Red flag to green steel

Ex-Maoists forge new destiny in Gadchiroli Gadchiroli: The rugged, forested terrain of Gadchiroli district, long synonymous with the violence and deep-rooted anti-establishment tenets of the ‘Red Ideology’, is now witnessing a remarkable social and industrial transformation. At the Lloyds Metals and Energy Ltd. (LMEL) plant in Konsari, once-feared Maoist operatives are shedding their past lives and embracing a new, respectable existence as skilled workers in a cutting-edge Direct Reduced Iron...

min read

Ex-Maoists forge new destiny in Gadchiroli Gadchiroli: The rugged, forested terrain of Gadchiroli district, long synonymous with the violence and deep-rooted anti-establishment tenets of the ‘Red Ideology’, is now witnessing a remarkable social and industrial transformation. At the Lloyds Metals and Energy Ltd. (LMEL) plant in Konsari, once-feared Maoist operatives are shedding their past lives and embracing a new, respectable existence as skilled workers in a cutting-edge Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) and pellet plant. This ‘green steel’ project, part of LMEL’s push for an integrated steel complex in the region, is functioning not just as an industrial unit but as a crucial pillar in the Maharashtra government’s surrender-cum-rehabilitation policy. So far, LMEL, in coordination with the state government and the Gadchiroli Police, has provided employment and training to 68 surrendered Maoists and 14 members of families affected by Naxal violence, a total of 82 individuals, offering them a definitive pathway back to the mainstream. The Shift The transformation begins at the company’s dedicated Lloyds Skill Development and Training Centre at Konsari. Recognizing that many former cadres had limited formal education, the company implements a structured, skill-based rehabilitation model. They are trained in essential technical and operational skills required for plant administration, civil construction, and mechanical operations. For individuals like Govinda Atala, a former deputy commander, the change is palpable. “After surrendering, I got the right to live a new life,” Atala said. “I am very happy to get this job. I am now living my life on my own; there is no pressure on me now.” Suresh Hichame, who spent over a decade in the movement before surrendering in 2009 too echoed the sentiments. He realized the path of violence offered neither him nor his family any benefit. Moreover, his self-respecct was hurt. He knew several languages and carried out several crucial tasks for the banned organization remaining constantly under the shadow of death. Today, he works in the plant, receiving a steady monthly salary that enables him to care for his family—a basic dignity the ‘Red Ideology’ could never provide. The monthly salaries of the rehabilitated workers, typically ranging from Rs 13,000 to Rs 20,000, are revolutionary in a region long characterized by poverty and lack of opportunities. Trust, Stability The employment of former Maoists is a brave and calculated risk for LMEL, an industry that historically faced stiff opposition and even violence from the left wing extremist groups. LMEL’s management, however, sees it as an investment in inclusive growth and long-term stability for the district. The LMEL has emphasized the company’s commitment to training and facilitating career growth for the local populace, including the surrendered cadres. This commitment to local workforce upskilling is proving to be a highly effective counter-insurgency strategy, chipping away at the foundation of the Maoist movement: the exploitation of local grievances and lack of economic options. The reintegration effort extends beyond the factory floor. By providing stable incomes and a sense of purpose, LMEL helps the former rebels navigate the social transition. They are now homeowners, taxpayers, and active members of the community, replacing the identity of an outlaw with that of a respected employee. This social acceptance, coupled with economic independence, is the true measure of rehabilitation. The successful employment of cadres, some of whom were once high-ranking commanders, also sends a powerful message to those still active in the jungle: the path to a peaceful and prosperous life is open and tangible. It transforms the promise of government rehabilitation into a concrete reality. The plant, with its production of iron ore and steel, is physically transforming the region into an emerging industrial hub, and in doing so, it is symbolically forging the nation’s progress out of the ashes of extremism. The coordinated effort between private industry, the state government, and the Gadchiroli police is establishing a new environment of trust, stability, and economic progress, marking Gadchiroli’s transition from a Maoist hotbed to a model of inclusive and sustainable development.

Roll Call or Roll Purge?

Correspondent
Jul 2
3 min read

A sweeping revision of Bihar’s electoral rolls has spooked fears of disenfranchising the marginalised while igniting a political firestorm before elections.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has embarked on what it describes as a “special intensive revision” (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, the first of six states slated for scrutiny. The exercise, ostensibly designed to weed out foreign illegal migrants and ensure that only bona fide Indian citizens remain on the voter list, has rapidly morphed into a political powder keg. With state elections due by year’s end, opposition parties accuse the poll body of complicity in what they allege is a pre-election purge of voters likely to favour their alliance. The ECI insists it is merely fulfilling its constitutional mandate.

Electoral rolls, like all living documents, require periodic pruning to remain credible by removing the deceased, accounting for migrations and plugging loopholes through which ineligible voters, including foreign nationals, may sneak in. Bihar, sharing a porous border with Nepal and home to millions of seasonal migrants, offers ample justification for vigilance.

What has drawn fire is not the rationale but the rollout. Critics point to the fact that the last such intensive revision in Bihar was carried out in 2003, well before the 20024 general election and the state elections in 2005, thus giving citizens ample time to appeal deletions or contest exclusions. This time, the SIR is being launched just months before a closely fought election.

The government’s defence rests on constitutional grounds. Article 326 stipulates that only Indian citizens can vote. That principle is not up for debate. Yet the spectre haunting Bihar is not legality but selective disenfranchisement. Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’ Brien accused the EC of “bringing in the NRC through the back door,” likening the current process to Nazi-era racial documentation. Allusions to fascism may be hyperbolic, but the sense of déjà vu is hard to ignore. India has, in recent years, witnessed the explosive political consequences of attempts to prove citizenship on paper. The botched implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam left millions in limbo, many of them impoverished and lacking formal documentation.

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi also expressed concern, noting that Bihar’s electoral rolls already underwent a Special Summary Revision earlier this year. He warned that the current exercise risks becoming another instrument of exclusion, especially as it now hinges on the 2003 electoral roll as the base document.

There are, undeniably, real risks of manipulation in border regions like Bihar, where porous frontiers make it easy for non-citizens to blend in. But conflating national security with voter roll verification, particularly so close to elections, risks undermining democratic credibility. According to legal experts, the EC is within its rights to conduct such a revision. What is in question is the proportionality and intent behind the timing.

The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) comprised of Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) and the Bharatiya Janata Party—has dismissed allegations of foul play. Yet the optics do not favour the incumbents. In a state where caste arithmetic, minority votes, and migrant populations heavily influence the outcome, even a marginal recalibration of the voter base can tip the scales.

The Election Commission was once regarded as a paragon of electoral integrity in a tumultuous democracy. Now, it is accused of moving in lockstep with the ruling dispensation’s political imperatives.

If the objective is to ensure clean, credible elections, where transparency must be paramount. The EC should clearly publish the methodology, safeguards, and grievance redressal mechanisms attached to the SIR. It must also allow adequate time for citizens to prove their eligibility - not just technically, but practically, given the constraints of rural documentation and seasonal migration.

Democracies falter not just when the rules are broken, but when the rules are bent just enough to serve partisan ends. Bihar’s voter list must reflect the will of the people, not the anxieties of the powerful.

Red flag to green steel

Roll Call or Roll Purge?

Recent Posts

Comments