INDIA:STOP CORPORATE BACKED BLOODBATH IN BASTAR !(FACAM)

 

From the early morning of January 16, 2025, approximately 4000 paramilitary forces from Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) , Combat Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) and District Reserve Gaurds (DRGs- the new avatar of infamous murderous Militia Salwa Judum) are engaged in a massive military operation in Pujari-Kanker hills in Bijapur District near Chhattisgarh-Telangana Border. Paramilitary forces have claimed to have killed 12 alleged Maoists in the said operation and encircled approximately 100 more in the area. This massive military attack is part of Operation Kagaar that has claimed almost 300 lives and  is attaining it’s most barbaric form with each passing day. The reality of encounter killings in the past as well as present have shown us that often it is civilian who are killed in such a large scale hunt and passed off as Maoists killed in exchange of fire.  Fake encounters from Edesmetta, Sarkeguda to recent case of Pidiya Encounter, only to name a few, necessitates a strong advocacy of justice for those being slaughtered in cold blood in these so called anti-naxal operations. While the identities of those killed have not been ascertained yet and it cannot be stated in full confidence that those killed were Maoists engaged in exchange of fire with security forces, especially in a scenario where staged encounters of civilians and captured Maoists such as much criticised Vikram Gowda encounter, has become an unquestioned norm in the recent times, the corporate-godi media is celebrating the cold blooded murder of fellow countrymen without any investigation and promoting a total carnage in Bastar as the only viable solution being brought forth by the fascist BJP-RSS led government in Centre and State. 

It is very concerning that all the notion of due process of law and justice has been shredded to pieces and encounter killing is celebrated, especially without ascertaining it’s authenticity. Such kind of practice manufactures consent for a genocide of our own country fellows, a genocide to further corporate plunder over their dead bodies and charred lands. All the notion of international laws and usage of symmetric force to subdue the numerically and technological far inferior belligerent force has been thrown away and a bloodlust is being promoted to serve the foreign and domestic corporate-state nexus. Massacre of our own people for filling the pockets of few leeches is promoted as development, while the country and its resources are humiliatingly sold to foreign corporations. 

It is important to remember that civil society as well as government formed committees have long recognised that Maoist movement is one pertaining to socio-economic and political questions prevailing in the country and as long as these questions prevail, the movement cannot be and should not be tackled militarily. The very same thing can be observed from the resurgence of Maoists despite decades of massive military campaigns and bloodsheds by state in these regions, filling the gaps in their ranks and file as soon as they are created due to killings and arrests. Indiscriminate killing and continuous bloodshed is only worsening the conditions and threatens the very existence of Adivasi communities who are already facing displacement and destruction and are struggling to protect their Jal-Jungle-Jameen. Even the Supreme Court has cautioned against such indiscriminate killings of captured and over powered rebels and civilians during encounters in various cases including the case of  fake encounter as well in the case of Senior Maoist Leader Azad, where the court while seeking answers from Centre and AP state government, observed “we cannot allow the Republic killing it’s own children”. Courts have categorically opposed the practice of encounters becoming a norm in cases such as encounter killings of more than 1400 people in Assam in the name of suppressing ULFA rebels. Therefore, it is imperative that the state ceases such bloodshed, engage in peace talks with the Maoists to address the questions centric to the rebellion and resolve them through socio-political and economic changes and reforms.

Forum Against Corporatization and Militarisation (FACAM) strongly condemns this bloodbath in Bastar and demands that a judicial probe is initiated in the killings and such barbaric military operations are immediately halted. We also appeal all patriotic, democratic and justice loving people to come forward to oppose these barbaric attacks under Operation Kagaar. It is high time, that all patriotic and democratic forces understand the true meaning of sovereignty. In a society, people and their interest should be sovereign and currently, it is under attack on all fronts. From Farmers to Workers, from Students to Middle classes, all are facing the brunt of this stranglehold of corporatization. The loot of our resources and the ensuing bloodbath to ensure this loot is part and parcel of the very same  stranglehold that must be fought back. Let us stand united and oppose this war on people under Operation Kagaar, to protect our people and our resources, our sovereignty.