[Reader-list] Am I A Maoist?

[Jeebesh]

http://countercurrents.org/dungdung030510.htm

Am I A Maoist?

By Gladson Dungdung

03 May, 2010
Countercurrents.org

I appeared in public life through my human rights works, writings and  
speeches. However, I reached to a larger audience when I got a chance  
to appear in CNN-IBN and NDTV-24×7 debates on the issue of Naxalism  
last year. After these debates, I got immense positive and negative  
responses from across the country. I was upset for sometime precisely  
because of the most negative responses I got from youth who are  
running behind the market forces unknowingly. They ruthlessly  
questioned me about whether I get money from Pakistan, Nepal or China  
for speaking against the Indian State. I responded to a few of them  
with detailed explanations, but many believe P Chidambaram’s theory of  
this side or that side; therefore they are not ready to accept my  
rational arguments.

Meanwhile, I continued my work of raising the genuine issues of the  
marginalized people of India. Amidst, the so-called operation green  
hunt (OGH) was also launched in the state of Jharkhand in the name of  
cleansing the Maoists. I passionately attempted to bring out the truth  
of the OGH, intention of the state behind the OGH and sufferings of  
the villagers caused by the OGH. As a result, so-called educated  
people intensified more personal attacks against me. There are also  
some e-groups where they attempted to coin me as a Maoist sympathizer  
and supporter. Finally, they have portrayed me as a Maoist Ideologue.  
I just laugh, laugh and laugh. Precisely, because how can a person  
suddenly become a Maoist ideologue without having an in-depth study on  
Maoism? I have never read about Maoism.

I deliberately do not read about any ideology because I know that  
Maoists teach the Adivasis about Maoism, Gandhians preach them about  
Gandhism and Marxists ask them to walk on Marxism; but no one bothers  
about Adivasism, which is the best ‘ism’ among these, which perhaps  
leads to a just and equitable society. I have been raising questions  
about how the Indian State has deliberately destroyed the Adivasism.  
The Adivasi religion was not recognized by the Indian constitution,  
traditional self-governance was neglected, culture was destroyed,  
lands were grabbed and our resources were snatched in the name of  
development. But what do we get out of it? Should we still keep quiet?  
Are we not the citizens of this country who need to be treated  
equally? Do they care about our sufferings?

I’m one of those unfortunate persons, who have lost everything for the  
so-called development of the nation and am struggling for survival  
even today. When I was just one year old, my family was displaced. Our  
20 acres of fertile land was taken away from us in the name of  
development. Our ancestral land was submerged in a Dam, which came up  
at Chinda River near Simdega town in 1980. We lost our house,  
agricultural land and garden but we were paid merely Rs.11 thousand as  
compensation. When the whole village protested against it they were  
sent to Hazaribagh Jail. Can a family of 6 members ensure food,  
clothing, shelter, education and health facilities for whole life with  
Rs.11 thousand?

After displacement, we had no choice but to proceed towards the dense  
forest for ensuring our livelihood. We settled down in the forest  
after buying a small patch of land. We used to collect flowers, fruits  
and firewood to sustain our family. We also had sufficient livestock,  
which supported our economy. Needless to say that the state  
suppression continued with us. When we were living in the forest, my  
father was booked under many cases filed by the forest department (the  
biggest landlord of the country) alleging him as an encroacher and  
woodcutter. There was no school building in our village - therefore we  
used to study under the trees, and when there was rain our school was  
closed. But my father taught us to always fight for justice. Though he  
was struggling to sustain our family, he never stopped his fight for  
the community.

Unfortunately, on 20 June 1990, my parents were brutally murdered  
while they were going to Simdega civil court to attend a case and 4  
kids were orphaned. Can anyone imagine how we suffered afterwards? The  
worst thing is the culprits were not brought to justice. Can anyone  
tell us why the Indian State did not deliver justice to us, who  
snatched our resource in the name of development? Why there is no  
electricity in my village even today? Why my people do not get water  
for their field whose lands were taken for the irrigation projects?  
Why there is no electricity in those houses, who have given their land  
for the power project? And why people are still living in small mud  
houses whose lands were taken for the steel plants? It seems that the  
Adivasis are only born to suffer and other to enjoy over our graves.

After a long struggle, we all got back to life but my pain and  
sufferings did not end here. When I was working as a state programme  
officer in a project funded by the European Commission, a senior  
government officer and an editor of a newspaper (both from the upper  
caste) questioned my credentials saying that being an Adivasi, how  
could I have gotten into such a prestigious position? Similarly, when  
my friend had taken me to meet a newly wedded couple of the upper  
caste in Ranchi, I was not allowed to meet them saying that being an  
Adivasi if I meet the couple, they might become unauspicious and their  
whole life would be at stake. Was I a devil for them?

However, when I joined another firm, I was totally undermined and not  
given the position which I highly deserved. I was racially  
discriminated against, economically exploited and mentally disturbed.  
Can anyone tell me why I should not fight for justice? Can those so- 
called supporters of the unjust development process, who have not  
given even one inch of land for the so-called national interest, coin  
me as the Maoist ideologue, sympathizer and supporter respond to me:  
why should I shut up my mouth and stop writing against injustice,  
inequality and discrimination?

I have lost everything in the name of development and now I have  
nothing to lose therefore I’m determined to fight for my own people  
because I do not want them to be trapped in the name of development. I  
have taken the democratic path of struggle, which the Indian  
Constitution guarantees through Article 19. A pen, mouth and mind are  
my weapons. I’m neither a Maoist nor a Gandhian but I’m an Adivasi who  
is determined to fight for his own people, whom the Indian State has  
alienated, displaced and dispossessed from their resources and is  
continually doing it in the name of development, national security and  
national interest even today.

Gladson Dungdung is a Human Rights Activist and Writer from Jharkhand.  
He can be reached at gladsonhractivist at gmail.com