Lalit Shukla

In second half of year 2009, Indian State launched ‘Operation Green Hunt (OGH)’ to fight its own most underprivileged people because they are resisting illegal undemocratic corporate mining. Manmohan Singh, then prime minister and man of World Bank to carry forward neoliberal agenda to open Indian markets for multinational corporate companies, described their resistance as “the biggest internal security challenge” because they are asking for their fundamental right of existence. This voice of resistance is not good for the climate for investment, P. Chidambaram told to Parliament explaining necessity of mining of tremendous natural resources of minerals as before being finance minister he represented several mining companies in his carrier as corporate lawyer.

To create good investment climate and to kill the voice of dissidence, Operation Green Hunt was launched which is still active after more than five years. In the name of war on left wing extremism, paramilitary and state forces torture innocent tribal, rape women, and kill people in fake encounters which gift them prizes and promotions. Although personnel in paramilitary and state forces mostly come from poor economic backgrounds in search of employment and sometimes their family take debt to bribe officers to get these jobs, they don’t know why they are killing or getting killed by people of their own class for the benefit of few greedy people of elite corporate class.

A suspected Maoist being carried away after an “encounter” in Ranja forest
in West Midnapore, West Bengal (PC: Indian Express)

In 2005, state sponsored a most brutal operation in Chhattisgarh named ‘Salwa Judum’ led by congress leader Mahendra Karma to fight with left wing extremism. In this operation, an army of local people was trained; villagers were asked to surrender in the camps; many villages were burned; many women were raped; many people including children were killed. All this has been done in the name of development, in the name of “call to join mainstream”. On 5th July, 2011, Supreme Court of India gave judgement in Salwa Judum case stating it as illegal and unconstitutional. Mahendra Karma was killed on 25th May, 2013 in a Maoist attack.

Basanti Motiram and Soyam Ram at the remnants of their village of
Boreguda that was burnt down by the CRPF and the Salwa Judum in 2006.
(PC: Emaho Magazine)

Hundreds of MOUs were signed with multinational companies by governments in very undemocratic way. When people resisted, authoritarian state came with such aristocratic arm operations. Due to heavy human rights abuse, state received widespread criticism from national and international activists, academicians, writers etc. State was forced to listen to people’s voice. Gram sabhas were held to decide the future of Vedanta’s bauxite mining in Niyamgiri and they rejected mining projects. Several MOUs lapsed. But corporate companies were desperate to get the bauxite; they needed a new leader to get their work done.

Here comes the corporate loving Gujarat model and its infamous leader Narendra Modi because of his alleged role in Gujarat riots in 2002. Corporate media and hired public relation companies played vast role to white-wash his image as ‘man of development’. Anti-congress mood of public due to large scale scams in last UPA government, big corporate investments in Modi’s election campaigns, and with the help communal polarisation in Hindi speaking belt of India by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and other Hindu Nationalist sister organisations led Narendra Modi to become 15th prime minister of India with 31% vote share on 16th May 2014.

Within few months, Narendra Modi led corporate sponsored government stated showing its colours by diluting environmental laws and labour laws. People started realising those electoral promises of “Achchhe Din” (Good Days) was only for corporates when government came with land accusation ordinance to make good investment climate. To divert people from real problems, present government cleverly used nationalist and religious sentiments. While people were busy debating: who is Raamzaada and who is Haramzaada, how many kids a Hindu women should produce, who should go to Pakistan, government slashed budget in health and education sectors. Farmer suicide rate increased in last one year. India tops world hunger list. There are many such achievements which cannot cover up with corporate development. Since 44% children (under 5 year) are underweight, 72% infants have anaemia, so government decided to slash heath budget and spent 500 crores to celebrate 21st June as International Yoga Day. To pollute young children’s mind, school books are being re-written with unscientific infusion of religious mythology with science and modified history to fulfill their venomous Hindu nationalist ideology. Hindu nationalist fascist ideologues are being placed as head of the educational and research institutes of country.

While leader and state officers convicted in Gujarat 2002 riots are out on bail, Bollywood star Salman Khan got bail after few hours after conviction, Lalit Modi is on foreign trip with the help of Shushma Swaraj on so called ‘humanitarian grounds’, Kabir Kala Manch (KKM) activists, arrested by Maharashtra Police for alleged links with Maoist more than two year back, are being tortured and denied bail. KKM is a cultural organisation which attacks caste system and demands a true democracy through music, poetry, and theatre.

Mahendra Karma’s son is planning to launch Salwa Judum 2 under the banner of ‘Vikash Sangharsh Samiti’ obviously with the help of state and corporate mining companies.

People who oppose imperialist state policies, people who don’t speak in the language of oppressor, people who ask for their fundamental rights, people who ask for equality and justice are getting abducted, tortured, and killed. Our jails are filled with innocent poor tribals and Muslims youths who cannot afford a legal help. Their side of story is unheard. In such dark times, silence is not an option. We must speak up. We must come out of our comfort zone. We must ask for rights, equality, and justice.

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Lalit Shukla