'Flagbearer' deserts PWG

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, MARCH 17. For the teenaged tribal woman, it was a moment of glory.

As the video cameras whirred and flash guns popped at an undisclosed jungle hideout two months ago, Kamla, clad in olive greens, held aloft the red flag and led the march of the People's Guerrilla Army (PGA) of the People's War Group (PWG).

But now she is crestfallen. Totally disillusioned with the protracted armed struggle, which in either way could not make any sense to her, she walked out of the proscribed party and surrendered before the DGP, Mr. H.J. Dora, here on Saturday. ``They said they were forming the PGA, but I do not know what it is supposed to be,'' was her innocent remark to a spate of queries from newsmen who were invited at the time of surrender.

Clad in a blue sari and armed with a impish smile, this four- footer joined the PWG some two years ago as she hated to leave her parents and join her husband. Married at the age of 12 years, the Gond girl walked out of her house when a naxal dalam visited her village -- Errabanda in Adilabad district. They told her it would be nice to be a member of the revolutionary party.

She was made to work in the Mangi and Boath dalams and subsequently made a member of the Mangi Local Guerrilla Squad (LGS). When the PWG planned to launch the PGA in January, a team of mediamen were invited to jungles and an impressive march by the guerrillas was organised. Kamla, the petite girl, was given the honour of leading the march.

But the illiterate tribal was getting disillusioned with the ideology day by day. ``We had to walk miles together in forest carrying heavy loads. Food was not available for days. I could not bear all this and told the dalam leader that I would go back to my village. They kept on postponing my departure. So when I was made the sentry for the night halt camp, I left the gun there changed into civil dress and walked out.''

Kamla walked throughout the night in the jungle and by morning she reached a village and sent word for her parents. They took her back to the village but they were angry with her. ``My father wanted to beat me but other villagers intervened,'' she innocently replied to a barrage of questions.

``Did you feel that the PWG could do some good for the people.''

``I do not know. The commander knows everything."

``Why did you join the PWG?''

``My parents were pressuring me to go to my husband whom I did not like. He is lame.'' The answers came candidly.

Mr. Dora felt that many more youngsters like Kamla were lured into the PWG fold. ``The so-called revolutionary party should not take advantage of such innocent tribals and lure them into their fold,'' he said. He reiterated his plea to the naxalites to shun violence and join mainstream of life. The Government would certainly rehabilitate them, he promised.

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