It takes some courage and a little bit of handholding from the government and the society to mainstream the lives of left-wing radicals willing to turn over a new leaf. The best example of this has come from Maharashtra where a number of Maoists have surrendered following a prolonged operation against them by security forces in Gadchiroli district, one of the hotbeds of extreme left-wing activities in the country.
A group of 11 Maoists, including 10 women, who had given up arms, were trained in phenyl manufacturing and have started their own business now. This product is being sold under the brand name ‘clean 101’. A Self Help Group (SHG) called ‘Navjeevan Utpadak Sangh’ was started for surrendered women Maoists on the initiative of Gadchiroli superintendent of police. The product being of good quality and priced much below the market rates for other phenyl brands, the local police have decided to help the SHG market it.
The women Maoists, who decided to join the social mainstream after giving up arms, were organized into a Self Help Group and trained in phenyl making in Wardha. After the initial support from the police department, they will be completely on their own. The best thing is that they appear to be confident about their ability to come up with the best possible product and market it themselves.
The Maharashtra example needs to be followed by other states facing the problem of Maoist insurgency. Odisha, in fact, has already done some good work for the rehabilitation of surrendered ultras. Under its excellent rehabilitation policy to help radicals who lay down arms and show the willingness to return to the mainstream, the government has not only been helping them financially but also aiding their return to normal life in other ways. There have been instances of police department arranging the marriages of surrendered rebels who are leading normal lives, having successfully assimilated themselves with the mainstream society.
It is a tribute to the attractive rehabilitation package drafted by Odisha government that the number of surrenders by Maoist ultras has gone up significantly in the past few years. Another important factor driving the radicals, especially women cadres, to give up arms is their ill-treatment at the hands of male commanders from Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh. This was admitted by some of the surrendered women cadres during interrogation by the police. Some of them were subjected to sexual exploitation by senior male Maoist leaders in the forest camps.
Time has come for the Odisha police to redouble its efforts to create awareness among the Maoists against their violent creed. The men in khaki must convince the radicals, especially the women cadres, that there is nothing to be gained by indulging in violence and that life as an outlaw is not only tough for them but could also end up stigmatizing their children, thus ruining their future. The best option for them is to give up arms, accept the government’s rehabilitation package, and return to the social mainstream.
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