Twenty five year old Manoj has a tattoo in his left arms. Imprinted in English it says P+ M. I stare at it with undue interest and he shyly declares, “It is something very personal”.
“Your girlfriend”, I quiz and he nods gleefully.
Manoj is supposedly said to be the armed member of the Maoist squad in Jangalmahal. But officially he is the spokesperson for the PCPA ie the People’s Committee against Police atrocities popularly known as the ‘Jan Sadharan Committee’in the jangalmahal.
He came like a bandit in his Bajaj Pulsar…face covered to meet us. In a red colored bike a dark skinned youngster in bright yellow T shirt, he appeared to be the perfect blend of modern day rebel. A gold plated Titan watch flashed on his right wrist while a golden bracelet on his left, he was greeted by his comrade in strange signals.
Manoj Mahato had come to speak for the tribals of Jangal mahal in a small mud plastered hut in midst of bamboo forests in Pathri village some thirty kilometers from Midnapur town. A small table fan was switched on for us as we waited for him on that hot afternoon after four days of the Gyaneshwari express disaster.
We had crossed a football ground to reach this hut. His two comarades had guided us there. I tried to find out from them if it was Manoj’s residence.
It was of Lakhim Mahato of Pathri village, a small time farmer owning nine bighas of land. He had with two daughters and a son who was hauled up by the police from the Barisal high school hostel last year until his mother with other women of the locality had gheraoed the local police station and freed the guys allegedly having Maoists links. This story was time and again told to us by our hosts with accusations that the media termed them as lady Maoists.
Manoj asked me to show my identity proof before he settled down for the interaction. I had none. I had left it in the car some two kilometers away.
I asked my cameraman. “Can you hand over your ID proof”. He had his. He showed them. Manoj taunted, “Government of West Bengal”, Press card. It was his state accreditation card. A small some twelve year old then took out a mobile phone to take our photos. We obediently obliged.
“We want to be over sure about you all”, “you do not have a problem”, he asked.
I nodded.
Manoj sat in a plastic chair given to us outside the room.
I begin by asking him “Why are you all so suspicious about people?”
“Why should’nt we”, “whoso ever comes here comes with a purpose”. “You could be police agents”, he clarified. “Mind you, the police camouflaged as journalists had actually caught hold of our general secretary Chhatradhar Mahato’
“But still we do not mind”, he continued “We want our right to speak”.
“You have got so” “as any of us”, I was reasoning.
“Do you know people come here to catch us, term us Maoists and try us under your law”.
“What do you mean?” “Is the PCPA out of the purview of the Indian law”, I thought he was unreasonable.
“No you use the state’s law according to your own benefits”. “Presently the CPIM is doing that along with the state police”, “The centre is doing that according to their own needs”, it was Manoj.
“Why is the joint operation being held here? To kill the tribals who are questioning the legality and the authority of the police operation,” he continued.
“No, not at all but that is the government’s decision. And anyway the people here started this war. You questioned the presence of law in this area”, I was answering his defiance.
“We are not Maoists or whatever you call them. I am talking for the PCPA. We want tribal rights, nothing short of that. Tribals rights to speak , live and live on their own terms’.
“But there is a law. Why would you not allow people to enter this place? Why has junglemahal become the dreaded area these days?
“Because we would not let anyone come here. Our people want to live in peace. We do not want any more exploitation”, “We have been exploited for generations”.
“I want to give an example. The police came to Barisal school hostel, picked up boys of class eight or nine and termed them Maoists. Your media showed Maoists have been caught in Lalgarh. And then if the mothers of the accused go to the thana to protest and get back their children it is like Maoists women have attacked the thana to get back their comrades”.
“You blame Bapi Mahato for the Gyaneshwari attack”, “We have never attacked common people. Bapi was booked by the CID caught and kept in jail and released on bail because the police could not even file a chargesheet against him. Now you have another case and you are terming him Maoists and an accused in the Gyaneshwari case”. He was speaking for the tribals.
“But why is he running away and in this manner no problem will be sorted out. You ‘ll have to lay your arms first, then try and come to the mainstream’, I was arguing with him.
He appeared dismissive. “We have our way of life. We are neither rich nor educated that we shall be able to compete with the government”.
Manoj Mahato does not appear to have a political acumen to defend his acts but is defiant in his words. Talking in local Bangla he had passion in his words and some people from around the village stood in awe listening to him.
I ask him, “how old are you”?
He laughs, “twenty-five”, “quite old for us”.
“So now ….what?”
“We ll fight till our last”.
I ask, “tell me are you with Mamata Banerjee”, “she supported the PCPA once.”
“She does not have courage and just wants political mileage”, “she tried to disatance herself from us last time she was in Jhargram”. “We have served her purpose”.
I see the airtel dish antenna above the mud hut. Manoj asks one of his comrades to leave us till the road. I was leaving when I heard Manoj boasting to his comrades around, “ Police amader pichone. Kono din ekhane attack korte pare kinto amader ke eeii ladaii lorhte hobe”, (Police is after us. They can attack us any day. But don’t worry we ll have to fight this war).
yours personal views and manoj mahato's reaction well pharsed. But the problem lies with underdeveloped infrastructure developments such as roads, primary and secondary quality education,job creation. and every one trying to hog the lime light.The tribal people are and were very simple,honest and hard working people. since i have lived in tribal area at (jharkhand) MURI for almost 20 years.
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