A New Phase in Bastar: PUCL Demands Full Restoration of Democratic Freedoms and Adivasi Rights

Nov 01, 2025
By PUCL Chattisgarh

Several Maoist cadres in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh have recently decided to abandon the path of armed struggle. Following this, the state government has made some important public announcements, including the following: –

  1. The ban on Moolvasi Bachao Manch (MBM) will not be renewed
  2. There will be no forcible recruitment of Maoists who have given up armed struggle into the District Reserve Guard (DRG)
  3. Release of those imprisoned in Naxalite cases, who wish to participate democratically, will be considered.

PUCL believes that these steps, if taken in the right direction, can lead to peace, but they must be accompanied by deeper commitments to justice, accountability, and the restoration of fundamental democratic freedoms in Bastar.

  1. Lifting the ban on MBM and withdrawal of cases

PUCL welcomes the decision to lift the ban on MBM, which PUCL believes, is an organisation deeply rooted in the assertion of Adivasi identity and land rights through peaceful democratic protests. However, merely lifting the ban is inadequate. Over the past four years, numerous members of MBM, as well as participants at MBM protest sites, have been arrested, charged under severe offences, and subjected to prolonged incarceration.

The PUCL demands that: 

  • All pending cases against MBM members should be immediately withdrawn,
  • All those associated with the MM should be immediately released, and
  • The government should hold direct dialogues with the MBM over issues raised by them.
  1. Maoists who have abandoned armed struggle should not be forcibly recruited into security forces

The government has given an assurance that Maoists who have given up the path of armed resistance will not be forcibly recruited into the DRG. The PUCL welcomes this but also notes the very formation and existence of militarised forces such as the DRG, Bastar Fighters and similar units have damaged the social fabric, pitting Adivasi communities against one another and entrenching deep mistrust. The State must begin to phase out practices that militarise local populations.

It is distressing to note that today, the DRG and other security forces, apart from being involved in anti-Naxal operations, also feature as a significant source of employment for the educated youth of Bastar. The PUCL notes that the formation of the DRG and other such forces is against the order of the Honourable Supreme Court in the Salwa Judum case, and these units should be immediately disbanded. After disbanding of such forces, the government should provide employment for local people in government departments, so that our youth can live free from fear and violence. People should be encouraged to use their skills for the development of the country, instead of killing their own brethren.

  1. Release all innocent Adivasi prisoners.

Over the past several years, thousands in Bastar and neighbouring regions have been arrested under false allegations of being Maoists or aiding Maoists, even though many of them are innocent.

PUCL demands that: –

  • All such cases be investigated,
  • False cases be dropped, and
  • All innocent people be released.
  1. Demilitarize Bastar

If the State now officially declares large parts of Bastar and neighbouring districts to be ‘Naxal-free’, then it must follow that there is no further need for such a large number of security forces in the area.

PUCL demands that: –

  • Security camps set up in villages and forests be dismantled, and
  • People should be free to speak, assemble, and protest, as they desire. Without these freedoms, no society can practice democracy.

Demilitarisation is not a concession; it is the fulfilment of the State’s constitutional duty to create conditions in which rights-based governance, not armed administration, prevails.

  1. Adivasis communities should participate in justice and development.

Peace in Bastar cannot be achieved through security or surrender alone. Lasting peace requires that: –

  • Adivasi communities should be free to define their own future including their understanding, pace, and terms of development,
  • The provisions of PESA and the Forest Rights Act (FRA) must be fully implemented, and
  • There must be direct engagement with the communities on their long-neglected demands of education, health, and employment.

Conclusion

Bastar needs justice, not mere control in the name of peace. Bastar stands at a crucial juncture today; if the government truly wants change, it must move forward with true democracy and justice, not mere lip service or symbolism. The voices of the people of Bastar must be heard. And they must be given the freedom to speak and live freely. PUCL says that the fight for rights in Bastar is not over; it is now entering a new phase.

Junas Tirkey, President
Kaladas Dahariya, General Secretary