Click to play videoKeonjhar: In the battle against the Naxals, the government's surrender policy seems to be falling flat in Orissa. The naxals who have already surrendered claim their lives have gone from bad to worse.
Sabita Munda, a tribal girl from Orissa's Keonjhar district, was 16 when she surrendered before the district police. Sabita had been at several naxal camps and had taken part in many violent attacks on the Orissa police. She says she was exploited at the naxal camps and that when she heard of the Orissa government's surrender policy she though it was her chance of a better life. But more than a year since she surrendered, Sabita is still waiting for the promised benefits
Sabita says, "We are put in this small room and are told to just eat and kill time. We are basically labourers. We want to earn a living. The house, livelihood and pension that was promised to us by the government while surrendering, has never reached us. We simply want to leave this place."
Seven other surrendered young naxals have been forced to live in this police quarter for the last one year. 24-year old Suresh Sundhi was a hardcore naxal. After surrendering, Suresh shared vital intelligence with the police which led to the arrest of several naxals. Now, Suresh is in the hit list of the naxals. Suresh feels betrayed as he can neither return to his village because of the threat to his life nor has he got any of the benefits of the surrender policy.
Suresh says, "I know that there are many naxals like me who are in the camp and want to surrender. But when they see that we are treated like this and the promises are not kept, I do not think they would think of that option any more."
The Orissa govt came out with the naxal surrender policy in June 2006. According to the policy, a naxal who surrenders gets Rs 1.50 lakh, Rs 2500 stipend for three years, Rs 2 lakh loan without interest, free education and medical facilities and legal assistance for the trial against them.
More than forty naxals have surrendered so far in the state. But not a single one of them has got the promised benefits.
Keonjhar SP, Ashish Kumar Singh says, "We have to verify their criminal record which is a time taking process."
Police sources say that there are several cadres in the naxal camp especially women who are allegedly exploited and are willing to surrender. But if the fate of the naxals who have already surrendered is not very encouraging the rest might hardly find any motivation to do the same.
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