Said activist Himanshu Kumar and advocate Sudha Bharadwaj, alleging that the government is grabbing land from the tribals in Bastar and Jharkhand for private mining.
“The Indian state police are cold blooded murderers,” said Himanshu Kumar, Gandhian and social activist from Dantewada in Chhattisgarh, “Jis din police ki banduk garib ke haat mein khadi hogi, naxalities khatam hogi,” he added.
Himanshu Kumar and Advocate Sudha Bharadwaj were in Mumbai on Saturday to discuss the plight of adivasis in Chhattisgarh. Earlier in May, Kumar’s Vanvasi Chetna Ashram was demolished by the Chhattisgarh government.
Holding his social activism responsible for the demolishment, the activist took digs at the Home Minister and the local cops, “Not a single leader has visited us in the last five years. PC Chidambaram says that he wants peace in these areas. But I don’t think it is peace that the people want. They want justice which isn’t being delivered to them. Where there is injustice there can’t be peace. Why are they sending forces to Bastar? Did the villagers ask for help or did the naxalites harass people in Delhi? I pity the armed forces that will be killed fighting for the corporates rather than poor innocent people.”
Kumar has been actively involved in the Dantewada region of Chhattisgarh, added that he was made a victim of indifference too, “When I was trying to rehabilitate people who have been displaced by the government’s anti-Naxalite movement, Salwa Judum- my ashram was demolished”. Bharadwaj added, “In Jharkhand corporates are eyeing the land owned by the poor adivasis. The war is not against naxalites, it is against the poor adivasis. Bauxite, diamond, uranium, iron ore are found in Bastar and that is what the corporates want.” Speaking of the indifference shown by the government, Kumar added, “Why doesn’t the PM ask the villagers the reason behind their turning towards violence?”
When asked what he thought of Kobad Gandhy’s arrest, Kumar quickly responded, “I don’t know the person, so I can’t comment about him.” As for the weapons carried by naxalites, Kumar alleged that most of the weapons were stolen from the local police, “Though at times the naxals also purchase weapons from the police. It is said that during encounters the cops hide the bullets and later sell them to the naxalites.”
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