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Journalism of Courage
A day ahead of polling for the first phase of Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, two polling agents and a BSF jawan were injured on Monday in an IED blast believed to have been triggered by Naxalites near Rengaghati Rengagondi polling station in Kanker district of the Naxal-affected Bastar region of the state.
Earlier on Sunday, campaigning in the three contiguous districts of Narayanpur, Dantewada and Bijapur in Bastar had ended on an anxious note, after the murder of a second Chhattisgarh leader in cold blood, allegedly by Naxals, and the decision by three candidates of the Sarva Adi Dal to not contest after receiving open threats.
The Sarva Adi Dal was recently floated by Christian tribals, who are disenchanted with the ruling Congress over its “failure” to protect the community against attacks on them.
On Monday, two local Congress leaders received threats from alleged Naxals because of reportedly the support they have extended to a mining project. They have also been given security.
A senior police official from Bastar police range said, “Around 120 leaders have been provided security cover, varying from Z+ to X categories, in the Bastar range.”
A video of the BJP’s poll coordinator for Narayanpur, Ratan Dubey, shortly before he was hacked to death in the midst of campaigning, a mic still in his hand, is circulating on social media. Dubey was a popular leader, with his funeral drawing hundreds, and his killing has shaken BJP workers in Narayanpur city.
After the BJP termed Dubey’s murder “targeted killing” by the ruling Congress, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said: “I express sympathy with his family. But due to continuous efforts of our security forces, the Naxals have been pushed back, and people in remote places are also able to travel freely. I’m not denying that small incidents do occur. But regarding the Naxal situation, there is zameen asman ka farak (massive difference) between today and the past.”
Arun Pannalal, the president of the Sarva Adi Dal, said, “In our public meetings in Narayanpur, Dantewada and Bijapur, we received open threats. So we decided not to contest. We do not have the resources to protect our candidates.”
BASTAR IN NUMBERS:
| 120 | No. of Bastar leaders given security cover (Z+ to X categories) |
| 600 | Polling booths given three-layer security cordon |
| 40 | Polling booths previously relocated due to Naxal threat, now restored |
| 149 | Polling booths shifted to nearest thana or security camp (down from 196 in 2018 & 330 in 2019) |
| 156 | Booths where polling agents will be transported on helicopters |
| Other anti-Naxal measures |
Drones & helicopters for surveillance, bomb disposal and sniffer-dog squads on standby |
After Dubey’s murder, the Narayanpur police extended security cover to other BJP leaders. “To encourage voters, we have conducted a flag march in Narayanpur,” said an official of Narayanpur police.
Overall, the Bastar region — which comprises the seven districts of Kanker, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Bijapur, Dantewada, Sukma and Bastar — has been given a three-layer security cordon across more than 600 polling booths. For the first time since Independence, 80 new polling booths have come up in Bastar, while over 40 other booths, which had previously been relocated due to Naxal presence, have been restored in Minpa area of Sukma district, Galgam and Silger areas of Bijapur district and Chandameta area of Bastar district.
At the same time, 149 polling booths of Bijapur, Narayanpur, Antagarh, Dantewada and Konta Assembly constituencies have been shifted to the nearest police station or security camp, due to security concerns. “It’s noteworthy that 196 polling stations had to be shifted in the 2018 Assembly elections, while for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the number stood at 330,” said Sundarraj P, IGP, Bastar Range.
