SIDDIPET: Even as the Union government declares an end to the “spectre of Maoist menace”, villagers in Siddipet district are recalling a different legacy of the movement — a school built by Naxalites with community labour that continues to educate children even today.
The school dates back to the 1990s, a period marked by intense repression, when encounters with Maoists were frequent and even offering them shelter could invite severe harassment. Despite the risks, villagers have carefully preserved the building constructed through Naxalite initiative and collective effort.
In several villages of the Dubbak area, people recall that Naxalites were not only associated with violence but also undertook welfare activities. During the years when the ban on Naxalites was strictly enforced, armed squads would visit villages at night, targeting oppressive landlords while also initiating community works.
In Dumpalapalli village, students once studied under trees due to the absence of a proper school building. Around 1991, persistent rains disrupted classes, prompting villagers to raise the issue when ‘Naganna’s dalam’ visited the village.
The Naxalites convened a meeting that same night and resolved to construct a school. Both they and some villagers contributed funds, and the building was completed through shramadanam by the squad and locals. Villagers recall taking great care to keep the Naxalites’ involvement secret until construction was completed and classes began.
“In 1991, the school ran in a thatched hut. Whenever it rained, holidays were declared. When we told Naganna’s squad, they built this school. Villagers joined them in the labour,” says Srinivas, a former councillor.
Opposition to redevelopment
Years later, when the building showed signs of ageing in 2005, education officials proposed demolishing it to construct a new structure. Villagers opposed the move, insisting the original building remain untouched and any new construction be taken up elsewhere. They also resisted attempts by police to demolish it during a drive to remove Naxalite-linked structures. Today, the primary school continues to function in the same building.
A resident Nageshwar Rao confirms that students still attend classes in the building.
With recent developments under ‘Operation Kagar’, including encounters and surrenders, the story of such Naxalite-built schools has resurfaced in public discussions across the Dubbak Assembly constituency.