CPI (Maoist) spokesperson Sonu reiterates suspension of armed struggle

In his letter written to CPI (Maoist) Telangana unit secretary Jagan on September 22 (which came to light on Monday, Sonu, who had also been acting as the spokesperson of the Maoist party in the name of Abhay, declared that the party’s fundamental ideology of waging a protracted people’s war to seize power region-wise is no longer suitable under the present circumstances of the country.

“This has been proven by Telangana and many revolutionary movement areas across the country. For more than two decades, we have not been able to go into the Telangana region and work for the revolutionary movement, and that we retreat back to the Dandakaranya after every sacrifice of blood. It is a reality that neither you, nor I, nor any of us can deny,” he said.

Referring to his 22-page letter he had written, addressing all the CPI (Maoist) cadre, Sonu said he had called for temporary suspension of the armed struggle only to save the revolutionary movement and the party. “Party general secretary Namballa Kesava Rao alias Basvaraju, before he was killed in an encounter in May this year, also called for suspension of armed struggle only to save the party and not for surrenders,” he said.

He said the Maoist’s party mistake lies in the failure to change in accordance with the changed circumstances. “My appeal is that we should go among the broad masses and strengthen our mass base. After that, it is your choice,” he said.

Sonu also refuted the reports that Thippiri Tirupati alias Devji was elected as the CPI (Maoist) general secretary. “It is the news fabricated by the media, which deliberately brings up many false things to gather information about our secret party matters,” he said.

Sonu said the armed struggle had reached a stalemate. “It was dealt a blow. We are incurring more losses than the damage inflicted on the enemy through actions done with great difficulty, here and there. The cadre not recognizing the importance of the mass base is also a major reason. If those connections existed, the relations would not take a very long time to be re-established in an area that has once been hit,” he said.

In his open letter written to the party cadre in August, Sonu offered to step down from the politburo, owning responsibility for the mistakes the party had committed over the years, and for his failure to protect the revolutionary movement from descending into defeat.

He said the central committee insisted on wrong policies—such as imposing a mechanical belief that the army must dictate mass work, forcing Chinese-style “military first” practices, and creating an atmosphere of animosity between mass work and military work.

“We even made it mandatory that every cadre participate in Tactical Counter Offensive Campaigns (TCOCs). As a Central Committee, we implemented these mistaken policies, and today we are facing their consequences and ultimate defeat,” he said.

He said the party also made several other grave mistakes. For example, when the party opposed people obtaining Aadhaar cards, the intelligent sections of the masses went secretly to government officials and acquired them for their livelihood needs—without informing the party. “In effect, we ourselves taught the people to find backdoor ways to obtain what should have been achieved through struggle,” he said.

Sonu said without recognising the changed circumstances or understanding our own shortcomings, and without learning from the immense sacrifices of thousands of comrades, the Central Committee’s extreme arrogance and stubborn dogmatism have ultimately led the revolutionary movement to defeat.

“Let us courageously and honestly admit our mistakes before the people. Let us study the changed circumstances and our own shortcomings more deeply and comprehensively,” he added.

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