Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Ideology gone, it's rump naxalism in Dharmapuri

By D. Sivarajan

Dharmapuri June 4. The naxal movement, which was active in this district during the 1970s and 1980s, has now turned out to be an existence of a few radical groups which execute murders for money and indulge in dacoity, what with the so-called ideologies taking a backseat.

Initially, the movement gained ground, based on an `annihilation theory'. Radical elements oriented themselves to the movement, killing persons whom they considered oppressing the poor.

The first phase of the movement led by Appu and Balan in the district witnessed a series of murders. By then, it had also oriented itself to the People's War Group in Andhra Pradesh. However, Appu was killed in an encounter in the 1970s, while Balan, who was picked up by the police died of illness in a Chennai hospital. Their deaths came as a jolt to the movement.

Gradual degeneration

Further, with lack of money proving a stumbling block to sustaining its activities, the movement gave room to antisocials, setting afoot the degeneration process. For that matter, even the little intelligentsia present in the group withdrew, unable to coexist with them. Also, with police tightening the noose on the outfits in the 1980s, the disintegrated movement got marginalised.

However, there are still traces of groups functioning under the banners of Revolutionary Youth League, Revolutionary Students Union and Coolie Vivasayigal Sangam. They are influenced mostly by the PWG, according to police sources.

It is being pointed out that as and when police action intensified in Andhra Pradesh, the naxalites found a safe haven in the Hosur, Anjetti, Denkanikottai and Thally areas, exploiting their linguistic affinity. In fact, allegations are still rife of arms being supplied for the PWG from these areas. But an encounter killing two years ago of Ravindran, a naxalite leader, who mobilised villagers through songs, resulted in a slight check on such activities.

According to Telugu-speaking people at Denkanikottai, when the naxalite movement was active in the 1980s, Kondapalli Seetharamaiah and Gaddar visited various places in the district. There were not many now. Those claiming to be naxalites were there for making money by threatening people and settling quarrels even if it meant harassing the poor.

The recent murder of the Thally union chairman, Venkatesh, in broad daylight by members of the banned Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) has come to be viewed more as a case of mercenary action.

But its members who obtained training in Bihar claim that the MCC, which was engaged in a running battle with the landlord-backed Ranbir Sena in that State, has planned to expand its activities to Tamil Nadu. Also, unlike the PWG, which equipped its dalams with arms, making the outfit no different from the police, the MCC is keen on equipping the villagers with weapons to oppose the atrocities of landlords, say the members.

But the police dismiss the group as being just a handful and say most of its members, including the State president, Basker, are already in custody in connection with the murder of Venkatesh. However, following the recent seizure of pipebombs in Chennai, similar to the ones used by the PWG, vigil has been stepped up against a possible infiltration of extremists into the district.

`Join mainstream'

The CPI national council member, Deva Perinban, said "the so-called naxal groups in the district have turned out to be more a law and order problem, their ideologies having little relevance in the present context.

Further, with their campaign mostly targeted against the Government's economic policies, the Dunkel draft and the General Agreement in Tariffs and Trade, which are already being dealt with by political parties, it is time they got back into the mainstream.''

The Dharmapuri police still continue to maintain a separate wing for dealing with naxalites and during the past two years, one of them was killed in an encounter while a few others including women have been arrested with arms and ammunition.

But, along with police action, gradual development in the district has dissuaded the rural populace from extending support to extremist activities.

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