Joseph Marvin Oliver and Suryansh Deo Srivastava, 11th June 2021
Kastur Singh was born in Useli, a hamlet in the district of Bastar. He would engage in various activities to provide for his family. “Life was good”, he recalls, until Naxalite activities around the village gained momentum. Almost five years back, Singh began to witness an increased footfall of Naxal infantry in the village. However, he would have never imagined what was in store for the future. The militants began to harass villagers and accuse them of being hands-in-gloves with the security forces, with threats to kill them if they did not leave the village by their set deadline.
“I cannot even describe how terrible it was, just unbearable,” says SIngh who left the village on the deadline day along with his family. He travelled to Kondagaon — a distance of over 80 kilometres — not in search of a new life but with the hope of returning to his previous one.For the past five years, Singh and his fellow village folks have found employment in various odd jobs. Singh is a daily wage labourer, barely making enough to provide for his family. He is also a prominent leader of an association called Naxal Peedhhit Parivaar Rajya Chhattisgarh. The association, he says, has been created for the victims of Naxal violence and terror. It comprises victims from over 7 districts who still await state relief for their plights. “We have been provided with no means, it is extremely difficult to sustain here”, says Singh who was deprived not only of his land but also his livelihood. Singh and other top leaders of the association often visit the high court to assess the progress their files have made. In most cases, there’s no progress at all. The association feels that the funds released for their benefits are swallowed by the bureaucratic machinery even before it reaches the final authority’s office. Tired of waiting for the court’s verdict, Singh and his colleagues have recently sought intervention and direct help from the ministry in Raipur. Singh has not visited his village ever since he fled. He says it continues to be a Naxal
stronghold. He rues the loss of his land and wishes to return to Useli one day. Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter Share on whatsapp WhatsApp