‘Govt swears by the Constitution. Why then is it perpetrating violence ’

Soni Sori

, a human rights activist from Bastar, Chhattisgarh, and Aam Aadmi Party leader, talks about the recent attack on her, her fight against Bastar IGP S.R.P. Kalluri, police and Naxal violence and the state of tribals, in an interview with

Ishaan Mital

.

Recently some people attacked you (February 21). Any clue who they were

I don’t know them by face. But I suspect, in fact, I am confident, that Bastar IGP S.R.P. Kalluri has a hand in all this because I often raised my voice against him, opposing police excesses in the interiors of Bastar.

Did you get a case registered against the attackers Yes.

Have any arrests been made No, not yet. The police is conducting an inquiry. And, on the contrary, they are after my family, accusing us of staging this attack. They called my nephew Lingaram Kodopi and my sister’s husband to the thana.

Do you know what substance was used to attack you No, I don’t. They didn’t throw it at me, they rubbed it in my face, and told me, “We’re blackening your face. If you don’t shut up we’ll do worse to your daughter, she won’t even be able to walk properly.” Then they asked me to stop speaking against Mr Kalluri and raising issues of police atrocities. So I thought maybe these boys are trying to blacken my face. But after 15 minutes I felt a burning sensation

You were in JNU recently, expressing solidarity with JNU Students’ Union president Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya who have been charged with sedition. Why ...When I was in jail in Chhattisgarh, JNU was at the forefront, raising issues that mattered — be it my case or any other case across the country. I went in solidarity because they seem to be getting persecuted for raising their voice against social evils.

If they have done something wrong, then the police should first inquire into it. If they find evidence that they have uttered anti-national slogans then there would be no scope for doubt. But it’s wrong to put them in jail without evidence. Contrary to this, in Peddagelur multiple rapes were committed by the security forces on local tribal women. We have filed a report with the police, the women have stated that they were raped. It’s been months but no arrests have been made. The inquiry is still on.

In JNU you said, “My face today is the face of Bastar’s fight.” Could you elaborate The atrocities being committed on tribals — rapes, killings, etc. — are reflected in my face. But my face is not the only one. There are thousands of unnamed, faceless individuals who are suffering in Bastar. I just want the country to know what’s happening in Bastar and what’s the nature of our fight

Who do you blame for the state Bastar is in The state government’s policies

The police, administration How can I blame the police It is the government that is at fault. And the police takes its orders from the government

But even Naxalites have posed problems for tribals The police and the Naxals, both are armed. Both perpetrate violence. But Naxalites have an ideology, they don’t believe in the state, they don’t believe in democracy. They say they are fighting to conquer state power and capitalism. They are clear about it.

But the state government swears by democracy and the Constitution. Why then is it perpetrating violence Tribals are pressured to become informers or threatened with jail. When they agree to turn informers, the Naxalites kill them. The Naxalites are wrong. But so is the government and the police in pushing locals to choose sides and turn informers.

Do you believe in the Constitution, in democracy I do. That’s why I am suffering. I feel bad and feel like taking revenge. But I don’t. I don’t believe in taking up arms.

But you’ve been charged with collecting “protection” money from Essar Group on behalf of the Naxals in 2011, of extortion, criminal conspiracy, attacking police personnel, even attempting to blow up and torch trucks. How do you plead to these charges When these accusations surfaced, I was a school teacher in Dantewada. When I was arrested, I told the court that I was a government-appointed teacher and that there should be an inquiry into the charges. But no one heard me. I was arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

Then they said the case had already been on for a year before 2011. I asked the magistrate, “Why didn’t they arrest me back then ” The police said I had been on the run.

I countered that if I was on the run, why did the government pay me an entire year’s salary I was also a hostel warden to more than 250 students. When did I escape to torch trucks Why did the government pay me if I was with the Naxalites As for the Essar case, they say I was caught red-handed. Then why does it continue to linger on for more than four years

Why are there so many cases against you The reason is that the police wanted to declare the area in which we lived to be Naxal-affected. They could have brought in Salwa Judum there and displaced us all. During that time, Naxals started destroying schools there. There were five-six ashrams (hostels). And the Naxals called all the wardens to brief them. I went there alone. I wanted to reason with them that there’s no point destroying hostels. When I asked them, they said they wanted to destroy the ashrams because the security forces would use them. I asked the Naxals that if they claim to fight for the people how do they justify destroying these hostels

They asked me to promise that the ashram of which I was the warden would not be used by the forces. Otherwise, they would punish me. I agreed. I requested the collector to refrain from sending the forces

But why were you charged in so many cases They wondered why my hostel alone was spared by the Naxalites. I was also vocal about the lack of development in my area. I asked for the hostels that were destroyed to be rebuilt. The contractors would plead that the Naxals don’t allow them to work. So they would siphon-off the material allocated for development work in my area to other areas. I tried to highlight this. So they concluded that I am a Naxal sympathiser.

What’s the status of the cases filed against you Only the Essar case remains.

You filed cases against Dantewada SP Ankit Garg for custodial torture and rape in October 2011. What’s the status of that case It’s pending in Supreme Court. Mr Garg has also been awarded the Police Medal for Gallantry

Exactly four months after you filed the case Ho sakta hai bahut bahaduri ka kaam kiya hoga. Ek mahila ko nirvastra karna, electric shock dena, uske guptangon mein patthar dalna bahaduri ka kaam kiya hai, isi liye use sarkar ne bahaduri ka puraskaar diya hai aisa hi kaam karnewale adhikari ko sammaan milega (Soni Sori has alleged that she was pulled out of her cell at the Jagdalpur Police Station during the midnight of October 8-9, 2011, on the orders of Mr Garg, and stripped, given electric shocks and stones inserted into her private parts.)

Do you think you will win this case Given the state of our country’s system, I am unsure. I don’t want to get tied down by it. I don’t want to get preoccupied with this case. I will feel vindicated if I am able to get justice for the wrongs taking place in Bastar.

Do you think there’s any difference between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party rule in Chhattisgarh Salwa Judum began with the Congress (in 2005, Congress MLA Mahendra Karma started it). Karma was killed (by Maoists) because he started Salwa Judum. I am not saying he wanted to bring violence, he must have had a constructive perspective, after all he was an adivasi leader. Nevertheless, the movement took a violent turn. The Congress sowed the seeds and the BJP is reaping the fruits.

But some of your family members were associated with the Congress Party Yes, my elder brother was with them. I never had an inclination towards politics. I just wanted to get married, settle down and have kids. I became a school teacher. I was content. We were a happy middle class family. The sudden surge of cases, my arrest and being jailed changed me.

Why did you choose the AAP to launch your political career I was in Delhi when the Supreme Court granted me interim bail in November 2013. There were many rumours at that time, that I will not be allowed to stay in Chhattisgarh. I talked to my lawyer, Prashantji (Bhushan) I said no matter what, I want to go back to my place... Prashantji was worried given how I had been treated in jail for speaking against the Chhattisgarh government.

I too was worried because whenever the police took me to court they’d say, “Madam, chaardiwari ke andar to bahut chilla rahe ho, bahut bakar-bakar kar rahe ho baahar aake batao aur ladke bataao fir hum bataate hain ” And I replied, “Jinda rahi to main baahar bhi aaungi aur lad ke dikhaungi bhai, chinta mat karo ”

Prashantji said if you want to go back, work and resume your fight you’ll face problems... So Prashantji talked about the party. I too gave it a thought and consulted my family.

Vo pehla party tha, usse pehle mereko kissi bhi party vaale ne ye nahin kaha ki tum humari party mein aoge So then I joined the (Aam Aadmi) party and returned to Chhattisgarh. Shayad ho sakta hai Communist Party of India rakhta ya Congress rakhta, ya jo bhi hai

Would you have joined the BJP Somewhere, I do think that under BJP rule I suffered so much More than the mistreatment meted out, Essar ka kaand jo tha, B.K. Lal (Essar contractor) aur J.S. Verma (Essar steel general manager) ko high court ne jamaanat diya, aur mujhe nahin diya, mujhe Supreme Court se meri jamaanat mili. When my husband died, we told the court that I be granted two hours to meet my husband, the court didn’t even allow that. I felt the government showed double standards.

Earlier you had said adivasis are stuck between the police and Naxalites. Between the two, whom are you more inclined towards Where do your sympathies lie I don’t support the gun. Jahaan bandook ki ladai hai vahaan main nahin hun. Both carry guns. When you give water to a policeman, or if he enters an adivasi household, Naxals come asking why he was there Why did you give him water If you give a Naxal some water to drink, the police comes asking why you gave him water. Vo beech ka vyakti to manavta ko nibha raha hai phans kaun raha hai — adivasi.

You are clear that the police indulges in various excesses. In comparison do you think Naxalites are more morally upright Or do you feel there’s no real difference Adivasis do face problems because of Naxalites in Bastar. They live in the interiors, jungles and hills It’s not an easy terrain. Adivasis are dying, but Naxal presence prevents the government from doing what it wants, directly. Naxalites presence also prevents the government from utilising them Jungle bacha hai Maybe if they weren’t around it would’ve been easier to kill adivasis.

Bastar is mineral rich Sach hai

Where natural resources are found in abundance, industries won’t be far. Do you believe in industrial development Neither me, nor my people in Bastar agree to this. That’s what the fight is all about. There’ll be mining, new buildings will be made. But we don’t agree with this. Hum prakriti se jude log hain. Hum shuru se aise jeete aye hain jal, jungle, jameen hi humare liye mahatvapoorna hai.

When I ask my people, won’t you be happy if there are factories, cars, employment They disagree.

In Dantewada, there is talk of an airport. Many people are losing their land. When I told them you will get to travel by plane, they said we travel to Raipur by bus. Where’s the need for an airport

Take National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), for example. They have made so much money. But when it comes to investment, it has nothing to show. We don’t even get to work there as sweepers. The hospital is a hospital in name, it does not give us any special facility. The money earned here is spent in other states. Our land, our resources, our wealth is not being used for our welfare. This made me wonder, if these companies can’t do anything for us, then what’s the point

A lawyer duo was forced to leave Chhattisgarh recently. A journalist’s house was attacked and she was forced to leave. Is this new in Chhattisgarh Not at all. The government has always done this. Whoever tries to speak for innocent adivasis, speaks in their interest, talks about their rights shall be called deshdrohi. That’s how it has been.

Don’t you fear for your life No, I am not scared. Nothing worse can happen to me. I went to jail. They inflicted pain on my body and they continue to do so. People fear jail or death. The two and a half years I spent in jail were akin to death. So I don’t fear anything.