With the Centre planning to move in more forces to combat Left-wing insurgents, the Maoists have for the first time indicated that they could use civilians in the war against the government. Giving an insight into their battle strategy, the Maoists have said they would not fight a “positional war” against a superior force and would instead employ guerilla warfare tactics.

Coming out with details about its operations, the Maoists have insisted that they enjoy “massive mass support” and claimed that a “handful of guerillas” had repulsed a massive joint operation by the Central forces in Dantewada district in September by “relying on the sea of people in which we swam like fish”. And they plan to use the local population in the future also to thwart more such attacks from security forces.

“All our plans, policies, strategy and tactics will be based entirely on the active involvement of the vast masses of people in this war of self-defence. The enemy class cannot decimate us without decimating the entire population in regions we control,” Maoist leader Azad, who is also the spokesperson of the group’s central committee, said in an interview with The Indian Express.

Almost reciprocating the Centre in discussing their detailed fighting strategy, Azad said the Maoists would never get into a head-to-head war with the “superior” government forces, like the LTTE rebels had done in Sri Lanka, for fear of being aerially bombarded.

“Until the time we reach a decisive stage in our war, we will not fight a positional war in a small area against a superior force that is likely to resort to aerial bombardment if needed. We can fight the mightiest enemy by properly adhering to the principles of guerilla warfare. We will hit the enemy when and where it is convenient to us and not when and where he provokes us,” he said.

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