Naxals threatening villagers in tribal areas of Chhattisgarh to boycott elections

New Delhi, Oct 20: Naxals in the tribal and remote areas of Chhattisgarh are thronging villages in groups of 10-20 people to motivate villagers to boycott elections of the state and in case of any resistance they are threatening them of dire consequences but the big group of 20-25 people is attacking police presence in the village which is getting ready to conduct polls.

The entire Bastar region is naxal-infested but Sukma, Bijapur, Dantewada and Narayanpur districts are the regions where maximum movement of naxals is taking place. But Sukma is the most sensitive district and maximum movement is taking place there only. However, villagers are putting brave face and are ready to vote as earlier also such threat was issued by these naxals. Actually the district administration had run a campaign for the Assembly elections in the naxal-infested areas by convening people of 8-10 villages at one place to tell them that the government is with them. There is no need to afraid of anyone.

Sources in the security forces said that naxals in a group of 10 and 20 men penetrated among villagers. The group of 10 people is motivating villagers not to participate in the election process as it is not in their interest while group of 20-25 are frightening people with gun by attacking police forces present in the villages or in camps outside villages. Problem is that local people too are in the group of naxals. But these groups are mostly let by Telugu-speaking naxals but they take along Gond speaking naxals to motivate villagers.

Actually Public Distribution System (PDS), health, schools and other schemes of the government has failed to reach remote areas of the state due to presence of naxals in these areas. Roads have been built but people of the area need food. Still wherever the schools have been built by the government and assistance provided to them are helping them to come out of remote area for higher education and some of them are doing well like competing in institutions like IITs and medical colleges. This is a big achievement for the people living in the remote areas of the state.

An activist working in these remote area said that this is what naxals don't want to happen in the area. So if there is no development only then they will be heard by villagers. Things will change from October 23 when large number of nomination start.