Naxalites Celebrate Army Anniversary

As part of ongoing notes on the South Asian revolutions here, Asian Age reported on a Sunday open celebration by Indian revolutionaries amid a national ban and the country’s Operation Green Hunt, aimed at exterminating the Naxalites.

Journalist Sanjay Basak reports among those in attendance were one of the Indian government’s most-wanted, revolutionary leader Kishenji; and Rakesh, who heads the West Bengal-Jharkhand-Orissa border regional committee of the Communist Party of India (Maoist). Additionally, the event, the first organized foundation day recognition (and ninth anniversary) of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army, was protected by armed PLGA members, who cordoned off the area to counter attacks from the security forces. The event was reported to have been attended by residents of 50 villages.

The state-run National Mineral Development Corporation announced it stopped shipments for fear of Naxalite attacks. Those shipments have resumed, however.

Meanwhile, India is expected to begin military support for the Nepalese army in its ongoing fight against the Maobadi. Implicit to this seems to be shoring up defense against the people’s movement for civilian supremacy (e.g. the military’s accountability to the public).

Elsewhere in the region, a new guerrilla formation has emerged in Sri Lanka, with some reputed involvement from Indian revolutionaries and other groups.

Read more of this blog’s South Asian coverage here.