RAIPUR: The outlawed CPI (Maoist) has given a call for bandh (shutdown) in six states on May 25 in protest against the recent “encounters” at Gadchiroli in Maharashtra where over 40 naxalites were killed
in April this year.
This is the first time the rebels have also given a call for shutdown in Madhya Pradesh. The other five states include Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra and Telangana.
The band call is intended to offer tribute to their comrades killed near villages of Boriya, Kasnasur and Nainar in Gadchiroli alleging the encounter as “fake”.
The north Bastar Division Committee and north sub zonal bureau of CPI (Maoist) have given a call for bandh. They have nailed posters and banners at various places seeking the support of masses in support of the bandh call.
The left-wing extremists have further exhorted the people to chase away the BJP leaders from their villages and to continue fighting for their “rights” over jal-jangal-jameen (water, forest and land).
Last Sunday the Maoists had killed 7 Chhattisgarh policemen triggering a powerful improvised explosive device (IED) blast at Dantewada. In recent weeks they had set ablaze several heavy vehicles including JCB loaders engaged in the road construction works in different districts in south Chhattisgarh.
During the ongoing statewide 'Vikas Yatra' the Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh affirmed that the focus of his government always remain "growth and peace in Bastar but the naxals oppose the development".
The challenge persists with the outlawed CPI (Maoist) continues to be most active in conflict zone of Bastar and waging war on the security forces and the government for over three decades now.
The state police claimed that the naxalites have been restricted to limited pockets in the affected districts, though the number of districts receiving the Centre’s security related expenditure (SRE) for anti-Maoist operations and development have come down to 14 from 16 with no significant improvement apparent in
the LWE scenario during the past five years.