The National Investigation Agency (NIA), on Thursday, arrested Raghu Midiyami, a 23-year-old Adivasi activist, accusing him of having connections with the Maoists. Based in Bastar, Midiyami was the leader of the now-banned Moolwasi Bachao Manch, an umbrella organisation formed by the adivasi peasants. Midiyami was actively involved in the over 30 peaceful protests taking place in various parts of Bastar, for the rights of the tribals over jal, jangal, jameen (water, forest, land), including the most significant four-year long protest against CRPF camp in Silger.

Midiyami has been arrested in related to a case registered by the Bijapur Police in February 2023, wherein they arrested two members of MBM under the charges of terror funding under the Chhattisgarh Public Security Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). As per the FIR registered on February 25, 2024, Gajendra Madvi and Laxman Kunjam, states that Madvi admitted to taking the money from a known Maoist leader to be deposited in various accounts. They are both named Over Ground Workers of the organisation in the FIR. A year and a half after these arrests, the Chhattisgarh Home Ministry, on October 30, 2024, banned the Moolniwasi Bachao Manch, under the Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act, 2005.

“The reasons given by the NIA for arrest of Raghu Midiyami are his role in the formation of the Moolvasi Bachao Manch, organising  protests against police camps and roads, making allegations against the police of conducting fake encounters and acting as a link between the Maoists and their supporters. These demonstrate the NIA's unshaken  belief that any and all protests in Bastar only happen at the behest of the Maoists, and their complete denial of any agency to the people of Bastar to think and act on their own initiative and belief. There is nothing inherently illegal in holding protests and raising questions about government policies or actions,” People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) said in a statement condemning Midiyami’s arrest. He was arrested by the NIA from Dantewada where he was recovering from serious injuries sustained to him in a motorcycle accident.

MBM was instrumental in the multiple peaceful sit-in protests in central India, for demanding implementation of PESA and 5th Schedule, stopping of mining activities and displacement, cessation of mass killings by security forces and rampant militarisation of Bastar. Midiyami was one of the important leaders of the protest in Silger, on the border of Bijapur and Sukma districts in Chhattisgarh, against the new CRPF camp that was forcefully established in the village without even informing the villagers.

“If we go back home, we will die. If we protest, they will arrest us."

While speaking to Indie Journal around two years ago, Midiyami had then expressed his concern that whenever any villagers protest, they are still deemed naxalites by the police.

“If we go back home, we will die. If we protest, they will arrest us. We would rather sit here and protest instead of going back home,” Midyami had said, asserting the need to continue the protest in Silger.

Adivasis protesting in different parts of the state said that it has been very difficult for them to organise since then. 

“They banned MBM and all the other organisations under it that were protesting for various causes across Chhattisgarh. Many protests are at a standstill because of this. Adivasis don’t have anyone to unite them. Police are arresting people under the allegations of Maoist links and directly slamming them with the UAPA,” said Jaggu Bhogami, a member of Bharatiya Kisan Union.

सिलंगेर सहित अन्य जहगाओ मैं एक साल सात मह सेभी ज्यादा हो गया है अपने मांगों को लेकर आज भी बस्तर के आदिवासी आंदोलनरत हैं कोई शासन प्रशासन या राज्य सरकार अपने आदिवासियों का बलाई नहीं सोचते है हमारे आदिवासी का बलाई के लिए सोचते हैं तौ बस्तर के आदिवासी अपने जीवन में कुछी कुंछी में pic.twitter.com/oQUZ9KUmXt

— Bastar Jan Sangharsh Samanvay Samiti (@MidiyamiRaghu) November 22, 2022

A few months ago, Midiyami was aghast over the death of a six-month old in the alleged crossfire between Maoists and Forces in Sukma. An activist in Chhattisgarh now says that the condition is very bad in Chhattisgarh since Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that his government will eliminate naxalism in the country before March 31, 2026.

“Many adivasis are being killed after being deemed as Naxals. I have seen 12-year-old boys being killed in the name of killing naxals,” he said.

“PUCL CG holds that a people cannot be termed anti-government or anti-development if what they are doing is demanding the authorities to actually follow the procedures stated in the constitution. It is also deeply troubling to note how harsh legislations like CVJSA and UAPA, which give special powers to the government to counter violent threats to the country, are being used instead against people like Raghu Midiyami who are democratically and peacefully raising their constitutional demands,” PUCL says in its condemnation

PUCL also demands that the false case against Raghu Midiyami be withdrawn, the ban on Moolvasi Bachao Manch be lifted and other youth activists of the MBM  like Suneeta Pottam, Gajendra Madavi, Shankar and others also be released forthwith.