointment. He must have wanted to end this disgrace. A video of an envelope containing an electoral slip with his photo and a Rs.500 note was seen. (This could also be a prank.)

The city of Bilaspur has become nothing but dug roads. To exacerbate the disappointment of the residents, the repair of roads began a month before the elections. The corrupt people try to show how honest they are by laying a thin coat of asphalt on the road and think that people will forget their past suffering.
 
The people of Bilaspur have exposed the ugly designs of these corrupt ministers. The repair work stopped a day before the elections. There were reports of cash, sarees, alcohol being handed out in exchange for votes. The people are not as stupid as the minister would like to believe. Social workers and human rights defenders were labelled ‘Urban Naxals’, divisions between temples and mosques were being played up, ugly comments about Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were made and many advertisements were on TV channels. Every trick that could garner votes was tried. The tricks didn’t pay off and the day of election Nov 20 had come.
 
This time everyone was convinced that the sitting MLA will lose. Meanwhile, people in the polling booths of Bilaspur started shouting. Hundreds of people were going to the polling booth in every ward, but they were returning without casting a vote. The names of these people were missing from the voter’s list. There were many people who had voted the last time.
 
Prashant Thakur, a resident of Shanti Nagar in Bilaspur, said that the name of his entire family was not in the list, but everyone had voted in the last election. Arun Bhange, a resident of Masanganj, said that there are nine members in his house, out of which seven people couldn’t cast their votes as their names were missing from the voter’s list.
 
Most of the missing names would’ve voted against BJP
Around 35,000 voters could not cast their votes because their names were missing from the voter’s list.
 
There were some similarities in the way the above two voters were not allowed to vote.
 
One had asked people to not vote for on his social media and the other had a Congress flag hoisted outside his workplace.
 
It could be a coincidence that somebody spoke against BJP and didn’t get to cast their vote.

If only 10-20 names had been missing, it could have been seen as an oversight. But 35,000? It can’t merely be a coincidence. It is enough to make a losing candidate win.  
 
Is this a political understanding? There should be a serious investigation in this case.
 

The post Election Watch Chhattisgarh: 35K voter names missing from a constituency of two lakh people appeared first on SabrangIndia.

 
Jagdalpur: PM Modi and Amit Shah are touring Chattisgarh and why is it so that the country’s PM always talks like a party leader? To provide publicity for his party in the first phase of the state assembly elections, PM Modi participated in a public general meeting. In his whole speech, he never once said anything of importance with regards to the issues of the state. He kept shooting barbs at Congress and every other institution that questions his governance. While talking about Urban Naxals, he said that the elite intellectuals that reside in big cities and clean, airconditioned homes held the remote control of Maoists. He said that Congress supports Maoists and thus they should be removed from the state. He didn’t say a single sentence on why his govt that ruled the state for 15 years has failed to provide basic facilities to the resident Adivasis. Let’s agree that they don’t have the heart to discuss their failures, at least he could have discussed the work plans to bring ‘Vikas’ in the villages where development has not reached. But it would be unfair to say that his speech was only about self-aggrandization.
 
Does the PM not know such a simple thing? 
For some time now, we are seeing the unlimited arrogance of BJP and RSS leaders. They don’t seem to respect or accept any rules, regulations, the constitution or the law. In the last few days, an RSS leader had the gall to give advice to the SC court during a press conference. It is not possible to recount the number of such instance by these people and PM Modi’s speech at Jagdalpur was in a similar vein.
 
This TV channel which reports from the lap of the government had made ‘Urban Naxal’ a trend and ran a show against senior lawyer Sudha Bharadwaj. After which, more than 10 activists including her were arrested from across the country. These activists work in the social sphere for the poor, neglected, exploited, Dalits, Adivasis and more. Ever since the show, the govt has gone berserk using the term ‘Urban Naxal’ and Maoists for those arrested. The TV channels and media which supports this government started singing paeans of Urban Naxalism and Maoism. The cases against these activists are subjudice and none of the allegations levelled against the activists by the police have been proven. Till the time a crime has not been proven, the accused cannot be considered guilty. Does the PM of this country not know such a simple thing? Or is he deliberately using the name calling trend?
 
What does the govt want to hide by screaming about Urban Naxals? 
Raman Singhs government in Chattisgarh has failed in doing any good for the masses or bringing development to the state in the last 15 years. In the last 15 years that the BJP has ruled this state, the incidents of corporate loot, killing Adivasis in fake encounters, security forces and soldiers raping Adivasi women, the arrest of reporters who question the govt’s policy, threats and intimidation of social activists through security forces on the behest of the govt, have only increased.

A day before the PM’s visit, Sabrang India had reported how development has not reached some villages in the state and had discussed this village where nobody knows who Modi is and who CM Raman Singh is. They did not know who their own MLA or MP was. These are the areas where there are no roads, no drinking water or water pipelines and no electricity. Is the govt trying to hide these failures by calling all and the sundry Urban Naxals?
 
The PM should have discussed this before asking for votes 
Being a responsible minister and the PM, Narendra Modi should have spoken about these issues in his election speech. Before asking for votes, he should have asked when will the Adivasi residents of this heavenly state live free from the fear of death.
 
Why is there no information on the 30,000 girls that have gone missing from Bastar? Who is responsible for this? How is the govt going to catch the criminals? Will the girls come back by the govt slamming the opposition? In a region like Bastar, where 1.5 lakh security force personnel are deployed and one needs to cross 10 checkpoints before going to any village, more than 30,000 girls become the victims of human trafficking in the last 15 years and the police have no clue? Shouldn’t the PM be concerned by this information? Can this failure be hidden under the Urbal Naxal jingoism?
 
The PM said that the people of Chattisgarh are aware and can identify conspiracies when they see one. Perhaps he doesn’t know that when the people become wise, they not only understand conspiracies but also empty rhetorics.
 
Although it is wrong for the media to slam baseless allegations on people and call them Naxal and Maoists, the PM of India should use dignified language. The responsibilities of a PM increase when he assumes the role. If he continues to give speeches like the chief a party, it is a loss for democracy.
 
Issues disappear in popular speeches 
During the Friday’s public meeting, PM Modi used the ‘Urban Naxal’ issue for electoral gains. He used his usual famed oratory but kept silent on development issues. Maybe he didn’t find anything to say about ‘Vikas.’ Someone who called Demonetisation a historic step was silent about it a day after its second anniversary. Then Modi made some great promises that feel good when you hear them (Some time ago, Former BJP president Nitin Gadkari had said that BJP did not expect to win in 2014 and leaders were ordered to make tall promises.) Was PM Modi using the same tricks for Chattisgarh elections? That we will see when we win, right now let’s just exaggerate?
 
The PM said that conditions in Bastar were worse during Madhya Pradesh’s time. It is a well-known fact that Maoism has increased greatly in Bastar in the last 15 years.
 
He also said that Congress didn’t help development issues in the state during their rule at the centre for 10 years. It is impossible to believe that a central government would not give any funds to a state for 10 years.
 
He said that every corner of Chattisgarh is synonymous with development. If he would have read the newspapers, he would know that there are many such corners that have not even seen the face of development.
 
He said that who would have thought that Jagdalpur would have an airport. Well, people were expecting a school, a hospital, a playground, a university but they got an airport. How does an airport and aeroplanes help the Adivasis of Jagdalpur? They are struggling to survive in this region, how can they raise money for air travel? Even if by some stroke of luck, they are forced to sit in a plane, where will they go?
 
He said that he would bring the oppressed and exploited Adivasis to the mainstream and give them an equal platform, but didn’t say how he would execute this promise. Right before the World Adivasi Day, the force killed 15 Adivasis and said that they were Naxals. The govt rewarded them. It was then revealed that the encounter was fake and the people they had branded Naxals were innocent oppressed and exploited Adivasis. Is this how plans to bring equality?
 
He said that democracy is the solution to this problem. Conversations and discussions can bring change. Bombs and guns are not the solutions. We should walk on the path of peace. When the PM understands these things, why doesn’t he take any punitive actions against police officers like Kalluri and Garg who are known to order massacres openly? Kalluri keeps saying that the gun is the only solution, on many TV news channels. He even says that he follows the orders given to him by the government.
 
It is clear that the democratic approach the PM talks about to resolve the Maoist issues, has already been rejected by the ruling state BJP govt.
 
There is a hope that one day we will hear the country’s PM from Narendra Modi’s mouth, who will talk about the issues of the country. Someone who will not wax eloquent about his party and show others down.
 

The post Election Watch Chhattisgarh: Only Urban Naxals find mention in Modi’s public speech appeared first on SabrangIndia.

 
The number of seats, names of candidates, who filed their nomination, who withdrew it, the date of polling, who won, who lost, who abused whom and more such instances are the only issues being allowed in the electoral coverage by the media. The releases by the police are sometimes the only news people get here. The government here has suppressed democratic processes here. Among the 12 seats in Bastar that are being contested in Assembly elections, many areas in these constituencies are so dangerous that people don’t step out of their houses here. There are many more areas where journalists are prohibited. (Although this is an undeclared prohibition, like an undeclared emergency.)
 
The Chattisgarh assembly elections will take place in two phases. In the first phase, 18 seats will go to the  polls on November 12 out of which six are in Rajnandgaon and 12 in Bastar area. On Nov 1, the state of Chattisgarh completed 18 years of its existence. The BJP has been in power here for the last 15 years. In these period, the state has faced heavy social instability. The way the constitution is subverted in this state is stark as compared to any other state. Chhattisgarh is a state with a sizeable Adivasi and tribal population but it is the Adivasis who have to pay the biggest price for this neglect. There were 36% Adivasis in this state when it was carved out 18 years ago. Now this figure is down to only 32%. The rights and provisions given to tribals according to the fifth schedule of the constitution have remained confined to books. They are sometimes mentioned during electoral speeches by politicians and forgotten soon after.
 
Governments stifling grip on journalists who show the truth
An environment of panic and intimidation has been created against journalists and social activists. Reporters who question the police and their unethical practices are intimidated and threatened, they are arrested and sent to jail on fake and arbitrary cases or are forced to leave Bastar. In the last few years, many journalists have been arrested here. Somaru Nag was arrested in July 2015 and Santosh Yadav was arrested in August 2015. Nag was confined to the jail for a year. No evidence could be provided for his forced arrest and he was let go. A case was filed under Arms Act, UAPA and even CSPSA against Yadav. He was jailed for 17 months. In February 2017, he was granted bail by the Supreme Court. The police and institutions funded by them forced Malini Subramaniam to leave her home in September 2015. Prabhat Singh and Deepak Jaiswal were also arrested after a few days. A case of treason was filed on independent journalist Kamal Shukla from Bastar. The Editors Guild visited Bastar, Bijapur and other nearby areas in March 2016 to ascertain the working conditions of local journalists and observed that they didn’t find a single reporter working without fear.
 
Crores benefitting from ‘Naxal eradication’
The Raman Singh government of Chattisgarh takes pride in saying that thousands of kms of forest area are untouched by the outer world. The govt should include itself in the outer world. In this great expanse of untouched land, it is obvious that a human population resides there, which is an equal part of this democratic country. These areas have been left isolated and destitute by being branded Naxal areas. The government has left no stone unturned to profit from this neglected area. The areas which can be reached by the govt have been looted of their natural resources and for the areas which can’t be accessed, the govt gets crores of rupees from the state in the name of Naxal eradication there.  Politicians and bureaucrats have lined their pockets with this fund.
 
The situation was not this bad in these Adivasi areas 15 years ago. The government was targeting Adivasis back then too but journalists were able to write about it and expose these atrocities. You could still provide independent and honest journalism while reporting from tribal areas. At least you didn’t have to live in fear that the police may shoot you for writing the truth. Journalists had the freedom to ask questions. Social activists were not being openly threatened by government-funded goons. The social activists and journalists who were exposing the bad policies of the government were not persecuted under sedition charges. The conditions have changed completely today.
 
Journalism free Bastar Election
Independent journalist from Bastar, Kamal Shukla, says that the 2018 Bastar elections are completely media free. He says that the conspiracy to keep the media away from the electoral activities is not new. Past elections have had to face the same situation. It is not just during elections that such interference with journalism takes place. Besides the main election fields in Bastar’s constituencies (Antagarh, Bhanupratappur, Kanker, Keshkal, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Bastar, Jagdalpur, Chitrakot, Dantewada, Bijapur, Konta) where polls are to be held on November 12, no other areas or remote locations have got any media coverage. Journalists don’t have access to many of these regions.
 
The atmosphere of a battlefield
For Konta, Bijapur, Dantewada and Narayanpur seats, Kamal Shukla says, “There is a war-like atmosphere in many of these areas. Forget media persons, even the movements of common people are hard in these areas. In urban areas, you can still see some work being done but it is in the remote Adivasi areas where you can all the failed government promises laid bare and the proof of govt stolen natural resources.” In the Konta constituency, giving the example of Jagargunda village, Shukla says, “There was a time when the village had operational schools, hospitals and more. Today, there isn’t even a good road to reach there. Even if you do undertake the journey on the wobbly roads, it is impossible to cross more than 10 camps of security forces that fall on the way. They behave badly with journalists and interrogate us as if we are terrorists.”
 
Media is banned so the government can hide its ugly activities
When Chattisgarh state came into being in 2000, only three development zones were affected by Naxalism. Today there are 16 affected districts. The BJP govt has neither heard the voices of countless Adivasis nor has it taken any step to counter Naxalism in the state. The ruling govt says that Naxalism has reduced but the incidents of the last 15 years paint a different picture. Naxalism has actually increased in the state. It is a clear sign that the govt doesn’t want Naxalism to end because they have their eyes trained on the 9000-crore fund which the centre has allotted to Chattisgarh to counter it. There are scores of such incidences where innocent Adivasis have been forcibly labelled Naxals and encountered by the police, who then were showered with praises. This complex puzzle is run by the police on the behest of the govt.
 
This is being done so that the corporates can benefit. The government is plotting to evict tribals from their lands so that these priceless resources can be given to industrialists. In Dantewada, Jagdalpur, Bastar and Narayanpur districts, a vast amount of mineral wealth can be found which the govt wants to sell to Adani and others at a subsidised cost.
 
Adivasi land was drowned to generate electricity from the dam built upon it but those villagers that were displaced and other Adivasi villages still don’t have electricity. Irrigation projects were set up on their lands but their fields don’t receive any water. They are earning a profit of crores from the destroyed forest land but the Adivasis are becoming poorer and are becoming destitute. Their children are malnourished. They are not being provided with basic provisions like education, healthcare or drinking water. The govt thinks these mines are a sign of development. But this blind, deaf and dumb govt can’t see the terrible price the state has to pay for this development
 
Lakhs of Adivasis have migrated from the state. This year, the Modi government had made significant cuts to the support prices of small forest produce. They justified this by saying that it was a loss-making area and they had to scale down the prices. The Raman govt accepted it silently. It was a huge loss to people whose livelihoods depend on the income from forest produce.
 
Forest Produce    Old Support Price/Rupees   New Support Price   Change Percentage
Coloured Lac       230                                           100                              56.52
Kusumi Lac          320                                           100                              53.13
Tamarind              22                                             18                               18.6
Karanj seed         20                                             18                                10
Mahua                 22                                              20                                9.09
Chironji               100                                             60                               40
Harra                   11                                               8                                 27.27
 
In the case of small forest produce, 75% of the cost is given by the centre and 25% by the state govt. In a state which has 40% forest area and 32% Adivasi population, most tribal population makes a living from this produce. The CM should’ve taken some action here. The govt showed no compassion.
 
In the mining operations being carried out by NMDC in the state since 1968, only 31 Adivasis have been given permanent jobs. All others are paid contractual wages when it is on their land that these mines are operating.
 
The pipelines carrying the iron ore mined by NMDC from Kirandul to Vishakhapatnam were made by Essar. The poisonous residue from this mine flows into Shankini and Dankini rivers. With the rivers polluted, the cattle is dying, the land has become barren and the environment of more than 52 tribal villages has worsened.
 
The Chattisgarh government brought a law in the legislative assembly which allowed them to acquire Adivasi land more easily. Now with the mutual consent of the govt, it can give this land to any industrialist. Instead of paying the compensation (four times the actual value of land) to the tribals, the promises of employment in factories or mines are made but never fulfilled. The plight of tribals in areas like Bastar, Dantewada, Jagdalpur, Kanta, Bijapur and Narayanpur can be easily seen.
 
In the last two decade, 30,000 girls from Bastar have been caught in the human trafficking net. The govt is not investigating the matter, they are not searching for them, they are not helping the families of these missing girls, they are not trying to stop it and nor are they trying to prevent it. Here, incidences of the police holding tribal girls hostage have come forward. But the Raman government, instead of punishing these police officials, promotes and rewards such people.
 
Farming tools are weapons for the police
Farm tools used by tribals are considered dangerous weapons by the Chattisgarh police. According to the Arms Act, 1959, it is clearly stated that farming tools are not counted as weapons. Despite these, many people have been booked under the Arms Act for keeping these tools. About 2000 Adivasis have been booked for having connections with Maoists under this Act.
 
Village tribals are being forcibly jailed in large numbers. The police and paramilitary forces enter their houses without warrants and steal money, goats, poultry, ducks and their belongings. They are threatened that if they said a word to anybody, their children will be killed. For every tribal arrested, the policeman gets a reward.
 
Around 3000 schools have been shut in Adivasi areas. The PESA law is being violated openly. If an industry fails, the land acquired for the said industry has to be returned to the original owner within five years. The Tata plant is yet to do so. These areas have been put in the land bank. This proves that the government is greedy and corrupt.
 
In the tribal areas where the fifth schedule is applicable, the Tribal Council of Ministers is formulated for constitutional facilitation. The president of this council has to be a tribal. But in Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Raman Singh has always been the president of this council.
 
The death of DD cameraman raises a lot of questions
Two security guards and DD cameraman Achyutananda Sahu were killed in a crossfire between security forces and Maoists in Aranpur, 30 kms from Dantewada. Incidentally, it was reported that Doordarshan was asked to film a documentary in Bastar to showcase the good work being done by the government in the area. Anybody being killed on the line of duty is saddening but the death of the cameraman in the Naxal ambush raises a lot of questions.

Everyone in Bastar knows that Naxals and Police are often caught in a crossfire but journalists are never targeted. Maoists in Bastar had even released a letter stating that journalists are free to report from any area in the region and nobody will stop them. They had also instructed them to not come with any security force. The situation is that policemen can visit these areas by wearing plain clothes and with a vehicle which has a Press stamp. Sending journalists with police forces in such a situation is precarious. The govt never allows journalists to visit these areas by claiming that it is a security risk. Then why was the DD team allowed to go? Was it because they were going to make a report describing the governments work? Using this event as a shield, the govt will make reporting from these areas even more difficult.
 
Gun-toting Indian government
The tribals of Ambujman and Jagargunda know the Indian government only in the form of a gun. They have seen the Indian govt’s service only in the form of Army jawans. They have known Indian govt as the person who enters their village, snatches their loved ones away and sometimes kills them. When a journalist or a social activist reaches such a village after escaping the eyes of the police or security forces, they greet the unarmed person with hopeful eyes and asks them, “Are you from the Indian government? Can you send them a message from us that we are not Naxals and stop putting us in jails. Bring a machine to our village, we want to vote.” They point to a school building and say, “Ask someone to come here, we want to learn.” If someone falls sick in the areas which don’t have roads, the nearest dispensary is 20 kms away and the 20 kms in a jungle are more difficult than 200 kms in the city.
 
We want to vote but nobody comes here
Talking about his experience of meeting people from remote villages, Journalist Kamal Shukla says, “Bastar’s Adivasis want to vote, they want to participate in the electoral celebrations but the government doesn’t want to consider them as Indians. Polling booths are made at a distance of 40 kms from these villages. The elections are now limited only to urban areas. The govt and police spread the fake news that villagers don’t want to vote due to Maoists. Police says that Maoists cut off the fingers of voters from these villages even though no such case has been reported so far. The govt has conspired to keep the media and Adivasis away from the elections.”
 
Media distancing itself from Bastar
No major media house has a permanent correspondent in this area. Even everyday news is not reported from this region, forget election coverage. The reporters who do work for newspapers either don’t get good salaries or don’t get the necessary attention. The few journalists who did want to visit the state to cover the elections are now changing their plans after the DD cameraman’s death. Some due to fear and others due to Police interference.
 
Journalist Rajkumar Soni, who wrote on tribal issues, has been transferred to Coimbatore before the election. Two Chattisgarh journalists, Renu Awasthi and Shailendra Vishwakarma committed suicide after being mentally tortured. Their case is gathering dust. A journalist from New York, Siddhartha Rai and independent journalist Kamal Shukla, who were covering elections in Bastar a few weeks ago, were harassed for hours in a police station and their cameras were searched.
 
In Bastar, life-threatening attacks on freedom of press and democracy continue.

[This article is an English translation of the original Hindi article]

Read Also:
Election Watch Chhattisgarh: No winners or losers in this non-starter election
 Whither Freedom: The Chhatisgarh attack on journalists
 Attacking the Defenders of Freedom, Chhatisgarh: Lawyers and Journos being Forced Out
Where every human rights activist is labelled a Maoist: Chhatisgarh

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Raipur: Delhi’s CM often says that everybody in politics is complicit. In the impending Assembly Elections in Chhattisgarh that are to be held on Nov 12 and Nov 20, it seems that every party’s philosophy is that ‘I scratch your back and you scratch mine.’ The upcoming elections and the Lok Sabha Elections in 2019 will have not just have a huge impact on the state but also the nation’s politics. But seeing how the opposition is behaving in this election, it doesn’t seem that they care about it. It seems as though all of them are fine with sharing the spoils together.
 
Elections in two phases
The dates for Chhattisgarh assembly elections were announced a few days ago. They will happen in two phases. The first phase will take place on Nov 12 in Naxalism affected Bastar, Kanker, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur, Sukma and Rajnandgaon (CM Raman Singh’s home district) for 18 assembly seats. The second phase on Nov 20 will cover the remaining 72 seats. The joint counting of votes from both phases will take place on Dec 11 and 46 seats are needed to prove majority.
 
A cursory glance at the last 20 years
This election will be special for everyone including BJP, Congress, the third front (Jogi Congress, BSP and CPI Alliance,) AAP and others and reason will be clear after observing the last 20 years.
 
In the 1998 assembly elections in an undivided Madhya Pradesh, 120 out of 320 seats had gone to BJP and Congress had won with 164 seats. The CM that time was Digvijay Singh. In 2000, when Chhattisgarh emerged as a new state after the division of MP, Congress had made the first government there with Ajit Jogi as the chief of the party. The first election of the new state was held in 2003 and ever since BJP has won all three. BJP has been the state power for the last 15 years.
 
2003
BJP- 50 
Congress- 37 
BSP – 02 
NCP- 01
 
2008
BJP- 50
Congress-38
BSP- 02
 
2013
BJP- 49
Congress- 39
BSP- 01
Others- 01
 
The oldest political party in the country seems to be in a conundrum in Chhattisgarh because of their tardy attitude of ‘you should win but we shouldn’t lose.’ It should be noted that the reason behind their weakened leadership can be traced back to the Ziram Valley incident during the 2013 assembly elections in the state. On 25 May, 2013, Naxalites attacked members of the Congress party in Ziram Valley. In the attack, Chairman of the state Congress committee Nandkumar Patel, veteran leaders like Vidhyacharan Shukla, Mahendra Karma and more 27 people were killed.
 
It is important to note the results of this attack on the election by looking at how Bastar voted. It has 12 assembly seats.
 
Undivided Bastar 1998
BJP- 01 Congress – 11
 
Bastar 2003
BJP- 09 Congress 03
 
Bastar 2008
BJP – 11 Congress- 01

Bastar 2013
BJP- 04 Congress- 08
 
Ajit Jogi accused of colluding with Raman Singh
 
Ajit Jogi has often been accused of colluding with Raman Singh and harming Congress in the state. There were accusations against him even in the Antagarh Tape issue. In 2014, Congress fielded candidate Manturam Singh from the Antagarh seat. Without informing anyone, he suddenly withdrew his nomination at the end moment. After this, there were accusations of horse trading and an audio tape was also made public. In the tape, former CM Ajit Jogi, his son Amit Jogi, CM Raman Singh, his son-in-law Punit Gupta were allegedly heard. After these revelations, there was a political maelstrom which led to Ajit Jogi quitting Congress and launching his own new party Chhattisgarh Janta Congress.
 
Although nothing came out of the investigation on the tapes, members of Congress like PL Punia and Chavindra Karma (son of Mahendra Karma who died in the Ziram Valley attack and was also considered as a CM candidate) have accused Jogi of planning the Ziram Valley attack. After losing two previous elections, Congress won 8 out of 12 seats in Bastar after the attack. Many said this was because of the sympathy vote. Nobody knows if this was a trick or a failure on the part of the masterminds behind the attack. All these words still remain mere accusations as nothing has been proven yet. In the state politics, there are only accusers and no one is guilty. Incidentally, nothing was proven in Godhra either.
 
Arbitrary seat divisions
BJP has announced its first list with 77 candidates. BSP, Jogi Congress and CPI have announced candidates through six lists and more will be announced soon. AAP has also announced about 80 candidates in its list pending a reshuffle.
 
Potential candidates who have been announced are listed below:
 
Odd equations to provide tickets
A light investigation of these candidates shows a very odd equation among the Chhattisgarh politicians. CM Raman Singh is fighting the election from the Rajnandgaon seat. After a rule of 15 years, Raman Singh would have had a good competition if Ajit Jogi had contested him. The Janta Congress list name Jogi’s nomination from the same seat. But now, Deepak Yadav will contest for the seat. He is a councillor. There is news that Jogi will not fight from any seat this election and will only play the role of a star propagator. From Congress, Karuna Shukla has risen against Raman Singh. It seems there is only one reason behind choosing Shukla and that is because she’s related to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Standing against the CM needs more than just far off relations as qualifications. Through the BJP ticket, Shukla has been an MP from the Korba and MLA from Baloda Bazaar seats. After being with BJP for 31 years, she joined Congress in 2014. Congress gave her the ticket to fight BJP from the Bilaspur seat but she lost.
 
Bilaspur is an important seat in Chhattisgarh and BJP minister Amar Agarwal has had the seat for 18 years. He is an accused in a number of corruption cases and everybody besides BJP workers pray for him to lose.  Instead of fielding the candidate from Congress who could’ve challenged him, now there is news that the party has chosen Kota assembly candidate Shailesh Pandey who has no stronghold in Bilaspur. Congress hasn’t announced its final list yet but this is not the first election where Congress and BJP are being been seen helping each other.
 
In the last 15 years, BJP has been embroiled in many cases of corruption, scams, corporate loot, encouraging violence and have had serious allegations levelled against them in the state. It shouldn’t be difficult for the opposition to corner them in this election. After facing a huge defeat in the country, Congress should be more alert and aggressive but it is settling for any scraps. What is the reason behind this weakness?
 

The delicate position of the present government
There is a sharp decline in the popularity graph of BJP in Chhattisgarh. CM Raman Singh tries to remain popular by giving things like rice, cycles, laptops and most recently mobile phones to the masses. When govt schemes become abundant, popularity sees a decline. Indian govt announces many awards for the state’s farmers and agriculture whereas debt-ridden farmers are committing suicides in unimaginable numbers. The govt says that the income of the masses is increasing but fails to notice how expensive everything has become. The poor are still where they were. The people of a state known for its wealth and natural resources are left begging for survival. The govt uses the media and makes such people say on camera that their income has increased.
 
Look at the state of Chandramani Kaushik from Kanhapuri village in Kankor district. She praised the govt and the news program Masterstroke blew the fake propaganda to smithereens. It was seen by everyone but the opposition. To make a Digital India, 50 lakh 4G mobiles were given to villages in Chhattisgarh. Shouldn’t a Digital India have good roads, pure drinking water, good public health services and systems, good schools and employment opportunities? Can the problems of the state go away by giving mobile phones and mobile towers? Why doesn’t the opposition take up this cause? Why is it silent?
 
Besides the Jogi-BSP alliance, AAP is fighting 90 seats in this election. Fed up with bad governance and corruption, Chhattisgarh’s masses could’ve been roped in by AAP if they had chosen limited but good candidates.
 
“It’s time for change” is Congress party’s slogan for the upcoming Chhattisgarh elections. There can be a change only when the public votes anybody but BJP. The fight this time is not between the candidates and the parties but between the people and the government. Everybody is screaming about each other’s exploits and who was embroiled in which scam. Not even the lie of doing something for the masses can be heard right now. Exit polls will make their assumptions but it will be difficult to conclude who will win this year.
 
The election is an important and necessary function of democracy. Political parties and candidates are expected to take this process seriously. In Chhattisgarh this time around, nobody seems to be taking it seriously which will mostly result in a non-starter election.
 

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BILASPUR: Congress workers gheraod BJP’s Union Minister Amar Agarwal’s bungalow in Bilaspur on Wednesday. When the workers returned to the Congress building after their demonstration, a heavy police force arrived in no time to arrest him. The police team was led by ASP Neeraj Chandrakar. It is said that the police started beating the protests with sticks without warning.
 
The matter
BJP’s Union Minister Amar Agarwal allegedly called the Congress party garbage in a speech. To protest, Congress members announced a protest outside the minister’s bungalow. Security measures were in place and force had been deployed at the bungalow since morning. The protestors gathered, threw garbage in the bungalow and left. Having ruled Chattisgarh for 15 years, the BJP government is known to not like protests. It is said that the minister’s ego was hurt and he appointed his loyal police force to beat the protesters in big numbers.
 
The police doesn’t protect
During the incident, the police were beating protestors as if they were a mafia gang out on a hunt. When media personnel wanted the police’s version of the story, ASP Neeraj Chandrakar called them members of Congress and said with pride “Publish whatever you want to. Nobody can do anything to me.”  
 
Chattisgarh congress chief Atal Shrivastav was hit on the head by the police and had to be hospitalised after he fell on the ground and was kicked and beaten with sticks. State President Bhupesh Baghel condemned the incident by holding a press conference in the capital Raipur.

 
Journalists of Bilaspur have handed over a memorandum to the IG and demanded the dismissal of ASP Chandrakar.
 
Opposition in Chhattisgarh
There has never been a strong opposition against the ruling dispensation in Chhattisgarh. Congress has been politically weak. Besides holding rallies and shouting slogans it has never been seen to be enough to rattle the ruling party. Many Congress members are accused of being hand in glove with the BJP. After the Jiram Valley murder controversy, Congress’s spine had been broken.
 
The Congress role in opposition has been beneficial for the BJP in Chattisgarh. In the last few years, people have become aware of the weakening democracy in the country and state. Scandals involving BJP members have also come to the forefront and become commonplace. Even after these incidents, Congress has not come out on the streets as a reliable opposition.

The violence against Congress members and their arrest is not a special incident. What is worrisome is the absurd behaviour of the police. Protests are a right in a democratic state. They are essential for the survival of democracy. BJP has never been this rattled by a protest before so why now? Their dictatorship is becoming unbearable. A dictator is a dictator for the masses as well as its opponents. How would the police have such impunity to break people’s heads and beat them with sticks otherwise?

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