INDIA: Red Salute Velmurugan (by Rejaz M Sydeek)

 His Martyrdom and Birthday falls in the same month of November. Tamil Nadu Native A Velmurugan whose 33rd birthday is on November-27-2020 was martyred on November-3-2020 in an Extra-judicial murder committed by Kerala Government’s Blood Thirsty Commandos, Thunderbolt. November 3 is just another date marked in calendar with blood after November-24-2016 (Nilambur Fake Encounter), March-6-2019 (Vythiri Fake Encounter) and October-28-2019 (Manjakandi Fake Encounter). Velmurugan is the 8th Maoist Revolutionary to be murdered by this Pseudo Left Government of Kerala led by CPI(M).

According to the Version of Police, Velmurugan who was Commandant of Banasura Dalam (wing) of the Western Ghat Zonal Committee of CPI (Maoist) was killed in an encounter in the forest region of Banasura Hill, Padinjarathara, Wayanad District on November 3. But there is controversy surrounding the timing of encounter. The local people’s testimony differs from that of the Police. Since there are several doubts and considering the past fake encounters, there is a huge chance of a fake encounter in this case also. Several groups protested in various parts of the state including at Ernakulam, Malappuram and Kozhikode against the fake encounter.

People gathered at High Court Junction, Ernakulam on November 4 and raised slogans against the state government and Thunderbolt. Even the pedestrians and onlookers protested against the extra-judicial killing of the Communist Revolutionary. Velmurugan who belonged to a very poor family in Theni District was a dropout student of law. Why did a Youngster who could have become a lawyer and lead a very comfortable and happy life left everything for Revolution? His Politics and ideology of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism inspired him to wage Class War for a better world for tomorrow. Velmurugan’s blood brother, A Murugan who is a lawyer in Madras High Court said that Initially the family members were not allowed to see the martyr’s body at Government Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode.

Later after huge outrage, officials allowed them to see the body and the brother told to media that there were a lot of bullet injuries, like more than 10 bullet marks and torture alike injuries indicating that he was murdered in a cold-blooded staged Encounter. It’s reported that there were burn injuries on his body which may be caused by the close-range bullet shot. Murugan has told that they would press charges and move Judicially against the Fake Encounter. Presently Crime Branch is investigating the encounter and Police has told that remaining members of Velmurugan’s Squad has escaped with injuries and no one was captured.

Liberals and Pro-Government people justify killing Maoists because they are armed, but let me ask these people where were your organisation and political ethics when your state police murdered “unarmed” innocent civilians in police custody? Majority of the murdered victims belonged to Dalit, Muslim and financially poorer families. Did CPI(M) and it’s youth organisation protest against the State Home Department, Home Minister and State Police? Resistance against State Terror cannot be labelled as violence. Next argument will be, why don’t Maoists join mainstream politics and participate in Democratic activities? This is very funny because their democracy is limited and altered for meeting their opportunistic interests. There are lots of Comrades in Kerala who were awarded with UAPA and jailed by State police for putting up posters against Fake Encounters and demanding judicial investigations on those encounters. The posters were put on daylight publically in name of their Organisations which are not banned. Now, which democracy were they talking about? Unless we destroy the ruling class and its ideas, there is no point in participating in elections for Political power.

Now about attacking police officers, Here Maoists sees Police officers only as of the suppressing tool of the state. Both People who sympathise/ join Maoists and Police are exploited by the State. The State exploits their basic human rights, Poverty and hunger. It was only a few years back when Thunderbolt Commandos and their family protested in front of Secretariat against State Government. Thunderbolt commandos themselves hail from poor families and they alleged that they faced Casteist experiences, mental/physical trauma during the training. I, personally have talked with the tribal leader of Kannur, he has told that these Thunderbolts Commandos armed with assault rifles would come to hamlets at night and terrorise the area by throwing utensils and other things to outside in name of the search. If the Adivasis got leftover rice or green coloured dress, Thunderbolt would create havoc. When men go for fishing in the forest at night, these commandos would come for search. Even CPI assistant state secretary, Prakash Babu has said that thunderbolts physically examine the Adivasi women.

The CPI(M) leaders who claim to be a democratic Parliamentary party themselves have threatened to kill police officers publicly all for their personal needs and the party members themselves have destroyed public property even inside the Lower House during the Budget Presentation. Is not it hypocrisy when the same party who got an armed Militant squad called Harmad Bahini in Bengal to execute its Political Rivals criticise Maoists who wage Class war?

The government’s armed forces are given weapons to disarm their opponents, or if it’s inevitable, then they may shoot to capture Alive, not to kill. If there are cases against the communists, you may arrest them under IPC and CRPC according to evidence act and take them to court for judicial proceedings.

Forensic report and witnesses statement of CP Jaleel’s murder has given a brickbat to the Police. After the encounter, Police told that they were forced to fire after Maoists fired hastily. But the staff of Resort told before the media that it was Police who fired first and the Maoists didn’t terrorise the atmosphere. The forensic report also supports the statement of the staff, the report says Jaleel didn’t fire from the weapon which the Police accuses him of carrying. No Gun Powder was found from his hand and the shells found in the encounter site belonged only to the police, this indicates that the encounter was only one-sided and fake. Similar observations and evidence of torture can be found in Nilambur and Manjakandi also. Another suspicious thing is that why didn’t Police let the media enter the Encounter spot? Why didn’t the police allow the relatives to see Velmurugan’s Body? These actions by police support our doubts.

The government should order a Judicial investigation in all Fake Encounters and should Disband the Thunderbolt commandos who are the real disturbance for Tribals. Meanwhile, Anathalavattom Anandan, a State Secretariat member of CPI(M) became a joke when he asked why a Tamil Nadu Native Maoist Cadre came to Kerala. It seems like they have disowned Che Guevara who was born in Argentina, trained in Mexico, led Revolution in Cuba and got Martyred in Bolivia. Is there any new agreement or rules in Guerrilla warfare that, only natives can wage Revolution? If that’s your political Position, Mr Anathalavattom Anandan, Comrade CP Jaleel is a Youngster from Malappuram district of Kerala. He’s the 3rd Comrade to be murdered by your government after receiving SRE fund and other resources from BJP Central Government. The public should rise against the extrajudicial and inhumane Operation Samadhan and Operation Anaconda which are conducted respectively by Central Government and Kerala State government against Maoists.