towards bruxelles 27th january -Operation Kagar: The War on Adivasis and Their Land

Adivasis have become the victims of collective punishment as the state wages a war against them, and the brutality of Operation Kagar is intended to strip Adivasis of any claim over the forests, land and dignity.

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This policy of militarisation and war on Adivasis has to end, and there must be the guarantee of a democratic space and environment for the deprived and oppressed Adivasis in Bastar and other areas of Adivasi unrest.

The escalated war on Maoists under “Operation Kagar”, has seen security forces in Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand and Maharashtra claim the lives of hundreds of Adivasis over the past year, and in particular since January 2025. The use of advanced warfare equipment including Israeli drones, fake encounters, extra-judicial violence by the state, and large-scale proliferation of security camps particularly in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, have to be seen in the context of Home Minister Amit Shah setting March 2026 as the deadline to make India Maoist-free.This alarming militarisation has been met with peaceful and sustained protests by Adivasis against the establishment of security camps in Fifth Schedule Areas without any consultation and consent of the concerned Gram Sabhas, and illegal appropriation of their forests, lands and other resources while also demanding proper schools, health facilities and other basic amenities. The Chhattisgarh government has responded by banning a people's rights organisation like the Moolvasi Bachao Manch, in October 2024, under the provisions of the draconian Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act. More recently, the Chhattisgarh’s police has targeted Manish Kunjam, prominent Adivasi leader in the Bastar region, who has been at the forefront of the struggle seeking investigation into the irregularities of distribution of tendu patta bonus amounting to crores of rupees.

In the name of 'Naxal-mukt Bharat' the BJP-led governments have unleashed a campaign of complete militarisation of resource-rich Adivasi areas like Bastar and launch an unbridled war on the Adivasi people and all kinds of protests and people's rights campaigns. This focus on military operations rather than the socio-economic development of the region is condemnable and lays bare the true intentions of the government to enable corporate take-over of these mineral-rich regions. The reported plans to convert these military camps into so-called “integrated development centres” to provide various welfare services including hospitals, schools, rations and other services, points to a plan of permanent military presence in the region.

Speaking at the Press Conference organised by the Coordination Committee for Peace at Press Club, New Delhi on 9th May 2025, Comrade Dipankar emphasised that Bastar is passing through an entirely new phase which is qualitatively different from earlier ones like Salwa Judum, Operation Green Hunt or encounters. Whatever name the government gives it, this time around it is essentially an extrajudicial extermination campaign which is not acceptable by any democracy irrespective of ideologies. Amit Shah has fixed a March 2026 deadline which translates into a licence to kill indiscriminately. In fact, the increasing numbers of encounters coming now explicitly make it clear that people are being killed one sidedly, and on a large scale.

Com Dipankar urged that, firstly, we must recognise this as an extrajudicial extermination campaign by the government which if continues, will be fatal for the democracy. This violence by the state is a killing spree, which is unacceptable and must be stopped. Such an approach irrespective of what Maoists or any other movement, organisation or ideology have done must be opposed. Com Dipankar hope that the Coordination Committee for Peace will succeed in raising this issue throughout the country and will build enough pressure on the government, recognising the hard task at hand given that the recalcitrant attitude of the Union government which neither listens to the people’s voices nor takes any responsibility and accountability on its shortcomings, and yet efforts must be made in that direction.

Com Dipankar also made the point about Bastar and Adivasis, and that these were Scheduled areas, which are mineral rich, and has a very rich cultural and historical heritage, has been facing complete violations of Scheduled area norms and the rights of the Gram Sabhas only to facilitate militarisation and corporatisation. Com Dipankar also made it clear that mining and land acquisitions in this area cannot take place without the help of military camps even when there were no Maoists in Bastar. It is for this reason that it is not only the Maoists facing repression, but even Gandhiwadis like Himanshu Kumar were forced to leave that area. He added that it is a complete suppression of dissent and whoever talks about Adivasis through whatever angle and means are being jailed.



The civil society as democratic medium of this country should collectively demand this because it is in the common interest of all beyond ideological leanings. Otherwise any future struggle or movement belonging to any ideology will face a similar kind of repression.

Adivasis have become the victims of collective punishment as the state wages a war against them, and the brutality of Operation Kagar is intended to strip Adivasis of any claim over the forests, land and dignity. This policy of militarisation and war on Adivasis has to end, and there must be the guarantee of a democratic space and environment for the deprived and oppressed Adivasis in Bastar and other areas of Adivasi unrest.