PALAKKAD:Tribals living in various settlements close to Silent Valley range are providing accommodation to Maoists, says a tribal promoter from the area, who does not wish to reveal his name. According to him adivasi settlements like Karuvara, Gangara, Chindaki, Dhanyam, Thadikundu and Anavayi are the few settlements where the Maoists live with the tribals in their sheds.
“With only a few months for the next rainy season the tribals are busy preparing farms for cultivation so they live little away from their houses in sheds. The Thunderbolt or police personals do not visit these places. Even if the police inspect these places tracing their presence in advance is easy for them,” he said.
He also said that settlements close to Bhavani River are also a safe haven for Maoists. “The tribals there provide food and shelter to Maoists. The entire tribal population here have been deceived by the Maoists that they stand for the welfare of tribals and will help them to get their rights. The tribals blindly trust them and it is the key reason why they mingle very close with them,” added the tribal promoter.One of the panchayat presidents in Attappady told ‘Express’ that Maoists have become aparallel police force to reckon with in Attappady as the tribals here started trusting Maoists and are complaining about their various issues to them.
“The police and other officials in Attappady has not been able to win the trust of tribals so far and they are afriad of officials. Making use of this situation Maoists mingled with them as their saviours and succeeded in winning their trust. Only two officials, SI Krishnan Kutty and present District Collector K Ramachandran worked sincerely for the welfare of tribals but ironically both were transferred,” he said.
The tribals also consider Maoists as a reliable force to address their grievances and to get them redressed.
“There was a time tribals here couldn’t go out of their settlements without fear as they had undergone tortures from all walks of life. Now the situation is not so, people started fearing tribals owing to the presence of Maoists as supporters,” said Maruthi K P, a tribal woman. She also said the Maoists eat, sleep and live freely with the tribals but they do not hurt anyone. However, the State Intelligence considers it as the tactics of Maoists to live safely in Attappadi. “They do not intend the upliftment of tribals and their real goal is to gain political power through armed rebellion. In fact, Maoists are promoting ganja cultivation and other illicit activities in the forest to make money to execute their terror activities. They chose forest not out of their concern for tribals but are exploiting the illiteracy of tribals and also forest is a safe haven for their anti-social activities,” said Intelligence ADGP A Hemachandran.