Lal Sena

Lal Sena (Hindi: लाल सेना) was an organised armed militia across the terrains of central Bihar, north-west of today's Jharkhand, and a few districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh. It was formed mainly by lower caste (middle and lower class) peasantry and landless labourers. It existed during 1974–1976.^[1][3]

Background

In 1960s, when the Naxalite movement^[4] started under the leadership of Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist),^[5] the poor peasantry and agricultural labourers who belonged mainly to the lower castes started taking side with the communists in central Bihar across the districts of Bhojpur, Gaya, Nalanda, Patna and Aurangabad. Several violent armed clashes occurred between the landlords and poor/landless peasantry. In 1970s, CPI (ML) faced hard offence from central and state governments throughout India and splintered into several ML factions. In 1974, one of the ML factions was able to hold on to the grounds and reorganised itself into the CPI(ML) Liberation political party.^[6] Meanwhile, the landlords/landowners most of whom economically were from upper class peasantry (mainly upper caste ) organised themselves based on caste lines into several landlord gentries. In retaliation Lal Sena guerrilla armed squads, were organised by then underground CPI (ML) Liberation.^[7][8][9]

History

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From 1970s to 1990s, regions of Bihar (including Jharkhand) turned into widespread caste and class based conflict zone. Several clashes between the landlord militias and the ML factions led to widespread killings on both sides. Central Bihar and parts of Uttar Pradesh turned into battlegrounds.^{[10][11][12][13]}

Issues that led to the armed conflict

Caste-related violence in India
Part of Naxalite Movement
Date 1976–2001 Location Bihar India Status Nearly all the caste based militias disintegrated. Ranvir Sena was technically declared illegal by Bihar State Government.[14] CPI(Maoist) declared illegal by the Central Government.[11] CPI(ML) Liberation integrated itself with mainstream left politics[10]
Belligerents
Middle and lower class peasantry mainly from lower castes.	Landlords, upper class peasantry mainly from upper castes.	Indian Central and State Government Forces
ML Factions:[15] Lal Sena CPI(ML) Liberation] MKSS Maoist Communist Center (MCC) CPI(ML) People's War (PWG) CPI(ML) Party Unity (PU) (MCC, PU, PWG merged in CPI(Maoist) as of 2004)[11]	Landlord Gentries:[7] Ranvir Sena Smaller militias:[16] Bhumi Sena Kuer Sena Lorik Sena Bramharshi Sena Sunlight Sena Ganga Sena Satyandra Sena	Bihar Police
Commanders and leaders
Com.Jauhar †[17] (General Secretary/CPI(ML) L)[6]	Brahmeshwar Singh  [18] (Ranvir Sena Chief)[19] Jwala Singh  (Kuer Sena Leader)[16]
Strength
5,000 claimed[9]	400 reported[19]
Casualties and losses
121 killed[8]	190 killed[8]	6 killed[8]
Casualties as of 1976–2001:[8] 528 Lower Caste agricultural labourers, peasants, workers and civilians killed.

The issues contributing to the conflict were both social and economic in nature. Social discrimination based on caste hierarchy that prevails in northern India and economic inequality of unequal distribution of land, demand to have better minimum wages, and right to have control over common property resources played important roles in instigating the conflict.^{[16][20][21][22]}

The conflict and violence

In early 1980s, the CPI (ML) Liberation party began to build an open mass front in order to develop relations with the democratic forces so that it can come out of its underground status, the mass front was named Indian People's Front.^[6][17][23] The party was gradually taking the path of democratic mass movements.^[24] However, armed conflicts still continued. Violent clashes between Lal Sena and a formidable landlord gentry called Ranvir Sena^[14] were significant till late 1990s as noted in the article "The Dalits | Still Untouchable":^[2]

''All through the 1990s, Bihar was wracked by caste wars-most notably Ranvir Sena versus Lal Sena-in parts of Jehanabad, Aurangabad, Gaya and Bhojpur.''

Some armed activities even occurred directly under the CPI (ML) Liberation party banner.^[18][25]

Casualties inflicted by CPI (ML) Liberation cadres as reported:^[25]

Casualties inflicted by Bihar Police on CPI (ML) Liberation caders as reported:^[25]

Casualties inflicted by Ranvir Sena on CPI (ML) Liberation caders and sympathisers as reported:^[19][26]

After 2005

Since the late 2000s, Lal Sena's squad activity has been curtailed. The CPI (ML) Liberation party's movements took a militant but democratic approach through legalised workers, peasants, students, youth and women organisations, as noted by Dr. Sanjay K. Jha:^[15]

"The CPI-ML (Liberation), which had a formidable presence in the central parts of undivided Bihar, decided to function as an over ground political party in 1992. It was stated that "the party does not rule out the possibility under a set of exceptional national and international circumstances, the balance of social and economic forces may even permit peaceful transfer of central power to revolutionary forces". It was, however, added that the party must prepare itself for winning the ultimate decisive victory through an armed struggle", though it admitted that the situation was not ripe for such a movement. Reports suggest that it still maintains underground squad in some regions. The party also has a string of organizations to mobilize students, women and workers. They are: All India Students Association, Bihar Pradesh Kisan Sabha, All India Coordination Committee of Trade Unions, All India Progressive Women's Association and Jan Sanskritik Manch."

References