Extremists bring fear and loathing to Bihar's Palamau district
The days of hardship are not yet over for the
people of Palamau, many of whom
have seen their relatives die of starvation.
Even before they could recover from that tragedy, residents of this sleepy district in
south Bihar are in the grip of terror unleashed by Marxist-Leninist rebels waging
war against the Indian State.
While the administration tries to battle the
extremists who are armed with sophisticated weapons, most of Palamau's
villagers have left their homes, seeking sanctuary in Bihar's cities and towns.
Palamau Superintendent of Police Dinesh Singh Bisht says 15 out of
the 18 blocks in the district -- and more than 90 per cent of the
population in the villages -- support the extremists either
on their own or under pressure.
Bisht said the topography and social ethos of the district were
conducive for the extremist groups, giving them an edge over the
police.
Ninety per cent of the district, he said, is
covered by dense forests and mountains which provides a safe haven
for the Marxist-Leninists.
The three most active groups in the district are the Maoist
Communist Centre, the Party Unity and the Janmukti Sangharsh Morcha.
The MCC has its base in Chandwa, Balumath, Panki, Manatu, Manika and
Patan blocks while the Party Unity has its influence in
Hariharganj, Chatarpur, Manika, Chainpur, Vishrampur and Husainabad
blocks. The Janmukti Sangharsh Morcha has its impact in
Balumath and Chandwa blocks.
Clashes between these groups along with encounters with
the police is routine in this region. Clashes between
extremists groups occur due to separate imposition of levy on the villagers
and disputes over territory.
Extremism got an additional fillip in 1980 when these outfits
grouped together to fight against rampant poverty, social
inequality and land disputes. Backwards and tribals, who constitute
90 per cent of the population in the district, blindly supported the
Marxist-Leninists in the initial years.
The extremists run a parallel government in the district.
The groups conduct Lok Adalats and
Jan Adalats (people's courts), perform an administrative role and
maintain law and order in these areas. These Adalats
also pass 'sentences' against government officials it
held 'corrupt' and 'guilty'.
Sources said these organisations also impose a levy on
landlords, contractors, and businessmen who trade in coal and tendu leaves.
A 20 to 30 per cent levy is
imposed on all governmental development schemes. Those
who refuse to pay these illegal taxes are dealt with harshly.
Extremists recently asked residents of Lesli Ganj block not
to pay the taxes to the government. This meant that
collection of revenue in the extremist-controlled blocks in the district
has been paralysed.
The rebels have also restricted government tenders on the
tendu leaves of the Palamau forests. Contractors will now have
to pay levy to the extremists to obtain government tenders. Extremists
also impose tax on the land snatched from landlords and distributed
among the poor.
A mukhia of an extremist-hit panchayat of the district
alleged that the extremists, contractors,
middlemen and government officials are colluding with each other
to loot government funds meant for development activities. The extremists,
he claimed, also exploit the poor in the name of 'justice and reformation of the system'.
Sources said the sale of illegal firearms has flourished
because of extremism in the region. Several small factories
manufacturing illegal firearms
have mushroomed in the district.
The coal mafia, with the support of the extremist groups, is
involved in large-scale illegal coal mining in the Balumath and Chandwa
blocks of the district.The extremists collect a huge amount of
funds as levy on this illegal mining.
Supreintendent Bisht said the extremist groups have
planted landmines in the Balumath, Chandwa and Lathehar areas
making it difficult for the police to track them down. In any case,
despite the terror and violence, the number of policemen in the district
is exactly the same at it was 30 years ago.
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