Condemning the surrender of State Committee member of Dandakarnya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) Gudsa Usendi alias Sukhdev alias GVK Prasad, the outlawed CPI-Maoist said that the “renegade spokesperson” has left the party without discussion and “concocting stories” of his differences with the party. Mr Prasad had never objected to any decision of the party’s highest body, the Central Committee (CC), nor registered any complaints on ideological issues, while the party “provides enough space for internal debates,” DKSZC secretary, Rammana alias Ravulu Sriniwas said in a recorded statement.
The audio of Mr Ramanna’s statement was played to The Hindu by a senior member of the Maoist cultural front, Chaitanya Natya Manch (CNM) on Monday, from the forest areas of southern Chhattisgarh. The middle-aged leader from Warangal district of Andhra Pradesh, GVK Prasad surrendered with a woman comrade before Andhra Pradesh police last week.
In nearly 20 minute long statement Mr Ramanna strongly denounced the erstwhile Spokesperson’s decision to surrender, calling him a “morally flawed” individual. “He was once suspended by the party in 1993 for moral misdemeanour but was re-inducted after repeated requests. But Sukhdev proved to be a weak person and a traitor,” the statement said.
During his tenure in the party, Mr Prasad was questioned for moral turpitude and even now he ran away with ‘another’ woman comrade, the statement said.
“His wife Raje is still in the party, while Sukhdev has surrendered with Santoshi Madkam and the action (of running away with another woman) exposes him to the comrades,” Mr Ramanna said.
The CNM member, who used to be Mr Prasad’s close confidant, confirmed that the party had no idea about the spokesperson’s plan to leave the party. “Some reports are suggesting that the party has asked him to leave to organize urban movement, such speculations are baseless as Usendi clearly betrayed our trust,” the CNM member said.
Gudsa Usendi is the name given to all spokespersons of DKSZC. Usendi alias Sukhdev alias GVK Prasad explained the raison d'etre of the name to this correspondent in 2010. “Gudsa Usendi was a party member from Abujhmarh who was killed on 26 April, 1999. Perhaps the first tribal martyr from the area (Orchha) and the name traditionally passes to the DKSZC spokesperson,” Mr Prasad explained. He spoke highly about his comrades and reiterated that party does not tolerate any ‘moral corruption.’ The same party is pulling now punches to call Mr Prasad, a man with flawed sense of morality, unsuitable for a revolutionary.
Over last five years, Mr Prasad emerged as the voice of the banned party in the forest and escorted writers, journalists or rights activists during their tour of Bastar. It is a puzzle why CPI- Maoist retained Mr Prasad as their spokesperson even after receiving allegations against him.
Answering the question, another surrendered senior leader told The Hindu that Mr Prasad’s grasp over many languages and ability to teach and lead younger members made him “virtually irreplaceable” in the party.
The party is yet to appoint the new spokesperson – the next Gudsa Usendi – of DKSZC, the CNM member said.
