'We shall fight it out'

Interview with H.J. Dora, DGP, Andhra Pradesh.

The Andhra Pradesh police redefined its anti-extremist operations and strategies after H.J. Dora took over as Director-General of Police on November 30, 1996. His experience in naxalite-affected areas and his unshakeable views on left-wing extremism have helped Dora check the spreading influence of the Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist People's War to a large extent.

A candidate for the post of the Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Dora spends a great deal of time interacting with officers working in extremist-affected districts. The police chief does not mince words in condemning the extremist ideology, which he refers to as an outdated one. Dora, who is on the hit-list of the P.W., spoke to K. Srinivas Reddy on the situation. Excerpts.

How do you analyse the present killing spree by naxalites?

The recent killing of 11 persons including some of the P.W. cadre, indicates the organisation's ideological bankruptcy. They (P.W. leaders) firmly believe that a reign of terror and ruthless killings would prepare people for revolution. But these killings have to be Why is the P.W. leadership so sceptical about the so-called covert operations? They know they are getting hit and now the parties and cadres are in utter confusion, so much so that they suspect even their own shadows.

Does not the formation of the People's Guerrilla Army indicate the growing strength of left-wing extremists?

This is a mistake. Earlier they had a Central Guerrilla Squad. Now they have merged all the squads to form what they call an army. But look at the developments. The woman who held the P.W. flag high during a parade coinciding with the announcement of the PGA's launch, surrendered before me two or three months later.

There is no ideological commitment among PGA members. They are also vexed with the cult of violence that P.W. leaders preach. They are coming out. Otherwise how do you explain the large number of surrenders by P.W. cadre? The P.W. leadership is worried about this. To stop this outflow, it will resort to anything, including intimidation.

What do you think the PGA will do?

It cannot do anything other than resort to sneak attacks on the police and civilians. Whatever is left of the PGA will be finished. We killed some and they (the P.W.) killed some (referring to the killing of PGA members suspected of being police informers).

The PGA now aims to militarise its cadres further. They would undergo some training somewhere. And they will resort to violence. It is part of their strategy.

What will be the police strategy?

People are vexed with the violence. There is a lot of revulsion against the spree of killings. People are with us and we shall fight it out with the naxalites. I am quite confident of tackling the naxalites.