By Venkat Parsa in New Delhi and U. Sudhakar Reddy in Hyderabad
Sept. 13: CPI(M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury on Monday expressed concern that Andhra Pradesh is going the Bihar way with the emergence of caste-based private armies like Nallamalla Cobra (Nallatrachu). Mr Yechury said that in the north private armies are used primarily to oppress the weaker sections. The police and the administration do not help the private armies’ victims as they lack clout.Most problems are rooted in backwardness and greater development is the answer, Mr Yechury said. In a sense, even the demand for a separate Telangana emerges from backwardness, he said.
The CPI(M) opposes statehood for Telangana. For tackling backwardness, he said, the government should formulate a well-funded specific development plan. Land and land rights are at the core of the problem, Mr Yechury said, adding that violence breaks out when these rights are diluted. The state government should address these issues in right earnest; if timely measures are not initiated, the situation could soon worsen, he said.
If such caste-based private armies are allowed to survive, a majority of attacks would be directed against dalits and the landless poor. Most of the private armies would be operated by rich, upper-caste people. For them, the weaker sections are the target, he said, adding that in addition to organised massacres, private armies use dehumanising programmes to insult the weaker sections.Private armies take the guise of anti-Maoist groups and spring up after a major attack by extremists.
Fear Vikas, Green Tigers, Nalladandu, Red Tigers, Tirumala Tigers, Palnadu Tigers, Kakatiya Cobras, Narsa Cobras, Nallamalla Nallatrachu (Cobras) and Kranthi Sena are some of the gangs. The gangs have fiery logos featuring cobras, tigers and guns. Narsa Cobras was formed after the Maoists shot Maktal Congress legislator Narsi Reddy in Mahbubnagar district on August 15. Narsa Cobras has already killed Kanakachari, a backward castes person, for allegedly being an alleged Maoist sympathiser.Tirumala Tigers was formed after the attack on then chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on October 2003 at Alipiri, at the Tirumala foothills. Among the oldest is Green Tigers, formed in the then Naxal base of North Telangana in 1994. The Maoists have since set up base in the Nallamala forests bordering four districts in central Andhra. Among these, the Nallatrachus are said to targetdalits.
The group takes its name from the deadly cobras of the Nallamala forests. On Sunday, this group threatened balladeer Gaddar with death.It has claimed responsibility for the September 10 killing of M. Prasad of Kula Nirmulana Porata Samithi (samithi for eradicating caste). Prasad, who belonged to the scheduled castes, was killed the day KNPS state president Duddu Prabkahar was released on bail.The Nallamala Nallatrachu has threatened to kill residents in a dalit colony in Prakasam district, a report from Ongole said. The police has launched a search for Nallatrachu activists in the area. The scare began after unidentified persons wearing masks went around houses at night, questioning residents.Nallatrachu leader Neelakantu warned Gaddar: "Your brothers Vara Vara Rao and Kalyan Rao are in jail. You are still talking for the Maoists. Stop that or face the consequences."Gaddar told this correspondent, "These gangs are sponsored by the government to curb revolution and people’s democratic movements. I have asked the government to provide me with a licence so that I can get a gun to protect myself. They refused." Two personal security officers were posted for the security of Gaddar.
Gaddar escaped an attack in April 1997. "Green Tigers have already pumped bullets into my spine. Now this is the latest threat." he said. "Let them threaten me, I will not leave this path. I will sing for the people till my last breath. They can’t jail my songs, they can’t shoot my songs, they can’t kill my songs."Director-general of police Swaranjit Sen denied that the police was backing these gangs. "Where is the need? The police is doing everything as per the law to tackle the Maoist menace. The police is not supporting them." Mr Sen added, "The police will investigate (the killings) impartially. I feel that this is a natural reaction against the atrocities of the Maoists."Mr Sen stoutly denied the caste angle. He said "We have no information that the Cobra gangs are caste-based. They are reactionary forces to the Maoists. Their victims are not too many. Only two cases were reported, and these depended on the local situation. Based on two incidents how can we say that the victims or the accused belong to specific caste groups."Former naxalite Nayeemuddin, alias Nayeem, is suspected to be behind some of the killings. Nayeem is said to be associated with the Nalladandu gang.
"The gangs are formed by former naxals, relatives of the victims of naxals, extreme elements. The gangs earlier killed human rights activists Azam Ali and Purushottam. We suspect that these gangs have cyanide weapons that can kill easily," said a senior police official.Some former naxals are fielding their associates in the forthcoming municipal elections. It is alleged that Syed Asgar, an associate of Nayeem, was unanimously elected because no one dared contest against him in a municipal ward in Bhongir town, about 50 km from Hyderabad. He secured a Congress ticket.
(Published in Deccan Chronicle and Asian Age)
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