House that gave CPI(M) red face is reclaimed

Midnapore, Sept. 2: The CPI(M) “reclaimed” a Lalgarh village whose “fall” a year ago represented a dramatic moment in the Maoist onslaught and mirrored the ruling party’s alienation from not only the masses but also its slogans celebrating frugality.

At the forefront of 7,000 CPI(M) supporters who marched into Dharampur village was Anuj Pandey, the party’s Binpur zonal committee secretary whose two-storeyed house — opulent by local standards — was vandalised by a huge crowd of villagers, egged on by Maoists, on 15 June, 2009.

The local party office was also set on fire that day, the scenes of defiance unfolding in daylight and beamed live on television. That moment marked the nadir of the CPI(M) in the region — a telling comment on the state of the once-feared monolith in the hinterland where the Maoists had spread their reach.

Pandey’s house had also turned the spotlight on the lifestyle of some CPI(M) leaders and raised questions about the source of their wealth, an issue that reached the party’s “rectification” debate in Delhi.

Today, as another debate raged about the CPI(M)’s “armed camps” that played a role in turning the heat on the Maoists and setting the stage for reclamation of territory, Pandey unfurled the red flag in front of the party office.

“Thirteen of our supporters had been abducted and killed by the Maoists and thousands of us had been driven out of our homes here but today, we have shown them that we are the people who are in control here once again,” Pandey said.

A large posse from the joint security forces, who had set up a camp here, patrolled the area. Some of them, armed with automatic weapons, had fanned out to the outskirts of the village to repulse any possible attack from outside.

“We will start functioning in our party office from today,” said Pandey, with his brother Dalim beside him. Both had fled to Midnapore town with their families last year. “My house is badly damaged. For the time being, I will live with neighbours,” he added.

CPI(M) sources said cadres from several of the camps set up in the area had been trying to force their way into Dharampur over the past few weeks. On 24 August, armed cadres had tried to reach Dharampur but were repulsed by Maoists. “But today they could enter with the help of the joint forces,” claimed a Maoist leader.


Naresh Jana, The Telegraph
(Inputs from Pronab Mondal)