Tags:
Journalism of Courage
About a month before the Dantewada ambush that killed 75 CRPF men,the police ground in bordering Gadchiroli in Maharashtra was teeming with 25,000 young men and women,about 16,000 of them from the district itself.
They had come for the first phase of this Naxal-hit areas biggest police recruitment drive till date,aiming to recruit two full battalions 1,250 constables in each phase for Gadchiroli and newly carved out Aheri districts. Of the posts,376 would be reserved for girls.
All of those who appeared for the recruitment drive cleared the physical tests with the criteria relaxed in their case and are awaiting a written test next month. If they get through,they get a job. If they dont,they would have only two options stay back in Gadchiroli and do anything else for a living,or return to the village and face Naxal backlash.
For the police,its nothing less than a moral victory. If we are their tormentors,how is it that they come to us for jobs? And do they join us to go back to their villages and harass their own people? Today,50 per cent of our force in Gadchiroli comprises local tribals. Would they like the idea of their kith and kin being harassed? says Superintendent of Police Jayakumar.
A new recruitee in Naxal-affected areas gets Rs 15,000 to start with,something the entire family cant earn for a whole year. The height and chest expansion requirements are relaxed to encourage more to apply.
Sunita,a tribal girl hailing from Bhamragarh village name changed for fear of Naxal wrath,the eldest in her family of three brothers and parents,sneaked out to register for the recruitment. Five acres of rain-fed paddy agriculture can hardly meet the familys livelihood demands.
Davraj from north Gadchiroli also ran away to get himself enrolled. The job is more paramount than everything else, he says. We have no jobs here. A village youth had been killed by Naxals for a bid to join the police a few years ago. But I am not afraid. I need a job, he says.
Sangita,hailing from another Naxal-affected village in Sironcha,lost two of her kin to a Naxal attack. She had testified against the Maoists and has been under pressure since then. However,she says: I made up my mind to join the police for livelihood,not revenge.
Vijaya,on the other hand,wants to get back at the Naxals for her brothers death in an ambush. Of course,money is important, she adds.
Shyama lost her father in an encounter about six years ago and says she has been determined to become a policewoman. I dont think Naxals are doing any good to the people, she says.
Naxals have already been to Sunitas house seeking to know where she was. The family didnt know,but Naxals refused to believe them, she says. My brother somehow traced my whereabouts and telephoned. I told him I am joining police. Parents would never have allowed me if I had told them.
A local tribal activist feels Naxals are clearly the losers. Not only have they failed to deter the tribal youths from joining the police,but have ended up creating more policemen to fight with.
Even Dantewada hasnt changed that. When we come here,we know we have to be ready for any eventuality, they all say.
