Since the past few months, CPI (Maoist) has been attacking leaders, activists, sympathisers, and people’s representatives belonging to CPI(ML) - New Democracy in Yellandu area of Khammam District of Andhra Pradesh. While urging for ‘ceasefire’ and talks with the government of ruling classes, the CPI (Maoist) has opened a battlefront against communist revolutionaries and the movements led by them. Besides physical attacks on leaders and activists, they have publicly threatened to kill local and district leaders of CPI(ML)-New Democracy.

In November 2004, the ‘Maoist’ party has continually attacked CPI(ML) - New Democracy in Yellandu, Bayaram, and Gondala mandals. The special targets of these attacks were villages like Kumraram, Polaram, Pocharam, Manikyaram where the CPI(ML) - New Democracy has decades-old strong organisation and dense work among masses.

Let us take a overview of these attacks.

• On Nov. 12, 2004, the squad of ‘Maoist’ party under the leadership of squad commanders Prakash and Sudhakar beat Comrades Venkatakka, Bhukaya Achaya, Bhukya Dharma, Narsaiah, Ramulu, Elwala Nagayya and Hussain with rifle butts, injuring them severely.

• On Nov. 17, 2004 the ‘Maoist’ squads threatened peasants in Kumraram village.

• On Nov. 18, they took out a rally of 150 people collected from Yellandu and Gondala mandals. They attacked our party’s meeting in Manikyaram village and badly beat up Comrades D. Prasad and Kiran.

• They have threatened the sarpanchs belonging to CPI(ML) - New Democracy and demanded that they resign from their posts. Due to their threats of attack, Sarpanch Chakravorty of Gondala did resign.

• The squads of ‘Maoists’ are going to the villages and threatening to physically eliminate self defence squads of CPI(ML) - New Democracy. They are also threatening to kill our main village level leaders. For example, they have threatened to kill Com. Kotayya of Manikyaram and Com. Devjala of Bambai. They raided the house of party leader of Kumraram village, Com. Rambabu. When the local people opposed them, their squad beat them up. They did not even spare the women of this village. They were insulted and also beaten.

•  At different places death sentences have been issued against our party leaders and activists. A special target of their threats and slander is our party leader Com. Madhu. They do not even refrain from casteist abuse against Com. Madhu. Besides they have threatened to kill our activists in Sethupalli village.

       All these incidents show that CPI (Maoist) is proceeding in a planned way to damage the organisation and base of CPI(ML)-New Democracy in Yellandu area and it has given the responsibility for this to its squad commanders Prakash and Sudhakar.

The ‘Maoist’ party (while it was working in the name of CPI(ML)-PW had earlier too tried to harm and to finish off the CPI(ML)-New Democracy from Yellandu and other areas.

Using Dissatisfaction

For harming CPI(ML)-New Democracy the ‘Maoist’ party is depending on local lumpens, on anti-party elements, and on elements disgruntled with the party for varying reasons. The leaders of the Maoist party are unconcerned about why such elements oppose New Democracy or what are the reasons for their dissatisfaction. They only want local people who can be used against New Democracy, no matter how degenerate or anti-people such elements are.

For example, in Kumraram village they have taken Padam Shreenu, N. Krishna, Venkataiah along with them and are threatening party activists to leave the party issuing death sentences to them. They have not bothered to see who these people are and to check with what aim they have joined them (i.e. ‘Maoists’). At one time Shreenu, Krishna and Venkataiah were our party’s leaders in this village. They misused their positions and collected money through foul means. Due to these activities, they were removed from the leadership. The vast majority of villagers were against their activities. The contacted the ‘Maoist’ party to regain their dominance in the village and to continue their anti-people activities. The leaders of the ‘Maoist’ party were informed of their activities. But what do they bother about these?

On the advice of the ‘Maoist’ party, initially these people raised some village issues. The District Committee of our Party took these up seriously and tried to solve them. But where were they interested in these issues? They demanded that District Committee member in charge of the area, Com. Madhu, should be removed. The vast majority of the villagers opposed this. With this demand the real thinking of the ‘Maoist’ party was clear before all. For many years they have been trying to kill Com. Madhu. This was an attempt to finish him off politically.

These ‘dissatisfied’ elements tried to take out a rally in the village but only 15-20 people joined them. Seeing their schemes come to nought, ‘Maoist’ party leaders Sudhakar and Prakash threatened that they would not remain onlookers if any action was taken against these elements. It is noteworthy, that in this period while these ‘dissatisfied’ elements were working at the directions of the ‘Maoist’ party they identified themselves as CPI(ML)-New Democracy. The party was forced to expel Shreenu and Krishna. There are 2000 residents in this village and more than 95% are strongly with the party.

After failing here, the ‘Maoist’ party collected a handful of such people and begun a slander campaign against the party in the area. After assembling all its supporters it took out a rally of 150 people.

Baseless Charges by ‘Maoist’ party against CPI(ML)-New Democracy

Talking to the Press, ‘Maoist’ party leaders Sudhakar and Prakash have accused CPI(ML)-New Democracy of exercising autocracy in the area. They said New Democracy considers the area as its fiefdom. They refuse to recognise that the people of the area support New Democracy because the party has been working among them since the past 35 years. If the people of the area oppose the propaganda against the party and its leaders, can it be termed a fiefdom of New Democracy?

The ‘Maoist’ party put up its banners and flags on the homes of leaders of New Democracy and on its offices. When they were removed, they began propaganda that New Democracy is obstructing their political propaganda! Similar was their response when people opposed their raiding of Com. Ram Babu’s house mentioned earlier.

‘Maoist’ party leaders have spread propaganda against New Democracy Party leaders like Com. Madhu and others and against New Democracy’s MLA from Yellandu constituency, Com. Gummaddi Narsaiah. They have baselessly accused Com. Narsaiah of illegally capturing land for himself, accumulating 35 acres of land and of usurping a peasant’s  well after threatening him. If the people of the area refuse to believe this slander can New Democracy be accused of autocracy? CPI(ML)-New Democracy contradicted these allegations and called for an open investigation into them. Why have the ‘Maoist’ leaders not accepted this? Actually they have no interest in verifying these charges, they only want to raise whatever charges they can, baseless or otherwise, to harm the prestige and support of New Democracy so that they can attack its leaders with their squads.

For a long time CPI(ML)-PW had been propagating that New Democracy is a party of landlords in Yellandu, and landlords owning 50 to 100 acres of land are its leaders. An article to this effect was published in Peoples’ March some time back. Condemning this false propaganda CPI(ML)-New Democracy had challenged them to name one party leader who was a landlord and who held 50 to 100 acres of land. After this open challenge the erstwhile CPI(ML)-PW maintained silence.

That CPI(Maoist) is specifically targeting New Democracy is clear from the small fact that they are threatening our peoples’ representatives to resign and demanding that they surrender themselves before the ‘Maoist’ squads. On the other hand, among the issues accepted by the ‘Maoist’ party in its talks with the Congress led state govt., one is that they will not obstruct the work of peoples’ representatives (Point 3) and will not threaten them. Even what the ‘Maoist’ party accepts with the ruling parties of ruling classes, it is not ready to implement in the context of communist revolutionaries!

Long Series of Attacks on New Democracy

Since the past two decades CPI(ML)-PW (now CPI(Maoist)) has been attacking New Democracy and has been trying to harm the ongoing struggles under the leadership of New Democracy by these attacks. Party leaders were attacked in Warangal, Khammam, Nalgonda, East Godavari, and Karimnagar. Along with Com. Vikram, 20 comrades were martyred in such attacks. Has the ‘Maoist’ party drawn any lessons from this tragic history?

Some years earlier, the erstwhile PW had made activists, leaders and activists of mass organisations of our party targets of attack in Narsampet area of Warangal District. They beat up our gram sarpanchs, broke the hands and feet of some activists and killed a few others. In the course of these attacks the people of some of these areas turned away from revolutionary politics itself. The people did not go in favour of the so-called armed struggle of ‘Maoist’ party but sought the leadership of ruling class parties. Today these areas are supporters of ruling class parties – TDP and TRS. Has the ‘Maoist’ party drawn any lessons from this? From their current actions, it seems they have drawn none. Is the ‘Maoist’ party of the view that the people should support ruling class parties in place of communist revolutionary organisations?

Long History of Peoples’ Struggles led by New Democracy

There is a long tradition of peoples’ struggles under the leadership of New Democracy in Yellandu area. Since the past 35 years Godavari Valley has been the field of struggles led by communist revolutionaries. CPI(ML)-New Democracy has been continually leading the struggles of people of this area. CPI(ML)-New Democracy is conducting resistance struggle in areas of East Godavari, West Godavari, Khammam and Warangal districts of Godavari valley. Yellandu agency area is part of this area of Godavari Valley and is contiguous with the border of Warangal District.

In Yellandu area the tribals and poor have, under the leadership of New Democracy, developed an area of sustained resistance. For this they have continually faced police repression and the violence of landlords and their goondas, faced the attacks of forest officials and contractors and the deceptions, enticements and attacks of ruling class parties. The tribals have captured tens of thousands of acres of forest land and are cultivating the same. Thousands of acres of land has been freed from the occupation of landlords and the tribals and poor are cultivating it. The village poor and the tribals have fought innumerable struggles under the leadership of New Democracy for their rights. In these struggles, dozens of comrades have been martyred, thousands have faced police repression and torture in prisons. The history of struggles under New Democracy in Yellandu area is a history of ruthless struggle against class enemies and of the tradition of sacrifice by people.

The understanding of resistance struggle of New Democracy is of development of armed struggle in these areas. Resistance struggle is the phase of political, organisational and military preparation for armed struggle. The Party has built broad based mass organisations in the area and formed self-defence squads for defence from attacks by class enemies. The party has a vast mass base in Yellandu area, the reason for which are the struggles under the Party’s leadership against the class enemies. Since 1978 (leaving out 1994) the Party’s candidate has been continually elected as MLA from this area. People are firmly organised under the party despite the brutal repression of the ruling class parties and administration.

The Background of the Attacks by ‘Maoist’ Party

In the background of the attacks by ‘Maoist’ party is their wrong understanding of armed struggle. They think that their own armed actions themselves are people’s war. Their understanding of armed struggle visualizes passive acceptance by people not their active participation, and in this people become mere onlookers not the motive force of history. In the view of ‘Maoist’ party no political preparation is needed to begin armed struggle. People’s own experiences have no role, it only depends on the subjective preparation of some revolutionary organization.

Due to their wrong understanding about armed struggle, the ‘Maoist’ party considers the resistance struggle of New Democracy as a hurdle on the road of their armed struggle. According to the ‘Maoist’ party the concept of resistance struggle itself is revisionist. They brand as a revisionist Com. C.P. Reddy, the great communist revolutionary leader who took the initiative to formulate the concept of resistance struggle. Due to their wrong understanding they brand CPI(ML)-New Democracy as ‘armed revisionists’.

The review by ‘Maoist’ party (erstwhile PW) itself also clearly shows that their armed struggle is not able to develop. The report presented in 2001 in the North Telengana Zonal Conference of CPI(ML)-PW acknowledged that their struggle is crisis-ridden and the crisis is deepening. Platoons were made and then had to be broken up. Many things can be seen from their own summing up. In short, despite such a summing up they continue to think of their armed actions as armed struggle and to call the work of building of areas of sustained resistance as ‘revisionism’.

The problem of ‘Maoist’ party is that the resistance struggle areas of CPI(ML)-New Democracy fall in their proposed liberated area. That is also why instead of co-operating in the struggles against class enemies, the ‘Maoist’ party is running a campaign to harm CPI(ML)-New Democracy.

The ‘Maoists’ are refusing to imbibe the rich experiences of the communist revolutionary movement. When and where they have had to accept these experiences, they have never acknowledged doing so. At one time, making forests-mountains as their area of work by Com. C.P. Reddy and a section of communist revolutionaries of Andhra Pradesh in the light of Mao’s teachings and of the lessons of the Great Telengana armed struggle, was called a “jungle theory”. Today along with ‘Maoist’ party and its constituents the earlier PW and MCC, all communist revolutionaries accept the line of work in strategic areas of Com. C.P. Reddy and AP comrades, and are implementing it. Even then ‘Maoist’ party calls Com. C.P. Reddy a ‘revisionist’.

When our Party implemented the line of forming mass organisations, the erstwhile PW and MCC (constituents of ‘Maoist’ party) and some other organisations branded it as revisionism. Today the ‘Maoist’ party itself forms mass organisations and works in them but in their view CPI(ML)-New Democracy is a revisionist party.

The constituents of ‘Maoist’ party – earlier PW and MCC – label as revisionist CPI(ML)-New Democracy’s line of holding elections to be a question of tactics and utilizing the same. On this question they hold Com. Lenin’s teachings and the experiences of world communist movement to be inapplicable for India. But in the recent Lok Sabha and Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections, the erstwhile PW gave a slogan to defeat BJP-TDP, obstructed propaganda of TDP and BJP and allowed TRS and Congress to campaign. They supported the parties opposing the ruling NDA. After the elections, leaders of PW themselves lauded their own role in the victory of Congress in Andhra. On the other hand CPI(ML)-New Democracy uses elections on the basis of its independent strength and against all ruling class parties and revisionist parties. Only leaders of ‘Maoist’ party can tell that if using elections on the basis of our own strength to propagate the politics of new democratic revolution is revisionism, then what their support to one section of ruling classes to defeat another section is to be called? The leaders of ‘Maoist’ party may consider this an ‘uncomfortable’ question but the people of the country would definitely like to know since when the Congress, the biggest party of the ruling classes and which has ruled for a long time both at all India level and in AP – has become fit for support.

‘Enemical’ Behaviour towards Friendly Forces

After the last elections, the PW (now ‘Maoist’ party) has been talking to the AP state Govt. and they have a ‘ceasefire’ with the state Govt. We will comment on their talks elsewhere, here we will only say that they had labelled as revisionism the talks held under the leadership of Com. S.N. Singh and Com. C.P. Reddy post emergency with the Central Govt. We do not consider talks with the Govt. wrong, but we definitely have differing opinion about the issues and conduct of talks.

While the ‘Maoist’ party has declared a ‘ceasefire’ with the Govt. of the ruling classes, it has opened a front against communist revolutionaries. There are definitely differences between communist revolutionaries on the question of tactics, especially the concept of and preparation for armed struggle, but how is it in the interests of revolution to consider these as enemical differences? How does it help revolution to consider revolutionary forces as ‘enemies’ and carry out enemical activities against them? Can political differences between revolutionaries be solved through armed attacks? The leadership of the ‘Maoist’ party should pay attention to these questions.

Increasing Attacks by Ruling Classes and the Need for Unity of Progressive and Democratic Forces

The ruling classes have intensified their attacks on common people. The implementation of pro-imperialist and pro-MNC new economic policies is being speeded up. An Ordinance has been used to amend the Patent Act. The interest rate of Provident Fund of workers has been decreased. The situation of the poor in the villages is becoming more miserable. Suicides by peasants continue. Land distribution has been given the go by and movements of landless poor peasants are being crushed. The ruling UPA Govt. is fooling with the people. While POTA has been revoked, its provisions have been transferred to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The Employment Guarantee Scheme has been made into a joke.

The need of the hour is an united struggle by all progressive and democratic forces against the heightened attacks of imperialism and the increasing repression and exploitation of the ruling classes. Communist revolutionaries are the leading force in the struggle against imperialist exploitation and feudal oppression and are sustained opponents of the ruling classes. At such a time, for the ‘Maoist’ party to turn communist revolutionaries towards mutual clashes instead of forging unity in struggles between them, is definitely worrying. The challenge of their leaders that if they want they can finish off CPI(ML)-New Democracy from Narsampet, Pakala Kothagudem and Yellandu areas is undoubtedly tragic. CPI(ML)-New Democracy hopes that the leaders of ‘Maoist’ party will stop their organization from taking this road and will adopt a positive attitude towards joint struggles by communist revolutionary organizations against ruling classes.