CPI (Maoist) demote senior leaders over 'love affairs', say seized documents

Raipur: The outlawed CPI (Maoist) leadership has demoted some of its senior leaders for "falling in love" with women cadres, according to some documents of rebels seized recently by the police.

As per the documents, Gajrala Ashok (42), a prominent member of Dandakarnya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC), has been demoted and given the rank of divisional committee member for falling in love with a woman leader.

DKSZC controls Maoist activities in south Chhattisgarh and bordering area of neighbouring states -- Telangana, Odisha and Maharashtra.

"Ashok was demoted and given lower rank following complaints against him for having love affair with a woman cadre, as per the rebel documents," Inspector General of Police (anti-Naxal operations) Deepanshu Kabra told PTI.

Similarly, another DKSZC member Ingolapu was demoted as divisional committee member while Bejjarapu Kisan, who was a divisional committee member, was made an area committee member for the same reason, the IG said.

"The Maoist documents clearly establish that love affairs are considered as misconduct and violation of rules in the Naxal movement, as a result of which several male cadres have surrendered along with their girlfriend or wife to lead a social life," the IG said.

The surrendered couples in their statements have confessed that they were strictly directed not to engage in love, marriage or conceive a child.

The cadres were even forced to undergo sterilisation when senior leaders came to know about their affairs or abortion, if they found any female cadre pregnant, he said.

The Naxal documents have also talked about the issue of cadres falling in love as a cause of concern for the movement which has been facing setback for the past year due to dearth of cadres.

"The police keep a vigil on every development within the banned outfit in Bastar. We also try to extend help to cadres who were ill-treated or exploited through several means so as to attract them towards the mainstream," he added.