RAIPUR: An ongoing campaign appeal —‘Lon Varratu’ (return to your home/village)—by Chhattisgarh police in an edgy district of Dantewada is consistently yielding results ever since it was launched in 2020 by the then district police chief Abhishek Pallava.
On Monday, 26 cadres of the outlawed CPI (Maoist), including three carrying awards on their heads, surrendered in response to the ‘Lon Varratu’ drive of the Dantewada police. The district police has also released the list of the cadres who surrendered.
Though a part of the state’s Maoist Surrender Rehabilitation Policy, the campaign has its own distinct approach. Often, it has been jointly carried out in association with the central paramilitary forces as the Dantewada police attempted to reach out to the misguided Maoists and their senior leaders through various means. They have also created awareness about the 'anti-people ideology' of the left-wing extremist group.
‘Lon Varratu’ has struck an emotional chord among many Maoist cadres, inviting them to return to their roots. Several cadres who left the banned outfit later stated that they realised the “hollow, anti-development ideology” of the Maoists.
“Many times, it’s through the personal and individual approach of security personnel who use various means or channels to convey the message or reach out to the Maoist cadres, trying to convince them to return to the mainstream. So far 953 Maoist cadres, including 224 who carried rewards on their heads, have joined the mainstream to live a happy life. These are usually kept confidential for security reasons and to ensure that those engaged to extend help do not find themselves in any threatening situation. This drive is carried out covertly,” Govind Diwan, deputy superintendent of police (Bastar Fighters) in Dantewada, told The New Indian Express.
Dantewada police said that the surrendered Maoists will get the initial financial incentive of Rs 50,000 each. Besides, if the surrendered cadres wish to undergo skill training or set up a small business, they will receive further financial support and will be provided with free housing and healthcare, and farm land among other amenities under the new Maoist Surrender Rehabilitation Policy.
During his visit to Dantewada last Saturday to attend the closing ceremony of the ‘Bastar Pandum’ tribal festival, Union Home Minister Amit Shah conveyed to the Maoists that those who relinquish violence can join the mainstream but others who continue to engage in confrontation will face strong action from the security forces. In the first three months of 2025, as many as 521 Maoists have surrendered.
