CPI (Maoist) document admits to 'retreat

After setbacks in Gadchiroli, elsewhere

- ABHISHEK SHARAN

Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra, one of India's 25 worst left-wing extremism (LWE)-affected districts according to the ministry of home affairs, has been identified as one of the four key regions where the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) and its armed wing, the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), were forced to make a 'temporary retreat' after severe setbacks sustained in the course of counter-Naxal operations by police, paramilitary and commando forces, over the last several years.

The Maoists claim to have sent a 'guerrilla company' to salvage the strength of the PLGA. The rare admission has come in a Maoist document titled 'The Growth of People's Liberation Guerrilla Army in the Long-term Democratic People's War (2000-2020),' issued by them recently, to mark the PLGA's formation in December 2000.

The document gives an account of the Maoists' alleged major accomplishments, failures and challenges towards the goal of attaining a new democratic people's revolution' through a 'people's war'. This document, which has been reviewed by the FPJ, while referring to  Gadchiroli and Gondia districts in Maharashtra (identifying these as 'guerrilla zones', along with the 'Balaghat-Bhandara divisions' in Madhya Pradesh), claims that they had faced 'serious oppression', as a result of which their 'movement' had to effect a 'temporary retreat'.