Bastar youth readying to fight Naxals

After the Centre Government gave its nod for the formation of 'Bastar Battalion', comprising tribal men and women living in the region, to combat Naxal activities in Chhattisgarh, the CRPF has started pre-test training camps for the aspirants.

The CRPF, which has been given the responsibility to raise the Battalion, has started the camps in four districts of the Bastar division and the youth are working hard to join the force in the fight against Naxals.

Most of these aspirants taking part in the pre-test training have arrived from far-flung tribal regions of Bastar and many of them have been the victims of Naxalism as Naxals destroyed their families and villages.

The youth now see the joining of forces as an opportunity to work for the development of their villages and bringing them out of backwardness.

The Battalion will have one-third women representation who will work on par with men.

One of the major challenges being faced by the forces deployed against Naxals is that they do not understand the geography, language and culture of the natives, which at times causes problems in their operations. At present, five different security forces, including the CRPF, have been deployed to fight Naxals due to language and regional constraints they are unable to smoothly carry out their operations.

But once the 'Bastar Battalion' is ready these problems can also be overcome.

"The representation from Bastar in the CRPF is very low and we face many difficulties during our operations here. Their language and culture are different, even the climate here is very different for us and our troops are not well versed with the regions' geography. So, if people from the region join the force, such difficulties will be overcomed," DIG CRPF Dantewada, D.P. Upadhyay told ANI.

In these camps the aspirants are being provided with free food and accommodation as well as books, stationary, clothes, shoes and many other things.

They are being prepared for the physical as well as academic tests.

Ratan Lal, a student at the camp, said, "Our region is severely hit by Naxals. They killed my grandfather and my uncle in 2008, and in 2015, they killed my maternal uncle. I have already been a victim of their terror and want to now fight them, and thus, I am here. they make us run, do yoga, physical exercise. We are motivated by the fact that we would be able to help our villages once we become a part of the force."

Mahesh Kumar also has a similar story to tell; his father, who was a 'sarpanch' and wanted development of his village, was killed in 2014.

"Naxalites have highly terrorised my villagers; they kill people there. My family, and the entire village, is living under their terror and I want to improve this situation," says Nageshwari, another aspirant.