New Delhi: Puneem Deve was nervous when she discovered that she would walk the ramp along with eight other surrendered Naxal women at a National Handloom Day event in Raipur.
A group of nine women was sent to Raipur from a government-run rehabilitation centre in Sukma—one of India’s former strongest Naxal bastions.
“We received training for a week in Raipur. It was different from what we did earlier. We enjoyed walking on a ramp in new clothes. We hadn’t worn these clothes before,” 31-year-old Deve told ThePrint.
A tribal fashion show featuring surrendered women Naxal cadres from Bastar was organised at the Deendayal Upadhyay Auditorium in Raipur. Among the attendees were Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and former CM Raman Singh. The event was organised by Chhattisgarh’s Gramodyog department.
The nine former Naxalites from Bastar walked the ramp in traditional Kosa silk and handloom sarees. This happened just a few months after Union Home Minister Amit Shah declared India Naxal-free.
But for the selected women, it was not an easy task.
“We underwent a week of special ramp walk training in different clothes,” said Deve, adding that they trained for four to five hours each day.
Also read: From guns to the grind, Chhattisgarh’s surrendered Naxals are working as baristas, plumbers, tailors
A new exposure
For 18-year-old Nandini, the Raipur visit was a completely new experience she had never had before.
“For the first time, we saw a beauty parlour, wore fancy clothes and walked in front of a large audience. We were nervous but confident to perform,” said Nandini, who is part of the rehabilitation program in Sukma.
Nandini said they initially faced a challenge because they were not comfortable wearing heels and shoes.
“We practised in chappals and then shifted to heels. It was a fun experience,” she said, adding that they lived in a hotel and saw such life for the first time.
Across the Bastar region, the Chhattisgarh government runs a rehabilitation centre to skill surrendered Naxals, training them in various works such as tailoring, welding and plumbing.
A few days before the event in Raipur, senior officials from the Gramyodyog department called the Sukma administration to send people for the event.
“We have asked them to send some women for the ramp walk event. At the rehabilitation centre, we have only a last batch of people, and we sent them to Raipur,” said Madhu Teta, deputy collector, Sukma.
Teta said all of them experienced modern life in Raipur.
“Now they are saying the days they spent in Raipur are their best time,” said Teta.
(Edited by Saptak Datta)