VIJAYAWADA: CPI (Maoists) is losing its ground in the Andhra Odisha Border (AOB), which was considered as their guerrilla base area as more and more of its cadre are disillusioned with the party’s ideology. There is rampant discrimination within the party structure as evident from the increasing number of surrenders, DGP Gautam Sawang said.
Presenting six CPI (Maoist) cadre of Andhra Odisha Border Special Zone Committee (AOBSZC) including a divisions committee member and two area committee members before the media on Thursday, Sawang said the all-important problem of land was taken care of by the government through the distribution of RoFR pattas and most of the problems being faced by tribals are being resolved, which according to him, dwindled the support base of Maoists.
“One month after an important cadre of CPI (Moist) from AOBSZC surrendered before the police, six more have surrendered. One of them was part of the security wing of Gajarla Ravi alias Uday,” he said.
The six surrendered Maoists are Chikkudu China Rao alias Sudheer, divisional committee member of Peddabailu-Korukonda AC, Vantahala Vannu, Madakam Somidi, Madakam Manglu, Poyam Rukini and Sodi Bheeme. Sudheer carries a reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head, while two others carry a reward of Rs 4 lakhs each and other three Rs 1 lakh each.
The DGP said the main support for Maoists in the AOB area was tribals and the land was the main issue. Now that the land issue has been taken care of, Maoists have lost their hold on the tribals.
“Tribals no longer believe Maoists and their slogans, which seem ridiculous to them. Steel plant privatisation has no meaning for the tribals of the AOB region and this was said to be one of the recent slogans of the Maoists,” the DGP pointed out.
According to Sawang, there are several factors behind their surrender such as dwindling public support, lack of recruitment from tribals, discrimination of the top cadre who hail from plain areas towards tribals, series of exchanges of fire, arrests, surrender in the recent months, attractive surrender and rehabilitation policy of the state government and changed scenario in the AOB, where Maoist cadre are shrinking.
“These people had formed their own local government in the AOB with structured cells. But, today they have lost traction and even the local militia members are not active. Its cadre strength has declined from 140 to 54. Maoist military formations, which are responsible for their guerrilla actions, saw a steep reduction from two companies (50 members) to a mere platoon of 10 members in the last two years,” he explained.
In the last two years, Maoists suffered serious setbacks due to a series of exchanges of fires, arrests and surrender of many top cadres. The DGP appealed to the underground cadre of Maoists, who are mostly misguided youth, to surrender and join the mainstream so that they can get the benefits provided by the government.
Especially those from Chhattisgarh and working in the AOB area can approach any nearest police station to surrender. Speaking on the occasion, Sudheer and others explained the reasons for their surrender. They said as discrimination against the tribals was on the rise.
Women members said they were discriminated against. The women had joined the Maoists out of fear and personal reasons. Some were recruited at the age of 10.