Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Vasectomy forced on Maoist cadre-ToI-1.2.12


New Delhi: Seven Maoists, who surrendered to police in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker, claimed their leaders forced them to undergo vasectomy to ensure the ultras’ cause doesn’t get lost in domestic compulsions.
    Besides three senior commanders, East Bastar divisional committee member Sunil Kumar and his wife Jayanti, a senior member of the Maoist cultural wing, are among those who surrendered. All the four men claimed they had to undergo vasectomy.
    Maoist veterans said vasectomy of members is an old practice in Naxalite outfits. It was also practiced in the People’s War Group (PWG) that merged with the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) in 2004 to form the CPI-Maoist. Speaking to TOI over phone, Bastar inspector-general of police T J Long Kumer said, “Maoist leaders force their cadres to undergo vasectomy, especially, if they want to marry the party’s female cadres.”
    N Saibaba, democratic rights activist associated with the Revolutionary Democratic Front (RDF), trashed such claims. He said, “This is clearly a forced statement by the police. I think there is no truth in it. (Maoist spokesperson) Gudsa Usendi had clarified earlier that police put words in the mouth of surrendered Maoists for propaganda.”
    Long Kumer, however, cited the instance of a PWG cadre Bhadrana, who led the Basaguda dalam. He had to undergo vasectomy when he wanted to marry a fellow Maoist. “I was Dantewada SP then. After surrendering in 2000, Bhadrana told me he wanted to have children. We sent him to a Bhilai hospital to undo the vasectomy,” said
Long Kumer.
    But, such operations are largely reserved for local cadres who are pushed to the frontline to fight the “war”. “Maoist leaders, most of who are from Andhra Pradesh, have no such compulsions. It’s only meant for the local and tribal cadres. Maoist general secretary Ganapathy has two daughters and a son,” said Rajesh.
PC slams Naxals’ vasectomy policy
    
Home minister P Chidambaram said the Maoist directive asking its cadres to undergo vasectomy operation was a form of "violence and oppression" unleashed upon them. “This is not a new report... there have been reports in the past that Naxals exploit young girls... (and) of Naxalite cadres committing torture on cadres, taking away young boys and forcibly recruit (them). This is one another kind of violence and oppression they unleash upon young cadre," Chidambaram said. 

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