The Modi-Shah government is waging a direct war on the Adivasis of this country since January 2004 in the name of operation Kagar.The soldiers that are supposed to be on the borders of this country are killing the Maoists and Adivasis in Central India.The government is deploying lakhs of armed forces to repress these movements. It is using drones and bombs and rocket launchers. It is bombing with helicopters. It is virtually waging a war on the Adivasis and the Maoists.

Operation Kagar violates fundamental rights under India’s Constitution (Article 21), international human rights law (Article 3, Universal Declaration of Human Rights; Article 6, ICCPR), and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. These are unconstitutional and undemocratic attacks on the Adivasis that serve only to empower the corporate bosses.It also violates the 5th schedule of the constitution and the PESA act and the Forest Rights Act.

The BJP government is killing hundreds of common Adivasis too (More than 600 since Operation Kagar began) just to hand over the natural resources that are available in plenty in the forests to the corporates and capitalists like Adani and Ambani. The Adivasis are fighting against this harmful corporatization not only for themselves, but for all of us.

The Central Home Minister is repeatedly declaring that all Maoists will be killed by the end of March next year. Yet, responding to the initiative taken by Peace Dialogue committee in Telangana, the Maoist Party declared on April 2nd that it is willing to observe a ceasefire in order to prevent the genocide of the Adivasis. In fact it declared unilateral ceasefire. In spite of the fact that the security forces had killed many central and State level leaders and many activists they expressed their willingness for a ceasefire. The Maoist party has been observing ceasefire ever since. While the Government which is supposed to protect the Right of its citizens to live, has been acting in an unconstitutional manner, the Maoists have proposed constitutionally valid peace talks. 

The Central Government has held peace talks several times with the organisations that were fighting on Nationality issue in the North Eastern region. When Vajpayee was the Prime Minister, even the BJP government held talks with Naga rebels. The question of surrendering arms was never a pre-condition to the talks.

People in both the Telugu States are demanding that the Central Government should declare a ceasefire. Many programmes are being organised throughout the country. The left parties, the democratic and secular organisations have become a part of this nation wide awakening. Intellectuals representing different ideologies are bringing pressure on the Central Government to declare cease fire.

Maoists have put forth their cease fire proposal before six to seven State Governments too along with the Central Government. The Telangana Chief Minister has stated that their Government is treating the Maoist problem as a social issue and the State police will not participate in the anti-Maoist military operations. He also assured that his government will not resort to any anti-Maoist operations if there are no actions from Maoists’ side. Congress leadersMallikarjunaKharge and Rahul Gandhi favourably reacted to the cease fire and peace talks proposals put forth by Maoists. Yet, the state government has not officially declared a ceasefire. 

Hence, we demand the following –

-          The central government should immediately halt Operation Kagar

-          It should Immediately declare ceasefire and hold peace talks

-          Telangana government also should declare a ceasefire and hold talks with the Maoists

We request you to support us in this endeavour to stop war on our own people.