New Delhi: An event held in Raipur on August 7 is making headlines after a video of it went viral about a week later. The event, organised by the Chhattisgarh government to promote indigenous textiles on National Handloom Day, included a fashion show.The women who walked the ramp were no ordinary participants. A few months earlier, they were in Maoist guerrilla squads, roaming the forests armed with weapons. This is what has sparked extensive debate, with the government presenting it as a success story and calling it “empowerment”.While sharing photos of the event on X, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai wrote, “A new chapter is beginning in Bastar…hands that once wielded weapons are now weaving a new tale of dignity, self-confidence, and hope.”However, speaking to The Wire Hindi, four former Maoists who participated in the modelling event revealed that they had been taken from Sukma to Raipur under false pretence: They were told they would be trained to become tailors, but upon arrival there, they were trained to walk the ramp. “Had I been aware of this in advance, I wouldn’t have gone,” remarked one of them.Seema Poyam, a policewoman stationed at the Sukma rehabilitation centre, also confirmed that the women had no prior knowledge of modelling. They had been informed that they were being taken for tailoring classes, she said.On the other hand, Rajesh Singh Rana, the Secretary of the Village Industries Department in charge of Sukma, said that the women’s participation in the event was voluntary and that consent letters had been obtained from the District Collector.The Village Industries Department hosted this event at the Deendayal Upadhyay Auditorium in Raipur, where the women walked the ramp dressed in Kosa silk and other traditional handloom attire, also wearing makeup. The event was attended by Sai and former chief minister Raman Singh.‘We were brought under the pretext of receiving training for tailoring’The Wire Hindi reached out to some of the former Maoists who participated in the event. Four confirmed that ten women from Sukma took part in the event. Among them, nine were former Maoists who had been living in a police-run rehabilitation centre in Sukma for the past few months following their surrender, while one woman was a police officer who had never been a Maoist.These nine women had surrendered to the Chhattisgarh and Telangana police over the course of the past year.These former Maoists told The Wire Hindi, on the condition of anonymity, that they had been taken from Sukma under the pretext of receiving tailoring training in Jagdalpur, but were instead brought to Raipur. Their group of 11 included two policewomen, one of whom also walked the ramp.They arrived on the evening of August 1, were accommodated in a hotel in Raipur and were given training on how to walk like models from August 2 to August 6 by members of a group who had travelled from Mumbai. They were introduced to the concept of a ramp walk – what it is and how and why it is done – things about which they had no prior knowledge. One of the women said she was astonished by the situation she found herself in, when she had believed she would attend tailoring classes.The former Maoists said they were not informed about a fashion show in which they would participate in advance. Credit: Social media“When we arrived, instead of being instructed on sewing machines, they started telling us how to walk on the stage. Initially, I didn’t understand. After much effort, I was able to grasp a little and eventually performed on stage.”“I shouldn’t have participated in that ramp walk,” she added. “It feels entirely wrong now. Had I known beforehand, I wouldn’t have gone.”Another participant said, “Had they informed us that we were being taken to participate in a fashion show, we would have declined. But they brought us under the pretence of training. We believed we would learn new skills that might actually benefit us.”“Some people had arrived from Mumbai at the hotel where we were staying in,” another participant said. “We tried to refuse them, but they forced us. We didn’t know how to do it properly. They would instruct us by scolding and reprimanding us.”None of these women can speak Hindi fluently; they only know broken Hindi. They spoke with The Wire Hindi in Gondi/Koya. The Wire spoke with each of them individually, and all said they were misled into going there. In their own words: “Makin Gatti Keesi Ottor.”Seema Poyam, who accompanied them from their departure to Raipur until their return to Sukma, said there was an order from “higher authorities” to transport these women to Raipur, with which she had complied. Even she did not know what awaited them there.⠀She also confirmed that the former Maoists were unaware that they would be required to walk the ramp there. “They were merely informed that they were being taken for some training related to tailoring,’ Poyam said.‘Did not get a single penny, just a saree’When The Wire Hindi asked the women about the remuneration they received for their participation, all of them said they were “not given anything”. They just gave us a bag with a saree, they confirmed.Rajesh Singh Rana, the Sukma in-charge secretary of the Village Industries Department, told The Wire Hindi that each of the women received Rs 10,000 for being models on the stage. The amount was transferred to their bank accounts, he said. He said they got handloom khadi and silk sarees and clothes as “gifts”.But the participants said no money had been deposited into their bank accounts. Plus, the saree they got was cotton – plus a track suit each.The women were given a bag each with a saree. There is disagreement over their renumeration. Photo courtesy: FacebookWhen asked about this news going viral in the media, one woman said, “How can anyone feel good about something they were tricked into doing?”The woman expressed displeasure over the media continuously reaching out to them. “Ever since the event, media persons are continuously approaching us for comments. What can we tell them? We did not go there of our own accord. We were misled.”But Rana said he had met these women at the Naxal Rehabilitation Centre in Sukma. “We discussed with them the jobs they were doing and the facilities they were receiving,” he said. “We asked them what they aspired to be and about their future plans. It emerged that some of them were interested in it [walking the ramp]. Some girls appeared very confident. They were eager to get the platform. We had a programme organised on National Handloom Day and decided to include them in it.”He said the programme did not include a fashion show initially. “On Handloom Day, the focus was on promoting indigenous clothes such as Khadi, Kosa silk and cotton. However, looking at the confidence shown by women, it felt appropriate to include them in it.”Rana said consent letters had been received from the District Collector suggesting that these women were willing to participate in the event.The Wire Hindi perused some of these ‘consent letters’, with the names, photographs, signatures and other details of individuals expressing willingness to participate in the ‘Swadeshi Fashion Show/Exhibition’. When The Wire Hindi asked a former Maoist woman about this, she said, “We do not know what was written in Hindi; when the officials asked us to sign, we did.”Celebrating the ramp walk is a crude joke: Bela BhatiaSpeaking to The Wire Hindi, social activist and lawyer Bela Bhatia said that featuring women with Maoist backgrounds from Bastar in fashion was a crude sort of joke.“People in this region are battling hunger and fighting unemployment,” she said, adding, “They confront exploitation of various kinds. Rules are being subverted to exploit their resources. Their rights are being trampled upon. Maoism emerged as a result of the suppression of their rights.“Although today the government claims to have eradicated Maoism, it has yet to provide society with an explanation why it started. The people of Bastar, especially women, were involved in large numbers in the movement. What motivated their involvement? Why did they resort to taking up arms? It is absurd to celebrate by concealing these realities and merely showcasing those women walking the ramp.”She said, “Bringing women to participate in the ramp walk means confining their bodies within the constraints of the so-called beauty standards. It reflects a patriarchal mindset, suggesting that women who once wielded guns and addressed political matters are being brought under the ambit of beauty and make-up, falsely labelled as a step towards their empowerment. If Phoolan Devi had been similarly confined and made to walk the ramp, would the truth about how she was raped have changed. Would it have changed the social exploitation faced by women in her community?”Bela adds, “These women were made to walk the ramp for ten or fifteen minutes, yet the government would never have sought to know the conditions that led them to take up arms. What compelled them to roam in the forests for years? Many lost their lives along this journey. What drove them to choose this path?”On integrating them into the so-called mainstream, Bhatia said, “All these people were marginalised. They took up arms believing that they were fighting for their rights, as those rights were being violated in this democracy. Although they have laid down their weapons, the issue of rights remains unresolved. The majority of the population is still marginalised. They are not part of the mainstream. Those whose needs are being met are the ones in the mainstream. Therefore, we need to ask the government when it will bring those whose rights are being violated into the mainstream. Everyone should come forth to protect the rights of the marginalised people. All of us should fight for them.”Rehabilitation of former MaoistsThe government is showcasing the former Maoists’ return to the “mainstream” and their rehabilitation and empowerment. Yet can a modelling session serve as a genuine symbol of rehabilitation for women who escaped a vicious cycle of violence that went on for decades is a question many ask.To what extent is it appropriate to present them on a stage, in an environment that does not match their culture and lifestyle, before an urban, largely non-tribal audience that speaks unfamiliar languages, compelling them to adopt strange and uncomfortable poses while capturing their photos and videos and make them go viral?Is it appropriate to declare, on their behalf, that this signifies their successful “reintegration into the mainstream” without understanding or considering their wishes, beliefs or constraints?Is it not ironic to label this event as a step towards empowerment when former Maoists living in rehabilitation centres across the Bastar division lack the opportunity to make independent decisions about their future and employment?Several women who were formerly Maoists and now live in the Sukma Rehabilitation Centre told The Wire Hindi that they are subjected to many restrictions and constant surveillance by security personnel. They are not allowed to move freely. They said that there were discussions about skill development but no special training has been imparted, except for a few, who are being taught how to drive and farm.“From a distance, everything appears good but the reality is different,” said one woman. “We have been raised in forests since childhood. Now this environment feels very difficult. It is nothing like living in your village home. We may appear outwardly happy, but we are not truly happy. We wish to return home and earn a living through farming.”Professor Chintakindi Kasim, Principal of Osmania University Arts College, Hyderabad, said, “Hundreds of Maoists surrendered before the police in different states either on the government’s call to return to the mainstream or under compulsion, a large number of whom are women. Similar to the surrendered militants in the northeastern states, who were integrated into the mainstream and afforded the chance to lead a respectable life, they, too, should be granted the liberty to visit their villages and their homes as they desire. The Union government and state governments should reassess this policy to prevent any potential unrest in the society.”The question of cultureAmidst the mass surrender of Maoists and government claims regarding rehabilitation, the discourse surrounding the tribals’ rights to water, forests, and land – as well as their culture – has been somewhat overshadowed. The rapid expansion of market forces, mining and tourism in Bastar is giving rise to new concerns for the tribal communities.Professor Kasim views the modelling as a manifestation of market-driven or consumerist culture. He also believes there was an underlying intent to demean the years of political and social engagement demonstrated by these tribal women.“There was a time when women like Aishwarya Rai and Sushmita Sen were consistently winning the Miss World or Miss Universe titles. That was an era when the wave of liberalisation was sweeping through [India], and multinational corporations were aggressively launching their products in India’s vast market. Now, there is an attempt to present tribal women – who come from a Maoist background – as cheerleaders for this model of so-called development, is being implemented here,” he observed.The questions do not end here. The ruling BJP in the state and its parent organisation, the RSS, typically claim to oppose the influence of Western culture on Indian culture and consistently emphasise the concept of Swadeshi (indigenous self-reliance). In this context, some critics ask whether the ramp walk held on Handloom Day was not an expression of Western culture.How does imposing Western fashion culture on tribal women – who possess a distinct cultural identity – contribute to their rehabilitation? If there is genuine pride in tribal and indigenous culture, why were traditional Indian art forms, attire, music, dance and local craftsmanship not showcased instead?‘Operation Kagar’The Naxal or Maoist movement, which has persisted in the country for nearly five decades, has led to violent clashes between police and paramilitary forces and Maoists, particularly in the tribal regions of Central India. Naxalites face accusations of attacking security forces and killing civilians on the pretext that they were police informants, while security forces have faced allegations of staging fake encounters and violating human rights.A significant turning point in the ongoing counter-insurgency operations by Union and state governments occurred in 2024, with the launch of a comprehensive campaign named ‘Operation Kagar,’ which set a target to make the country “Naxal-free by March 31, 2026”.Maoist cadres surrender before the authorities, in Kanker district, Chhattisgarh, October 26, 2025. Photo: PTISubsequently, several major ‘encounters’ took place in the Bastar region, resulting in the deaths of dozens of alleged Maoist cadres and leaders. Following this, a faction of the Maoist organisation led by Politburo member Mallojula Venugopal announced it was abandoning armed struggle and surrendered with their weapons to the government in October 2025.However, other leaders of the organisation, such as Devji and Hidma, opposed this move and vowed to continue the struggle.Later developments saw Hidma killed in an alleged encounter in the forests of Andhra Pradesh, while Devji and some other leaders surrendered to the Telangana Police. Gradually, cadres of all ranks operating in the Bastar region surrendered.Since then, the government has housed almost all the surrendered cadres in rehabilitation centres established within police lines at district headquarters. A large number of these individuals are women. The rehabilitation centre in Sukma alone reportedly houses over a hundred women, the majority of whom are former Maoists. Among them are also rural women accused of involvement in Maoist activities.Translated by Naushin Rehman. Read the original story published on The Wire Hindi.