'Maoist movement may end up as a bloody civil war'

NEW DELHI: Swedish author and columnist Jan Myrdal - known for his close interaction with Indian Maoists since the '80s - admits that he is unable to gauge where the radical Left movement, led by CPI (Maoist) chief Ganapathy, is headed for.

"There is even a negative possibility...it could even end as a bloody civil war which they (Maoists) may not survive..." he says. Myrdal (85) had traveled to Bastar's core area two years ago, and interacted extensively with cadres and leaders, including party general secretary Ganapathy. His interview of Ganapathy was the last face-to-face interaction of a journalist that was published.

While giving an insightful account of his experience to TOI on Saturday, Myrdal's face fell for a moment as he blamed himself to some extent for the killing of Maoist leader Azad. "I have a bad feeling... partly responsible for the killing of Azad. We had mentioned what Ganapathy said about the ceasefire... Azad took it up and it is possible that the situation was used to trap him," Myrdal said in retrospect.

He is in India for the launch of his latest book, "Red Star over India", which is an account and his analysis of the visit to the Red zone in Bastar. Jan, the son of Nobel laureates Alva and Gunnar Myrdal, has penned over 80 books, including fiction and plays.

He stresses that he quit the Communist party since he felt that it has taken a wrong direction, but does not consider himself to be a "renegade." Is he a chronicler of the Maoist movement or a sympathizer? "I follow my father who insisted that a social scientist or writer cannot be unbiased. I am not an unbiased observer," is his common refrain.

Myrdal points out a potential area of tension between the atheist Maoist leadership and their constituency tribals and non-tribal farmers and rural folks, who are entrenched in religious and cultural rituals and customs.

No wonder, he says, the Red ultras are "very careful about religious shrines etc and on account of hurting local sentiments and they are trying to address the issue". "But, this could develop into an area of conflict in spreading the movement," he warns.

What does he perceive to be the way forward for the movement? The support of urban middle class that is sorely lacks, he says.

He has three tips for the naxals to woo the middle class: highlight human rights violations committed by security forces, inclusive development in rural areas and persist with social struggle in urban pockets.

Comments

No matter what some foreign intellectual () like Mr. Myrdal says, one must remember that India is a democracy, only just about 60 years old. It may have become corrupt but in comparison, what India was in 1947 and what it is now, there is a Day & Night difference. I was 17 when India became independent and at 80, I want to say loudly, that the movement or uprising called Maoist movement is a very brutal organization, brutal in its actions killing untold civilians and law enforcement agents and destroying public and private property worth crores. Before it grows and metastases in to a cancer, the government of India should use all methods available to it to crush and annihilate the Maoists in every village, in forests and in urban areas, wherever they are hiding and getting support from a few politicians, Crush them by using police, army, air force just like Sri Lanka did for LTTE.
sanmu (Kolkata)
05 Feb, 2012 1045 PM

When we came out of our mother's womb, there was blood shed. In the same way, when a new social order comes out of the old, there has to be blood bath and violence!! Revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an essay, or painting a picture or doing embroidery. It is an insurrection, an act of violence by which one class overthrows another. Maoists are only the agent of change -- the change will definitely take its route and will be accomplished partly be vote, partly by alliance and partly be violence. No body can stop that. We the middle class are the consumers of fruits of this society and hence always try to balance us. We get swayed by the wind. We need to be forced at the gun point by the really under-privileged of the society. It is these people whom the maoists are trying to gives arms for military training.
Devendra Shishodiya (London)
05 Feb, 2012 1027 PM

Scams, corruption, arragance, apathy towards have-not and keeping too much without earning means and yet doing nothing for society are sign that disparity between rich and poor will never narrow down. The various debates on so big scams and no action from politicians has sent very strong message to geneal public-you can also do your part of scam let others go to hell. If PM is helpless because he has to survive and keep him going and keep his eyes and ears shut, then what message it send to general public Politicians have consipired to loot exchequer and continue to do everyday, who is looser, general public for whom these funds were meant. If your bread and butter is lost, what better judiciary, police and executive think which a poor can do Politicians are playing narrow mind games and general public is angry, I will not be surprised if naxalism become stronger and civil war broke-out. Common man wants rule of law at any cost, even if the PM has to loose his job, hang culprits and bring money back to exchequer, which PM has failed though he is constitututional bound under oath. If the pillars of constitutions are not performing their duties, then it is wrong to expect rule of law for common man. Civil war is the only answer to such criminal and treason acts of politicians.
pathikrit (India)
05 Feb, 2012 1206 PM

It seems Times of India is advocating the cause of Maoism and it is sad that by having such articles which are actually giving suggestions to Maoists as to how to increase their reach, helping their case. This swedish author is just another arundhuti roy or agnivesh....with zero understanding about the brutal aspect of maoism and why middle class does not support it
RK (India) 
05 Feb, 2012 1109 AM
Maoists are destined to end along with China! ...very soon.


'Maoist movement may end up as a bloody civil war'
Mohua Chatterjee, TNN Feb 5, 2012, 04.43AM IST
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-02-05/india/31026621_1_maoist-leader-azad-maoist-movement-indian-maoists