There was nothing strange about my visit to India : Jan Myrdal

NEW DELHI: Swedish author and columnist Jan Myrdal (85), known for his close interaction with Indian Maoists since the 1980s, has reacted to the home ministry's allegation that he was publicly supporting Maoists and their armed struggle in India during his visit here earlier this year. In fact in reply to queries on the recent home ministry stand, Myrdal has said that he had personally sent a copy of his book Red Star over India to home minister P Chidambaram. He was in India last January and February, for the launch of his book at the Kolkata Book Fair.

The book itself, that I had sent to the home minister personally, has in India now reached its second English language edition and is being published in Bengali (also for Bangladesh), Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu (other contracts being discussed). In Europe it has been translated to German, Italian, Norwegian and Swedish. Internationally it is available as an e-book and on the net, Myrdal said.

In a rather hard-hitting response to home ministry officials planning to ban his visits to India in future Myrdal said, government officials, in Sweden as elsewhere, do seldom strike me as being very clever but this report from Delhi shows the present home ministry officials in India as unusually incompetent. There was nothing strange about my visit to India in this year. I had with letters from my publisher and the Kolkata Book Fair, asked for and got a one-month conference visa to launch my book Red Star Over India Impressions, Reflexions and Discussions when the Wretched of the Earth are Rising.

MoS home Jitendra Singh recently told Rajya Sabha that, Myrdal during his stay in India advised CPI (Maoist) to garner support from the middle class in India by focusing on propaganda against security forces and highlighting human rights issues.

Reacting to that, Myrdal said, I attended different meetings and conferences in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Ludhiana and Delhi. According to the agreement with the authorities when I arrived they were continously informed about where I stayed and where I made public speeches.

He said, Everything I said in India is either printed or available on the net. I have of course not done anything as stupid as giving political advice to Indian friends, reacting to the accusation that he had advised Maoists in India.

Myrdal added, But what I have pointed out is that India is being misrepresented in the world. That is not due to any Indian, governmental or non-governemental, censorship. But our own correspondents in India are either being censured by gate-keepers in the home countries or quiet because of fear for their contracts.

In February Myrdal had told TOI, there is even a negative possibility... (about the Maoist movement in India) it could even end as a bloody civil war which they (Maoists) may not survive... He 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. His book that was launched in India is based on his interactions and understanding of the Maoist movement here at present.


There was nothing strange about my visit to India : Jan Myrdal
Mohua Chatterjee, TNN May 19, 2012, 09.41PM IST
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-05-19/india/31777373_1_indian-maoists-home-ministry-maoist-movement