Chetna Natya Manch (CNM; English: ''Awakening and Dramatic Arts Front'') is the "

Cultural Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, Attitude (psychology), attitudes ...

Troupe" of the

Communist Party of India (Maoist) The Communist Party of India (Maoist) is a banned Marxist–Leninist-Maoist communist political party and militant organization in India which aims to overthrow the Republic of India through protracted people's war. It was founded on 21 S ...

. Chetna Natya Manch is headed by Leng (who is from Andhra Pradesh), and has more than 10,000 members.

Background and activities

The CNM is the "propaganda unit" and "cultural wing" of the

Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) People's War Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) People's War, usually called People's War Group (PWG), was an underground communist party in India. It merged with the Maoist Communist Centre of India to form the Communist Party of India (Maoist ...

(PWG), and "conducted dance, drama, poetry and musical workshops" in the villages, "inspiring young people to join the PWG." According to them, they are a "cultural team", and they "don't fight" but only "sing". They also focus on literature and plastic arts. They have raised their music cassettes by themselves and also have a "mobile editing unit." The CNM attracts "huge crowds" to their presentations.

Publication

The CNM, in August 1994, began publishing a bimonthly magazine named "Jhankar" in Bengali, Gondi, Hindi, Marathi and Telugu. It is still published.

Opposition

The

government of India The Government of India (ISO 15919, ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of States and union t ...

's ministry of Information and Broadcasting has "activated its own cultural wing" to "counter" the CNM, which they believe is "instigating the

tribal The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide use of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. The definition is contested, in part due to conflict ...

s against the Indian

state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...

through songs and cultural programmes." The CNM was banned by the

government of Chhattisgarh Government of Chhattisgarh also known as the State Government of Chhattisgarh, or locally as State Government, is the supreme governing authority of the Indian state of Chhattisgarh and its 33 districts. It consists of an executive, led by th ...

on 16 August 2013 under the Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act for its alleged participation in the "

insurgency An insurgency is a violent, armed rebellion by small, lightly armed bands who practice guerrilla warfare against a larger authority. The key descriptive feature of insurgency is its asymmetric warfare, asymmetric nature: small irregular forces ...

activities" in the

Red corridor Red corridor designates the districts of India which has the presence and influence of Naxalites. As of March 2025, the corridor encompasses 18 districts across seven states, predominantly in Central and East India. History The Naxalite� ...

region of

Chhattisgarh Chhattisgarh (; ) is a landlocked States and union territories of India, state in Central India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, ninth largest state by area, and with a population of roughly 30 million, the List ...

, and recently, the ban has been extended till 30 August 2015.

References

{{Reflist

Background and activities

Publication

Opposition

References

See also