Volume 3, No. 5, May 2002

Since the last nine months the TDP government has been playing the game of ‘talks’, in order to fool the people. Simultaneously, in AP, especially in North Telengana, a reign of white terror has been unleashed resulting in arrests, tortures, fake encounters, ambushes, etc. This is the real fascist character of the government, for which we appeal to all democratic section to understand, condemn and resist.

In the last nine months there have been 50 martyrs in AP, of which 28 are in NT alone. Of these in NT, two District Committee members - coms. Suryam and Illanna - were arrested while going for medical treatment (Sept.2001 and Jan 2002), tortured and brutally killed in fake encounters.

After the Hanamkonda attack on a police station, the police picked up four sympathisers from their sleep and killed them at 5.00 am in front of the people. In Nizamabad the police killed an LGS commander. In Mandamari mandal of Adilabad district, the police killed a villager who went to the forest to gather wood, under the pretext that he cooperated with the PW. In Karimnagar, the Muttaram LGS deputy commander was attacked and killed. The 15th platoon section commander, Com. Saranna, was injured in an encounter near Singampalli village (Karimnagar). He was then tortured and killed in cold blood. Then 8 comrades were killed in the Tupakullaguddam massacre. The next day two lady comrades, resting in a village in Madhavpur area, who had returned from medical treatment, were tortured and killed in a fake encounter. Then, near village Sarsanapalli in Warangal district four comrades were martyred in an ambush on the SGS. One lady comrades from this SGS was killed in another ambush. In the Mulgu area, near Kallapalli village Com. Radhika was martyred in an ambush.

Under the pretext that the DTF (Democratic Teacher’s Federation) and the TJS (Telengana Jan Sabha) are linked to the PW hundreds have been arrested and brutally tortured; some have even been killed. Amongst those killed was TKS (Cultural front of TJS) leader Illanna and DTF leader, Chandramallu, in a fake encounter in Warangal town.

In the village special batches are extensively combing the forests, while mass organisation leaders and even ordinary villagers are being arrested and tortured. RSS (Ryutu Seva Samiti), DTF and TJS activists are being harassed and being made to resign under pressure and threats. Numerous students in Etumagaram, who were agitating around their demands were arrested and many are regularly tortured. There is continuous police vigil on hostels, and students have to take the warden’s permission if they are to go anywhere.

If Jubilleenagar village of Warangal, a peasant going to the fields was fired on by the police and injured. The police then propagated that Naxalites shot at him. When villagers surrounded the police, they were threatened not to allow the PW into their village. The police regularly pick up village activists after raiding their village - they are threatened, beaten and then released. Often the police encircle a village at mid-night and then arrest the mass organisation leaders after a house-to-house search.

The government is spending crores on informers, black hundreds and coverts. These are involved in pin- pointing sympathisers/activists, trailing and killing them. An example was in Nizamabad, where two squad members, who were going to hospital, were killed by the black-hundreds. In Nalgonda district three relatives of Belli Lalita were killed by the Naem gang. These gangs are also looting money from the people and sympathisers, with threats to kill them. In his manner the police have turned Telengana into a war zone.

In NT East Division, a special effort has been made by the police forces to finish off the PGA. So, in Warangal district simultaneous massive combing operations are conducted in the Narsampet, Mulgu, and Gudur forest area. In Warangal there were four police attacks on a squad in just one day. Also there are massive combing operations being conducted in the Madhevpur and Eturnagaram forest belts under Karimnagar and Khammam DC respectively.

Since March 1-13th special forces from Hyderabad were combing these forests. In this operation 11 comrades were martyred — first Com. Saranna, then 8 at the camp then two lady comrades. After gathering detailed information the entire camp was encircled and then attacked. This was a JOC (Joint Operational Command) action, involving both the State and Centre.

The TDP is running a police raj attacking all sections of Society. The police themselves are conducting medical camps, setting up youth and sports clubs and dealing with contradictions between the people. They are nothing but wolves in sheep clothing. Through ‘counselling’ they forcefully take statements of parents asking their children to surrender. All this is a part of their Low-intensity Conflict strategy to crush the revolution. In addition, through the POTO Act, the state and Centre have banned both the PW and the MCC.

The CCC (concerned citizen’s Committee) said that as violence between the PW and State were increasing, they suggested talks and discussions between the two. We laid out 3 conditions before discussion - that arrests, encounters and patrolling/combing be stopped. But, on the contrary, these have all been increasing. To stop these attacks the CCC does not put pressure on the government; but utilising the incident of the killing of Ragia Nayak (MLA) it equates the violence of the PW with the State. Also they said nothing after the killing of 4 sympathisers in the wake of the Hanamkonda police action. Also, they are quiet on the Bongiri incident where three relatives of Belli Lalita were killed.

After the all-party meeting on Feb 11, some 20 to 25 comrades have been killed in NT alone.

After the Tupakullaguddam incident, the CPM state Secretary, Raghavalu, criticised both the State and the PW equally. And the CCC is suggesting to the PW not to break the proposal of talks, because of this incident. This is a most strange logic, which only assists the ruling classes and has nothing to do with the oppressed masses. We request that they give up this attitude and join the democratic forces to condemn the government.

The opposition parties and CCC demand democracy and peace only in words. Instead of putting pressure on the government they propagate against PW.

In the name of consultation with other parties and the people the government is consciously adopting delaying tactics, while continuing with its massacres, as at Tupakallaguddam.

The Tupakullaguddam massacre was a planned action of the government and police. Immediately after the massacre, Home Minister, Devendra Goud said, that this action will not result in a hurdle for the proposed talks. While DGP Ramulu stated that the question of talks’ is a government affair, and in no way connected with police action, which will continue. These contradictory statements exposes the hollowness of the governments’ intentions. While consciously adopting delaying tactics, they made detailed plans for the big attack under the directions of the JOC and DGP Ramulu.

Well before March 11, based on information, the police forces from Hyderabad, Warangal, Karimnagar, Khammam and Chattisgarh were involved in a massive mobilisation to encircle the entire area. 3 batches attacked the camp from three sides. The PGA forces resisted heroically. To protect the leadership they went in the forefront and shot dead an SI. But, while resisting, comrades Swarana, Prabhakar, Devendra, Benjamin, Rajita, Anjanna, Gajendra and Indra were martyred.

On the very next day 2 LGS lady comrades Premilla and Venella, were picked up from a village, when they had returned from hospital, were brutally tortured and killed in a fake encounter. This too was a part of the massive police operations in the area.

In memory of these heroic fighter and in condemnation of the government we call on the people to observe an all — AP bandh on March 21. Also observe March 22 as an all - India bandh against POTO.

We call on the masses to hold meetings, processions and propagate widely; to resist the informers and police forces; and to punish TDP leaders.

While adopting the duplicity of talks it is conducting an all-sided attack. We must prepare to resist this. We call on the oppressed people to become a part of the people’s war. And keeping the goals of our martyrs in mind, to pick up the gun and join the PGA in large numbers.

Workers, peasants, students, employees participate in a big way and make the bandh of March 21 and 22 a great success. We appeal to all small businesses, banks, educational institutions, buses, trains, hotels etc. to voluntarily close on these two days.

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