A political row has broken out in Telangana after the Revanth Reddy government’s proposal to confer a Padma award on Gaddar alias Gummadi Vithal Rao — a revolutionary balladeer, renowned folk singer, and also a Maoist sympathiser — was ignored by the Centre.

The Chief Minister was peeved that his government had recommended five names — Gaddar, educationist Chukka Ramaiah, poet Andesri, poet-singer Gorati Venkanna, and poet-historian Jayadheer Tirumala Rao — for various Padma awards and not one of them made it to the final list. He termed it an insult to the “four crore people of Telangana”.

The issue escalated when the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay, commented on the State government’s decision to recommend Gaddar. He said, “Giving a Padma award to those who championed Naxalism is like spitting on the graves of martyred police officers and BJP karyakartas who fell victim to [the violence propagated by those who follow] this ideology. It is a betrayal of the families of these brave officers. How can the State even consider honouring a person investigated by the NIA (National Investigation Agency) for fuelling violence?”

The State government argued that the names were sent after careful consideration of the contributions of the five individuals in the fields of art, culture, education, people’s movements, and protection of tribal culture. It said that their roles in the movement for Statehood could not be ignored. An angry Chief Minister said that he would write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the issue.

Since the creation of Telangana in 2014, one Bharat Ratna (to former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao), three Padma Vibhushan, seven Padma Bhushan, and 41 Padma Shri awards have been presented to people from the State. But the Telangana government has alleged that there is discrimination against the State. While some States have managed to secure more than 10 Padma awards, it argued that Telangana received only two this time — a Padma Vibhushan for gastroenterologist Dr. Duvvur Nageshwar Reddy and a Padma Shri for Manda Krishna, the founder-president of the Madiga Reservation Porata Samiti.

While Gaddar, who died in 2023, was a Maoist sympathiser, he is a popular figure in Telangana. Gaddar, a Dalit, was an engineering dropout. He was attracted to the Maoist movement in the 1970s and spent over a decade underground working as its cultural ambassador. Often referred to as ‘Praja Yuddha Nauka’ (war ship of the people’s movement), Gaddar’s role in the Telangana movement between 2009 and 2014 is acknowledged not just by the people, but also by political parties.

In fact, Mr. Modi paid Gaddar glowing tributes in his condolence message to the poet’s family on August 21, 2023. Mr. Modi’s letter read: “The themes of his poems and folk songs in Telugu reflected the challenges faced by the disadvantaged sections of the society. His creative works also provided encouragement to the people. He always remained passionate about the progress of Telangana. His contribution towards revitalising a traditional art form will be remembered by the people.”

This is why Mr. Bandi Sanjay’s comments have not only angered the Congress, but also divided the State BJP unit and put them in a spot. While some party cadres support his stand, others point out that the Prime Minister, too, has acknowledged the activist’s contribution. They also worry that by openly claiming that the Centre decides who should get the awards, Mr. Bandi Sanjay has created the impression that favouritism takes precedence over merit.

There is a clear political angle to the decisions too. The Centre reportedly felt that by recommending certain people who were active during the Statehood movement, the Revanth Reddy government was trying to woo the cadres of the Bharat Rashtra Samiti. Gaddar’s daughter, Vennela, was given a Congress ticket in the Assembly elections. She lost the election and is now chairperson of the Telangana Samskruthika Saradhi, a cultural wing of the State government.

While the Centre may have a point, Mr. Bandi Sanjay’s remarks have not only provided ammunition for the Telangana government, but also divided the BJP. More crucially, they seek to undermine the contributions of a man who fought relentlessly for the rights of the marginalised.

ravi.reddy@thehindu.co.in

Bhopal:

Jayaram Reddy was known by several aliases – Ramachandra Reddy, Apparao, and Ramu. But the most prominent was Chalapati. A senior leader in the Maoist ranks, Chalapati was gunned down during an encounter along with 19 other associates in a Chhattisgarh forest last night, marking one of the most successful campaigns by security forces to cleanse the region of Left-Wing Extremism (LWE).

Who was Jayaram Reddy

Chalapati, about 60 years old, was from Madanapalle in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh, and had studied till Class 10. Despite his modest educational background, he had risen to prominence in the Maoist ranks, becoming a cadre of the Central Committee Member (CCM), a top decision-making body within the organisation.

Such a key position, which made him privy to sensitive operations of the banned outfit, drew a bounty of Rs 1 crore. The value of the bounty also suggests how important a target he was for the security forces.

Read: Maoist With 1 Crore Bounty Among 20 Killed, Amit Shah Says “Major Success”

Chalapati was familiar with the dense and impenetrable forests of Bastar. His security detail comprising 8-10 personal guards bears a testament to his importance within the Maoist network.

Armed with advanced weaponry like AK-47s and SLR rifles, Chalapati was a frontline leader who played a crucial role in making strategies and leading operations.

His tactical expertise, leadership skills, and ability to mobilise resources in challenging terrains earned him notoriety as one of the most wanted Maoist leaders in the region.

Chalapati relocated his base a few months ago in view of increasing encounters in Abujhmad, to the Gariaband-Odisha border, which was deemed a safer operational zone.

The Encounter

Chalapati and his associates – who are yet to be identified – were killed during an exchange of fire with a joint team comprising the District Reserve Guard, Central Reserve Police Force, CoBRA commandoes from Chhattisgarh, and the Special Operation Group from Odisha.

The security forces launched the operation based on intelligence inputs that some Maoists were holed up in the Kularighat reserve forest of Chhattisgarh, about 5 km from the Odisha border.

Guns including a self-loading rifle, ammunition, and bombs were found at the encounter site.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who had spelled the endgame for Maoists in the country, called it a “major success”.

“Another mighty blow to Naxalism. Our security forces achieved major success towards building a Naxal-free Bharat…With our resolve for a Naxal-free India and the joint efforts of our security forces, Naxalism is breathing its last today,” he said in an online post.

The government has been trying to make the Maoists shun violence and get back to the mainstream. At least 800 Maoists were arrested last year while another 802 extremists laid down their arms.

The security forces had killed 219 Maoists last year. Of them, 217 were from the Bastar region, comprising Bastar, Dantewada, Kanker, Bijapur, Narayanpur, Kondagaon, and Sukma districts.

New Delhi:

Facing tough action from the security forces, the Maoists are making efforts to seep into new areas along inter-state borders but without any notable success, the latest report from the Union Home Ministry has said.

The government’s multipronged approach — anti-Naxal operations by paramilitary and state police and simultaneous development initiatives in Maoist-affected areas — has resulted in a 48 per cent reduction in violent incidents, from 1,136 in 2013 to 594 in 2023, the report said.

A 65 per cent reduction was also noticed in the deaths of civilians and security forces, which came down from 397 to 138 in 2023 as compared to 2013, it said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said that the country would be free of Maoism by March 31, 2026.

The geographical spread of Left-Wing Extremist (LWE) violence has shrunk considerably. In 2023, 171 police stations in 42 districts reported such incidents, compared to 328 police stations in 76 districts in 2013, the MHA report said.

“The arc of violence has been considerably restricted with just 25 districts accounting 91 per cent of the LWE violence,” it said.

According to the ministry’s annual report 2023-24, the CPI (Maoist) continues to be the most potent among the various LWE outfits in the country, accounting for more than 90 per cent of total violent incidents and 95 per cent of resultant deaths.

“Amidst increasing reverses, the CPI (Maoist) has been making efforts to expand to new areas along inter-state borders, albeit without any significant success,” the report said.

They wish to keep the population in their areas of influence marginalized to perpetuate their outdated ideology, it said.

“Consequently, the process of development has been set back by decades in many parts of the country under LWE influence,” it said.

Various measures adopted by (state) governments and the developmental outreach by the Union government have seen an increasingly large number of LWE cadres shunning the path of violence and returning to the mainstream.

Continued operations and crackdowns in the “core Maoists’ areas” have slightly increased the number of resultant deaths and casualties to security forces when compared with the corresponding period in 2022, the report said.

Noting that improvised explosive devices cause the majority of casualties to security forces in anti-LWE operations, the Home Ministry issued a Standard Operating Procedure to promote best practices in IED management besides putting in place extensive counter-IED capacity building of CAPFs and state police forces, it said.

“During the first half of 2024, the LWE situation has witnessed quantum positive jump (1.7 times) in security forces-initiated operations (59 to 103), which have consequently resulted in a more than five-fold increase in the neutralization of Maoists (30 to 159) as compared to the corresponding period of 2023,” the report said.

The overall improvement in the LWE scenario can be attributed to a greater presence and increased capacity of the security forces across the LWE affected states, better operational strategy and better monitoring of development schemes, it said.

In addition, beefing up intelligence coordination has also played a major role in planning action against the Naxals.

Round-the-clock intelligence sharing through Multi Agency Centre (MAC) at the Central level and State Multi Agency Centre (SMAC) at the state level, setting up of Joint Command and Control Centre at Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh) and Gaya (Bihar), and strengthening of technical and human intelligence have helped in action against Naxals, the report said.

Besides, thrust on the generation of real-time intelligence and creation as well as strengthening of State Intelligence Bureaus (SIBs) in the LWE affected states for which central assistance is provided through the SIS have also helped security forces take action against Naxals, it added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh):

“I am the happiest person today, more than you or your family, as our painstaking efforts to convince you to surrender and join the mainstream has bore fruit,” Union Home Minister Amit Shah told a group of former Maoists on Sunday.

The event here, attended by about 30 surrendered Maoists and insurgents belonging to six states — Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Assam — may be small but is very significant, Mr Shah said.

“I am getting immense satisfaction that the country’s youngsters are responding to our appeal, realising the futility of violence and surrendering,” he said.

Mr Shah said when Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave him the responsibility of the home ministry in 2019, he thought that those who were involved in armed movements should be given a chance to lay down their arms, surrender and live a peaceful life.

“Following our initiatives, 20 peace accords were signed in the northeast and 9,000 militants surrendered,” he said.

आज छत्तीसगढ़ के जगदलपुर में नक्सल प्रभावित लोगों और हथियार डालकर मुख्यधारा में शामिल हुए लोगों से मुलाकात की।

नक्सलवाद ने दशकों तक देश की बड़ी आबादी को उनके मौलिक अधिकारों से न केवल वंचित रखा, बल्कि अमानवीयता की सारी हदें पार कर उनके जीवन को कुप्रभावित किया। युवाओं के मन में भय… pic.twitter.com/5bUPPh2mCD

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 15, 2024

The Centre has formulated rehabilitation policies for surrendered militants and Maoists, including those injured in violence, the home minister said.

He added that PM Modi approved 15,000 homes for surrendered Maoists under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana while the National Dairy Development Board would provide at least one cow or buffalo for such families so that they could earn Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 every month.

“You all should pass on the message to your former colleagues that violence is not the way forward. All Maoists should come forward and surrender. The government will take care of their needs,” he said.

He also told the surrendered militants to send a simple post card to the Union home secretary and their problems would be taken care of.

The home minister said the government was preparing to host the Olympic Games in Ahmedabad in 2036 and, in the run-up to it beginning 2025, about 35,000 youngsters would be trained so that India might win as many medals as possible.

“I want someone from Bastar to win at least one medal in the 2036 Olympics,” he said.

While interacting with Amit Shah, the surrendered Maoists conveyed how they were benefitting from various government schemes, including jobs in the police and the private sector, and bank loans for starting their own ventures.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Raipur:

Hours after 10 Maoists were killed in an encounter with the District Reserve Guard (DRG) in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao on Friday said that by the efforts of the security forces Bastar will be maoist-free very soon.

“The security forces have one more achievement in Sukma. I want to thank the personnel from the security forces. After we formed the government, security forces conducted several operations even in tough terrains. By the effort of security forces, Bastar will be Maoist-free very soon and peace will be restored there and the region will come into the developmental path,” Arun Sao told ANI.

Meanwhile, Kamlochan Kashyap, DIG South Bastar said a joint operation has been planned after getting information about the movement of a group of Maoists in the area.

“Since last week, we have been getting information that there is a movement of a group of Maoists. We planned a joint operation. Today morning, an encounter took place and we succeeded in eliminating 10 Maoists. We have also recovered AK-47s, SLR Rifles and other weapons,” Kashyap told reporters.

Earlier today, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai commended security forces for their ‘indomitable courage’ and ‘dedication’ after they successfully eliminated at least 10 Maoists under an operation in Sukma district.

The Chief Minister highlighted that this achievement by the security forces is commendable, as the state government continues its strong fight against Maoistsm , adhering to a policy of zero tolerance.

He reaffirmed that ensuring development, peace, and security in the Bastar region remains the top priority of his government.

“Displaying their indomitable courage, the security forces took major action against the Maoists in Sukma district this morning and killed 10 Maoists in an encounter. This success achieved by the soldiers is commendable. Our government is fighting strongly against Maoists by working on the policy of zero tolerance. Ensuring development, peace and security in Bastar is the top priority of our government,” posted CM Deo Sai on X.

As many as 10 Maoists were killed in the encounter that broke out between the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on Friday.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Gadchiroli:

A woman maoist booked for a murder and an attack on security forces and carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh surrendered before the police and CRPF in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district on Saturday, officials said.

Rina Narote, alias Lalita, was a commander of the ‘Tailor Team’ and was responsible for logistics in the entire Gadchiroli Division of the CPI (Maoist), police said in a release.

The 36-year-old woman maoist, a resident of Gadchiroli, is named in a murder case and an attack on security personnel, it said.

The Maharashtra government had announced a reward of Rs 8 lakh for her capture. She surrendered before police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officials, it said.

Police said Narote will receive Rs 5.5 lakh under the policies of the Centre and state for the rehabilitation of surrendered maoists.

Intensified anti-Maoist operations in the district and the opportunity provided by the state government for maoists to “surrender and lead a respectful life” has resulted in 23 hardcore rebels turning themselves in before the Gadchiroli police since 2022.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Kolkata:

Maoist leader Arnab Dam, who is currently in jail in West Bengal’s Hooghly district, appeared for an interview in the Burdwan State University on Wednesday for his PhD degree in history.

Dam, who appeared for the interview under the watch of the police, is in jail in connection with an attack on the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) camp at Silda in West Midnapore district in February 2010.

He was convicted in February last year.

Dam had cleared the State Eligibility Test (SET) after appearing for the examination from jail. As the prison authorities were reluctant to allow him to do his PhD, he sat on a fast.

After the human rights group Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR) took up Dam’s case, the prison authorities softened their stand.

Dam is known to be a meritorious student who cleared the IIT entrance test and got into IIT-Kharagpur. While on campus, he got attracted to Maoist ideology and absconded after his third-semester exam.

He was arrested in 2012 as an accused in the Silda EFR camp attack case.

Dam completed his graduation and post-graduation from the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) while in prison. Thereafter, he applied for a PhD from the Burdwan State University.

Gadchiroli:

Dreaded Maoist Nangsu Tumreti alias Giridhar, who has more than 170 cases registered against his name and a bounty of Rs 25 lakh on his head, surrendered along with his wife in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district on Saturday in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, a police official said.

His wife Sangeeta Usendi alias Lalita has 17 cases against her name and a bounty of Rs 16 lakh on her head, the official added.

Giridhar, who joined the Etapalli Dalam of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) in 1996, is the head of the proscribed movement’s activities in Gadchiroli, the official said.

“He has 179 cases against his name, including 86 related to encounters and 15 of arson. His wife Sangeeta Usendi alias Lalita has 17 cases against her name and a bounty of Rs 16 lakh on her head. Giridhar will get Rs 15 lakh and Lalita Rs 8.50 lakh from Central and state governments under the surrender and rehabilitation scheme,” the official added.

Speaking to reporters, Devendra Fadnavis said the backbone of the Maoist movement in Gadchiroli has broken with the surrender of Giridhar.

He lauded the Gadchiroli police for its relentless efforts to end the Naxal menace and bring ultras back into the mainstream.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Bhopal:

At least 13 Maoists were killed by security forces in a major operation ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in Chhattisgarh. Police said the gunfight took place in a remote forest in Bijapur district on Tuesday. The exchange of fire, lasting for about eight hours, left the area fraught with tension and marked by the aftermath of battle.

Inspector General of Police, P Sundarraj, said officers have seized a large cache of rifles, machine guns, and ammunition.

“The identity of the Maoist dead bodies is yet to be established,” Mr Sundarraj said, adding that three of those killed were women.

Another police official said that prima facie, it appears that the insurgents killed

“The identity of the dead Naxalites was yet to be ascertained but prima facie, it appears that they belonged to the PLGA (People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army) company no. 2 of Maoists,” the official said.

The operation, spearheaded by Bijapur District Reserve Guard, in collaboration with CRPF, STF, and CoBRA teams, was a concerted effort to eliminate the threat posed by the Maoists in the area. Intelligence had indicated the presence of the notorious Maoist leader, Papa Rao, prompting the security forces to launch the operation.

During the search of the encounter site, security forces recovered a substantial cache of arms and ammunition, including one LMG, one .303 bore rifle, and one 12 bore rifle, along with a significant quantity of BGL shells and launchers.

Bijapur district comes under the Bastar Lok Sabha constituency, which will go to polls in the first phase of the general elections on April 19.