We reproduce a statement of the Communist Party of India (Maoist).

COMMUNIST PARTY OF INDIA (MAOIST)

International Affairs Central Committee

Dated: 18th April, 2023.

DEFEAT REACTIONARY SURAJJKUND CHINTAN SHIBIR PLAN WITHDRAW ALL THE ADDITIONAL POLICE AND PARA MILITARY FORCES FROM THE BASTAR STOP THE DRONE STRIKES AND HELICOPTER GUN FIRE ON PEOPLE

Dear Comrades and friends of Indian Revolution Abroad, Red salutes. On 7th April, 2023 again the Bastar police dropped bombs through drones and did bun fire from three helicopters on the villagers of Bastar Division. In this drone strike the villagers were injured seriously. This is the 4th time drone strike on the same area. The police never confirmed their cruel and anticonstitutional and anti-people activity in the last two years. Our Central Committee CPI (Maoist) appeal to you to condemn the Indian State war on its own people and raise your voices in support of people who are in midst of people’s war since last 5 decades.

The Bastar police started their first drone strike in 2021 on June 19th. On that day they have dropped more than 12 bombs on the Bottalanka and Palagudem hamlets of Bijapur distrit. Similarly, in the intervening night of 14-15th April 2022, villages namely Bottenthong, Mettagudem, Dulod, Saklet and Pottemangi of Bijapur and Sukma districts were bombed using drones. Again on 11th January 2023 the police simultaneously conducted drone strikes and helicopter gun firing on our PLGA guerillas and people. In this attack we lost our young guerilla comrade Ungi (17yrs). In spite of heavy bombing and in midst of helicopter gun firing our brave PLGA guerillas retaliated it and seriously injured 6 GARUDA commandos [Author notes: Garud Command Force is an special force of the Indian armed forces] including a technical staff person. The two helicopters were also damaged. In this attack first time the notorious NSG (National Security Guards) commandos were involved. In this sequence, the Bastar police again dropped bombs on big scale through drones and did helicopter gun firing in the same area i.e. the border area of Sukma and Bijapur Districts. In this drone strike and gun firing some villagers of Jabdbagatta were injured seriously, those who are collecting forest product i.e. Muhua flowers.

Now it has become their routine activity in that area. The people were panicked and seriously condemned the state undeclared war on them. Their life is under great threat in that area, because they are 2 living under the intensive surveillance of modern drones. In that undeclared war zone the police is conducting continuously their war crimes but never accepting it. This is seriously condemnable attitude of the state. The Indian State openly declared to eliminate CPI (Maoists) on the name of LWE (Left wing extremism) within 18 months i.e. before the forth coming general elections which are scheduled to be held in April-May 2024. So, they are in very hurry to complete their task. This plan was made in the reactionary Surajkund Chintan Shibir in the last October. This Shibir (Conference) was conducted to review their five years Samadhan military operation (2017-2022) which was heroically retaliated by our great revolutionary people and PLGA. In this conference the unpopular think tanks and police brass took part under the guidance of Indian Home Minister Amit Sha and addressed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

They are in dire need of the raw materials to exploit from the mineral rich tribal belt. But there is the revolutionary movement which is going on since more than last five decades and it established alternative power organs in that belt. The people of that area are struggling for their just demands. Now, it has become a war between Indian people and Indian State which represents the exploitive Indian ruling classes. So, once again our CC appealing you to stand firmly with the people to defeat this reactionary Chintan Shibir military plan on the name of Operation Vikas (Development). At, present the Bastar police has concentrated their forces and attacks particularly on the borders of Sukma and Bijapur Districs of Chhattisgarh state. They are openly declaring to eliminate of Battalion 1 and its commander Com. Hidma. They are constructing special roads to his village Puvvara. They have posted number of police camps to encircle the above said area with hundreds of special commando forces. The State Government accepted the Central Government operation and it is also increasing its brutal anti-people activities. So, let us cry again to stop the fascist attacks on the people and the blood thrust state will never eliminate the Indian revolution

With revolutionary greetings,

Amrut,

I/C. International affairs Central Committee, CPI (Maoist)