Nachika Linga caught between devil and deep blue sea

By Surya Narayan Panda

Koraput, March 17: Nachika Linga, the underground leader of Maoist-backed Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangh (CMAS) who recently planned to surrender before the Odisha police, is now in trouble.

The rebels have disowned Nachika while the police is chasing him to arrest.

Nachika’s problem started ever since he decided early this month to give up his life in the jungle and participate in the coming elections so as to address the problems of the tribal farmers in Narayanpatna area of Koraput district in democratic ways.

The Maoists apprehend that if the tribal leader surrenders, they would lose their grip over the area where they built their base assiduously over a period of five years.

In a two-page letter singed by Daya and Aruna, leaders of the Srikakulam division of the outlawed CPI-Maoist, the rebels on Monday urged the local tribal people to disown Nachika and oppose his plan to join electoral politics.

Alleging that Nachika was trying to further his own personal ambitions at the cost of the ‘larger interests of the local tribal people,’ the Maoist leaders called the tribals to denounce his plans to contest the 2014 general elections.

The letter says the Maoists supported Nachika Linga and CMAS after they boycotted the 2009 general elections. However, the CMAS betrayed them in 2012 when it took an active part in the three-tier panchayat elections in 2012.

“After winning all the seats in Narayanpatna area, the CMAS led by Nachika extended support to the ruling BJD candidate for the Zilla Parishad chairman’s post after entering into a 10-point agreement with the state mass education minister Rabi Nanda and other BJD MLAs including the Laxmipur legislator Jhina Hikaka,” the letter said.

“Has it brought about any changes in the lives of the people? Did BJD fulfill the 10-point charter of demands?” the rebel leaders asked in the letter.

Alleging that  the elected sarpanchs have gone missing and the local Zilla Parishad member Joru Mouka has  become a ‘don’ in Damanjodi, the letter says it is not electoral politics but ‘people’s war’ which is the only way out for the people to escape their misery.

Urging the people in Narayanpatna to oppose Nachika’s move the Maoists have asked them to boycott the ensuing polls.

Nachika had announced to surrender before a local court I Koraput on March 12 after consultation with local people at Balipeta village. However, before he turned up at the venue, armed police reached there to arrest him, forcing him retreat to the jungle.