Adivasi-Lambada clashes may lead to Maoist resurgence, fear cops

Adilabad: With the ongoing tussle between the aboriginals and Lambadas assuming threatening proportions, the police department is sceptic that even an iota of unrest, disintegration or insecurity among the tribes will be catastrophic as it could lead to resurgence of Maoists, whose firepower is on the wane for the last few months.

The red corridor in Telangana that stretches from Bhadrachalam to Adilabad, of late, is not teeming with any activity as it had been a few years ago. Especially since the encounter of Sruthi and Vidyasagar in the erstwhile Warangal district, the State’s ascendency over the banned outfit is regarded as total. Thanks to the multi-pronged strategy of the police that either suppressed or silenced or subjugated the ultras.

Whatever the little challenge they have come across, the police nipped it in the budding stage itself. The recent Tekulapally (Bhadradri-Kothagudem) encounter, in which eight of the newly-formed CPI-ML CP-Bata naxal group was killed, is one such an instance.

The Adilabad police also made a significant progress in tackling the naxal menace in its vast stretches of thickets bordering Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh. Now, all the hard work put in by the police over the last couple of years, especially by Vikram Jeet Duggal when he was the Superintendent of Police is in danger of being guttered.

Duggal had been instrumental in reaching out the tribes and instilling confidence among them through his brainchild initiative, ‘Jana Mytri’, a mass contact programme to help the aboriginals, and to convince them with possible assistance if they persuade their Maoist kin to surrender.

The support of aboriginals is vital for the police in keeping rebel outfits at bay. The police fear that there was a possibility of Maoists taking advantage of the Adivasis capitalising on their discontent caused by the ongoing row between them and Lambadas.

DGP M Mahender Reddy, during his visit to Utnoor on Sunday, hinted at the possibility of Maoist resurgence in the Agency taking advantage of the disturbances caused by the recent flare-up between the aboriginals and Lambadas.

Reacting to the DGP remarks, Adivasi Sankshema Parishad central coordinator Madivi Nehru told The Hans India: “Although the demand for removing Lambadas from the tribes category is sporadic for a long ago, this is the first time that it took a shape of an agitation from all aboriginals without anybody’s support. The issue has disturbed all the Adivasis and now we want justice and as well as peace.”

Telangana State Tribal Teachers Federation president Eslavath Laxman Naik said: “DGP’s concern is understandable and in a way true if education system fails. Disturbed state of affairs in the region for the last few weeks has its impact on education of the children. The ball is in government’s court.”

By: Adepu Mahender