“Naxalism is nothing but anarchy,” declared retired ACP Panuganti Chandramouli, setting the tone for a hard-hitting national conference titled “Massacre of Naxals and Intellectual Churning”, organised by the Martyrs Memorial Research Institute (MMRI) at Osmania University on July 31.
Held at the PGRRCDE auditorium, the conference brought together legal experts, journalists, professors, and student leaders to expose the ideological deception, manipulative tactics, and devastating human cost of Naxal violence — from the jungles of Bastar to university campuses and media houses. Several speakers echoed the urgent need to reject the false romanticism surrounding the Maoist movement, which has claimed thousands of lives and obstructed national progress.
From Ideology to Anarchy: The Rural Recruitment Machine
Drawing from ground-level experience, ACP Chandramouli explained how emotionally vulnerable youth in villages are “isolated, indoctrinated, and trained to kill.” These young men and women, he said, are victims of an ideological machine that recruits, exploits, and discards them. “It’s not revolution; it’s psychological warfare. These youth don’t even know who or what they’re fighting for,” he said.
“Peace” Is a Ploy: Maoists Want Power, Not Progress
Prof. Murali Manohar, national vice president of Vidya Bharati, called out the double-speak of Maoists who invoke “peace” only when facing imminent defeat. “Where was this talk of peace when bombs were planted in passenger trains?” he asked, referring to the Kakatiya Fast Passenger train blast in the 1990s.
He warned students against falling for the deceptive language of Urban Naxals, often hiding behind academic and activist titles. “They chant peace only when they run out of bullets. If they truly reject the Indian state, do they have the courage to openly reject Dr Ambedkar’s Constitution?” he challenged.
Communist Legacy: Rivers of Blood, Not Justice
M. Bapu Rao, social worker and ABVP Telangana Pramukh, traced the violent legacy of communism from Lenin’s Russia to post-Operation Polo Telangana. Quoting Puchalapalli Sundarayya, he said over 12,000 innocents were killed during the armed uprising. “They obeyed Stalin, not Nehru,” he added.
He pointed to atrocities committed under communist regimes across Russia, China, Cambodia, Cuba, and North Korea, arguing that communism has historically delivered “rivers of blood, not justice.” He warned that thousands of students in Andhra Pradesh were similarly misled, manipulated, and sacrificed for an ideology they barely understood.
“Freedom Has Limits”: The Constitution vs. the Gun
Surender Rao, public prosecutor and legal expert, exposed the constitutional hypocrisy of the Maoists. “Article 19 ensures freedom of speech, but it does not protect armed rebellion,” he said, referencing Article 250, which mandates the state’s duty to preserve public order.
He dismissed common rhetoric around “fake encounters,” stating: “If state forces are better trained and equipped, their survival should not be questioned. Holding a gun is not freedom — it is coercion.”
Media, Academia, and the Urban Naxal Web
Sai Krishna, Chief Editor of Nationalist Hub, dissected the Maoist propaganda strategy. “They reject elections and democratic institutions but cry ‘human rights’ the moment the state responds,” he said.
He pointed out the hypocrisy of Maoists demanding land rights in India while remaining silent on China’s state-controlled land ownership. He also recalled how, during the 2004 peace talks in Andhra Pradesh, Maoists were caught attempting to run a parallel government, exposing their real intentions.
Urban Naxalism: Infiltrating Institutions
Senior journalist Suresh Kochatil turned the spotlight on Urban Naxalism, calling it the most dangerous face of modern Maoism. “They infiltrate the media, judiciary, academia, and even cinema — presenting themselves as intellectuals while working to undermine the state,” he said.
Kochatil highlighted figures like Jesuit priest Stan Swamy, activist Varavara Rao, and Prof. Haragopal, calling them ideological sympathisers of the Maoist movement. “They’re not neutral thinkers; they’re part of an ecosystem protecting violent ideology under the guise of activism,” he said.
He pointed to media portals like NewsClick and several foreign-funded YouTube channels that amplify Urban Naxal narratives. “From Bhima Koregaon to anti-development protests, their strategy is clear — stall India’s growth using psychological warfare,” he warned.
In Kerala, he said, ideological indoctrination begins so early that “by the time students reach their twenties, they are ready to take up arms on the orders of their masters.”
Voices of the Victims: Testimonies of Sacrifice
Family members of ABVP karyakartas killed by Maoists shared deeply moving accounts of personal loss. Among them were the families of Sama Jaganmohan Reddy, Jitender Reddy, Pujari Manikyam, Madhusudhan Goud, and Krishnavardhan — all of whom were targeted for standing up to Maoist influence.
ABVP’s Call: Expose the Real Face of Maoism
In the concluding session, Balakrishna, ABVP National Joint General Secretary, said the conference aimed to “expose the real face of the Maoist movement — a trail of blood that runs through universities and rural heartlands alike.”
He dismissed current calls for peace by Maoist leaders as a “strategic ploy for sympathy”, warning that such overtures are often made only when faced with coordinated counter-insurgency operations like Operation Khagar, backed by the Union Home Ministry.
Speakers unanimously recalled how campuses like Osmania University and Kakatiya University were once soaked in blood in the name of class struggle. “Friends became foes. Students were turned into killers under the spell of ideological extremism and class struggle,” one said.
Final Message: Lay Down Arms, Rejoin the Nation
Ranjith Mohan, Secretary of MMRI, concluded with a powerful appeal: “Maoists must lay down their arms and return to the democratic mainstream. Their outdated belief that power flows from the barrel of a gun has led only to bloodshed, not justice.”
He described how, in Dandakaranya, Maoists used poverty and illiteracy to turn tribals into cannon fodder. Every attempt at development, from building roads to opening hospitals, was violently opposed. “They are not protectors of the poor. They are the enemies of progress,” he said.
Notable attendees included Prof. Ramakrishna (Osmania University), Prof. Ravula Krishna (University of Hyderabad), Prof. Venkat Reddy, Prof. Malavika (EFLU), and Prof. Manohar Rao.
The event saw active participation from ABVP working committee members, state and district office bearers, and a large number of students from Osmania University and other colleges across Telangana. Senior ABVP leaders such as State President Jana Reddy, Secretary Rambabu, and National Secretary Sravan were also present, underscoring the collective resolve to resist and reject Maoist ideology.
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