Teaching Trouble

Volunteer-teachers in Chhattisgarh, Adivasi youths instrumental in integrating a large number of school dropouts back into the education system in conflict-ridden districts of the state, are facing multiple challenges

- Prasun Goswami, Raunak Shivhare

IN October, Shankar Podiyami, a youth from Bijapur district, was abducted by Maoists when he went to visit his partner, who lives in her native village, tucked deep inside a forest. The Maoists were upset with Podiyami as he had joined Bastar Fighter forces about three months ago.

They have been raising their objections against these newly-formed units of Chhattisgarh police comprising around 2,000 local youths from the seven districts of Bastar division. These youths, who know the forests in the region well and are comfortable with the local language, assist the security forces in tracking down the Maoists.

Almost a week after abducting Podiyami, the Maoists called for a kangaroo court known as Jan Adalat in the deep woods of Bijapur, 1,000 kms from the state capital Raipur, where they were to decide his fate. They invited Podiyami's family members, journalists, and representatives of the Sarv Adivasi Samaj to be present at the 'trial'.

The 'invitees' arrived first; the Maoist leaders followed. Podiyami was produced before the 'court', and one of the cadres spelled out the allegations against the 'accused'. Maoists believe that security personnel commit atrocities on them while patrolling and Podiyami was seen as a representative of the alternative police force who they believe are unreasonably brutal.

Those present in the 'court' believed that Podiyami should be killed. The journalists, representatives of the Sarv Adivasi Samaj and Podiyami's family members were shaken by this and they decided to defend him. The debate went on. After a four-hour long debate, the Maoists came to the conclusion that Podiyami had recently joined the forces and had not been a part of any patrolling, raid, or encounter yet. They also accepted that he had come to the sensitive village to meet his partner and there was no hidden agenda.