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Let's Call Him Vasu: With the Maoists in Chhattisgarh
The most comprehensive and least partisan account of Maoists written in recent years
How did Chhattisgarh turn into India’s ‘biggest internal security threat’? How did it become the epicentre of the Maoist rebellion? Why did the backbenchers—the quiet adivasi classmates from the author’s school—turn into the nation’s ‘biggest terrorists’?
In this passionate quest to find out what ails the failing heart of India, Subharanshu Choudhary spent seven years with hundreds of Maoists, asking probing questions at all levels of their hierarchy to meticulously piece together the stories of these hunted men and women.
At the centre of this extraordinary account is the enigmatic Vasu—at once comrade and rebel, friend and stranger. By telling his story, Choudhary destroys many stereotypes to flesh out a layered portrait of the misunderstood Maoist.
How did Chhattisgarh turn into India’s ‘biggest internal security threat’? How did it become the epicentre of the Maoist rebellion? Why did the backbenchers—the quiet adivasi classmates from the author’s school—turn into the nation’s ‘biggest terrorists’?
In this passionate quest to find out what ails the failing heart of India, Subharanshu Choudhary spent seven years with hundreds of Maoists, asking probing questions at all levels of their hierarchy to meticulously piece together the stories of these hunted men and women.
At the centre of this extraordinary account is the enigmatic Vasu—at once comrade and rebel, friend and stranger. By telling his story, Choudhary destroys many stereotypes to flesh out a layered portrait of the misunderstood Maoist.
- GenresNonfictionIndia
288 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2012
12 people are currently reading
217 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 19, 2017
Very, very good book. Choudhury is a talented journalist and its to his credit that he was trusted by the Naxalites enough to travel deep into the forest to meet with their most senior leaders at a time when they were being targeted for assassination by Indian security forces. We learn about the seemingly impossible task of the Maoists helping isolated tribal communities fight both the capitalist machine trying to destroy their way of life and incredibly brutal paramilitary death squads. The author is an objective, fair journalist so he doesn't gloss over killings by the rebels, but does put it into a framework of showing what they're fighting against and they're obviously the good guys here. An excellent read the whole way through, but one quote from a rebel stuck with me: "I know the revolution will not begin in my lifetime. But I cannot think of anything better to do."
March 9, 2013
This book is journey of the author across Bastar in Chhattisgarh, India and his interaction with the CPI(M)cadre.
Gives behind the enemy lines views of the war that has ravaged this part of the country. The author chalks out the history of the naxal struggle in Dandakaranya/Bastar over the last 35 years, from its beginning to current situation. This helps in putting things in perspective. Many complex relationships between politics, traders, industrialists, local outsiders, tribals, maoists are given which help in understanding what happened and why.
the narrative is slightly shifted towards the naxals, but balanced well through some short strong comments.
Also, the rise, raging and fall of Salwa Judum is described, giving an outsider the ground reality and perspective that is hard to obtain from mainstream media.
The book is a must read for anyone who wants to understand the history and philosophy of Maoists in Bastar and how they were placed till a few years ago to get a better grasp of the local situation. Even then i warn you, as i am currently living in Narayapur, the ground reality might be much different
Gives behind the enemy lines views of the war that has ravaged this part of the country. The author chalks out the history of the naxal struggle in Dandakaranya/Bastar over the last 35 years, from its beginning to current situation. This helps in putting things in perspective. Many complex relationships between politics, traders, industrialists, local outsiders, tribals, maoists are given which help in understanding what happened and why.
the narrative is slightly shifted towards the naxals, but balanced well through some short strong comments.
Also, the rise, raging and fall of Salwa Judum is described, giving an outsider the ground reality and perspective that is hard to obtain from mainstream media.
The book is a must read for anyone who wants to understand the history and philosophy of Maoists in Bastar and how they were placed till a few years ago to get a better grasp of the local situation. Even then i warn you, as i am currently living in Narayapur, the ground reality might be much different
December 11, 2015
What a beautifully written book by a working journalist and that too a non-fiction! it's a must read if you are interested in Chattisgarh, Addivasis, internal security threats in countries like India and Pakistan.
March 15, 2018
An insightful and unbiased account of the naxals of Chhattisgarh. The author seems to have done an impressive and authentic research for this book. While portraying harrowing accounts from the life of the adivasis who are caught between the naxals and the government machinery, the author has managed to give an unbiased analysis.
April 6, 2019
My first book on Naxalism. Naxalism, can be described in sentences, State oppresses people by taking lands and rights. Naxals offer alternate using violence. State uses violence against Naxlas and its supporters. Apathy.
Solution to this not more violence to root out Left wing extremists, but recognize the land rights or tribals.
Well written.
Solution to this not more violence to root out Left wing extremists, but recognize the land rights or tribals.
Well written.
August 27, 2017
For a detailed review, you can visit my blog
November 8, 2017
The mere fact that the author spent so many years in doing so many years of research into this book earns an extra point.
October 8, 2022
A telling story of journeys in Naxal areas and meeting its various leaders.
November 21, 2024
The unheard stories of struggle for survival of the Adivasis.
Respect for the reporter.
Respect for the reporter.
July 26, 2016
The book's title was intriguing and on top of that i am interested in Maoist problem. The reasons are as follows
A. It is at the heart of our country and if destabilized will result in a dangerous cut from inside out.
B. It was a simple issue of governance in the beginning that was messed up big time by secular as well as saffron parties.
C. The biggest bane is the ground beneath their feet. It is the richest source of minerals. Especially the high purity ore. The resource curse.
D. The patronizing attitude towards tribals is one of the worst forms of racism practiced till date.
E. And last but not the least the idea that we know better/one size fits all maibaap attitude.
Now about the book.
The book is short and sweet with no pics. It has just one single map at the start. It sounds and starts like a part travelogue and part guilt trip gone wrong.
The book is divided into chapters that are easy to read. The main character is Vasu who the author had met when he was a young journalist. Our Vasu is a Maoist who keeps sending our author books and arrives like clock work orange everyday same time to meet him during his initial assignment. Time passes on and so do the characters.
Fast forward to present day scenario. The author is in the jungles to meet the various people from the politburo to party cadres. He gets access to or atleast is promised access on the premise that he will present their story/history to the outside world.
The most important parts are the beginning year when the initial team had come over from Andhra to Chhattisgarh The slow start, the setbacks and the brass tacks. Then the party functioning from 1981 to 2005.
Things i likes about the book
A. One of the first times i have heard some history about the tribal revolutionary movement during pre Independent India: The Bhumkal rebeliion started by Birsa Munda. A very fascinating character from history on whom there is very little material online. Just imagine his search turned up 289000 but as for the Rakhi Sawant it turned up 4,500,000 searched. This book also talks about a few other characters on the way. I have attached a few pics of the warrior who died just at the age of 25 but achieved a lot more than we did. He was captured by British and died under fishy circumstances. Cholera they say!! One more pic below that i found of the warrior captured. Not sure of the authenticity.
B. The picture shown is very clear, the tribals and Party on one side, Salwa Judum(again the tribals), security forces, politicians and big corporation on the other side. Where inevitably the tribals are at the receiving end.
C. The amount of travel and research the author has done for writing the book is humongous.
Things that could have been better
A. There are too many characters in the book. It becomes a bit hard to keep track as the people themselves keep changing names. In the middle of the book Vasu is somebody else. Phew!!!
B. The history of the conflict could have been presented in a much detailed manner.
C. The book sounds like a travelogue but looses it in-between where it wants to be everything at once.
On the whole it had a lot of promise but trying to do many things got itself watered down to the end.
A. It is at the heart of our country and if destabilized will result in a dangerous cut from inside out.
B. It was a simple issue of governance in the beginning that was messed up big time by secular as well as saffron parties.
C. The biggest bane is the ground beneath their feet. It is the richest source of minerals. Especially the high purity ore. The resource curse.
D. The patronizing attitude towards tribals is one of the worst forms of racism practiced till date.
E. And last but not the least the idea that we know better/one size fits all maibaap attitude.
Now about the book.
The book is short and sweet with no pics. It has just one single map at the start. It sounds and starts like a part travelogue and part guilt trip gone wrong.
The book is divided into chapters that are easy to read. The main character is Vasu who the author had met when he was a young journalist. Our Vasu is a Maoist who keeps sending our author books and arrives like clock work orange everyday same time to meet him during his initial assignment. Time passes on and so do the characters.
Fast forward to present day scenario. The author is in the jungles to meet the various people from the politburo to party cadres. He gets access to or atleast is promised access on the premise that he will present their story/history to the outside world.
The most important parts are the beginning year when the initial team had come over from Andhra to Chhattisgarh The slow start, the setbacks and the brass tacks. Then the party functioning from 1981 to 2005.
Things i likes about the book
A. One of the first times i have heard some history about the tribal revolutionary movement during pre Independent India: The Bhumkal rebeliion started by Birsa Munda. A very fascinating character from history on whom there is very little material online. Just imagine his search turned up 289000 but as for the Rakhi Sawant it turned up 4,500,000 searched. This book also talks about a few other characters on the way. I have attached a few pics of the warrior who died just at the age of 25 but achieved a lot more than we did. He was captured by British and died under fishy circumstances. Cholera they say!! One more pic below that i found of the warrior captured. Not sure of the authenticity.
B. The picture shown is very clear, the tribals and Party on one side, Salwa Judum(again the tribals), security forces, politicians and big corporation on the other side. Where inevitably the tribals are at the receiving end.
C. The amount of travel and research the author has done for writing the book is humongous.
Things that could have been better
A. There are too many characters in the book. It becomes a bit hard to keep track as the people themselves keep changing names. In the middle of the book Vasu is somebody else. Phew!!!
B. The history of the conflict could have been presented in a much detailed manner.
C. The book sounds like a travelogue but looses it in-between where it wants to be everything at once.
On the whole it had a lot of promise but trying to do many things got itself watered down to the end.
September 3, 2013
'Modern education makes you cowardly selfish and greedy. If the state can give tribals education, the problem will be solved.'
A curious remark at the end of the book serves as an apt indictment of what we call civilisation. Pieced together through numerous interviews, personal experiences and travels through the densest forests of India, Shubhranshu Choudhary brings to life a fiercely waged, yet little-known, war in the heart of India. He traces the history of the Naxal movement in central India, its development into a potential threat to the state, and the appropriation of the original inhabitants into this movement. One cannot but feel for the adivasis, the ever-present dwellers of this contested space, caught in the crossfire between politics, religion and development.
By the time one comes to the end of this book, one wonders who has unleashed more terror in these forests, the mainstream 'Indians' and the government or the 'Maoists'. One even begins to question if the notion of a nation exists in these dense jungles.
A curious remark at the end of the book serves as an apt indictment of what we call civilisation. Pieced together through numerous interviews, personal experiences and travels through the densest forests of India, Shubhranshu Choudhary brings to life a fiercely waged, yet little-known, war in the heart of India. He traces the history of the Naxal movement in central India, its development into a potential threat to the state, and the appropriation of the original inhabitants into this movement. One cannot but feel for the adivasis, the ever-present dwellers of this contested space, caught in the crossfire between politics, religion and development.
By the time one comes to the end of this book, one wonders who has unleashed more terror in these forests, the mainstream 'Indians' and the government or the 'Maoists'. One even begins to question if the notion of a nation exists in these dense jungles.
December 22, 2015
Shubhranshu Choudhary, an acclaimed journalist puts his immense knowledge and experience to come with a chronological timeline for the rise of left wing extremism in Chhattisgarh, and the subsequent rise and fall of Salwa Judam. He does that through a series of interviews with top Maoist leaders, all arranged by his long-lost friend and naxalite, Vasu. The tone is mostly non-partisan, putting facts and allegations from both ends. Major distinction of the book remains the atrocities and politicization of Salwa Judam, the misuse of media to spread propaganda against Naxals and some interesting correlations/causation between MOUs with certain corporate entities.
August 25, 2016
The book is simple to read and is absrobing , the book isn't mechanical in its understanding.The book to my disliking is condensed, i would have loved the author to have spent more pages reflecting on the various subjects he has interacted with.
Shubranshu neither romantices Maoists nor bows to govt. , He asks probing questions to top maoists leaders and is critical and objective in approach. This book isn't value loaded ie it's free from biases.
His chapter on Salwa Judum and rise of the maoists in Chhattisgarh are the other highlights of the book.
Shubranshu neither romantices Maoists nor bows to govt. , He asks probing questions to top maoists leaders and is critical and objective in approach. This book isn't value loaded ie it's free from biases.
His chapter on Salwa Judum and rise of the maoists in Chhattisgarh are the other highlights of the book.
June 29, 2014
Gives d reader an insight into d reasons for d rise of naxals over d past 3 decades. Unbiased acct of various atrocities by the administration, local goons that provided d fertile grnd reqd for Naxals.
worth reading for all who wishes to hav a better understanding of the most pertinent internal security issue.
Authors Note - left me stunning. Dividing the society into three simple ones. Internet society tat v r part of, Mob phone society tat my parents n relatives in village r part of & the Radio society tat the tribals are part of.
worth reading for all who wishes to hav a better understanding of the most pertinent internal security issue.
Authors Note - left me stunning. Dividing the society into three simple ones. Internet society tat v r part of, Mob phone society tat my parents n relatives in village r part of & the Radio society tat the tribals are part of.
March 26, 2014
A deep analysis of the Maoist movement in Chattisgarh.What they do?Why they become Maoist? The best statement in the book is How modern day education makes the generation selfish and coward.The author is a former BBC corespondent and somewhere its clear from the writing.The book appears more like a detailed BBC report about the time spend with the Naxals.
March 7, 2016
Now we know how much the Salwa Judum was responsible for stoking the fire in Basta-Dandakaranya-Abujhmad region of Chattisgarh. A brave attempt by the author to venture into naxal territory and try to understand what goes through their minds, be it the lowest ranking member or someone as high up to be part of the Central commission.
October 5, 2013
wel,its good work to reveal prospective of other side..which is required to solve the problem from root.Ideas can be contradictory but every thing has solution.
April 2, 2014
A rare and very personal history of the Maoist insurgency in the boundary ares of Chhatisgarh. Well worth the time, if you are interested in modern Indian politics.
December 24, 2015
I cannot do better than this beautifully objective Hindu review of the book - http://www.thehindu.com/books/books-r...
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews