BENGALURU: Over four decades of Naxalism by Left Wing Extremists (LWEs) of the CPI (Maoist) in the Western Ghats of Karnataka is coming to an end with the state’s Naxal Surrender and Rehabilitation Committee hoping to convince six to eight Naxalites, who have remained active, to give up arms and join the mainstream. This after the government agreed to meet some of their demands, including financial and legal aid to them.
Three members of the committee – Bajagere Jayaprakash, KP Sripala and Parvatheesh Bilidale – have put up a concerted effort along with officials from the government to establish a link with Naxals.
The entire process of getting the Naxals to surrender started six months ago, but picked up pace after the death of Naxal leader Vikram Gowda in a police encounter.
After several rounds of talks and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s call to surrender, they have agreed to give up their struggle. If all goes well, it could happen on Wednesday before the Chikkamagaluru deputy commissioner.
“I have given a call for Naxals to surrender and there is a possibility that they will surrender, after a change in their mindset. The process of bringing them to the mainstream of society is under way,” Siddaramaiah told reporters at Vidhana Soudha on Monday.
The committee members are likely to meet Naxal leaders Latha Mundagar, Sundari Kutluru, Vanajakshi Balehole, John alias Jayanna, Mareppa Aroli and Jeesha of Wayanad in Kerala and K Vasanth of Tamil Nadu, at an undisclosed location in the Western Ghats on Tuesday. Another Naxal, Kotehonda Ravi, has disappeared into the forest.
“We are carrying the government’s opinion to the Naxals on some of their demands that can be met, including clubbing their multiple cases for trials in one court. This is to ensure that they need not struggle in courts for a long time. But there will be no excuse or concession on the part of the government for their offences. Some of them will get acquitted or convicted by the court based on the merit of the cases. Concerns over their health and rehabilitation package will be addressed,” Bilidale told TNIE.
Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh and officials in the home department have given their assent to the surrender process, he said.
ADGP (intelligence) Hemanth Nimbalkar and Anti-Naxal Force intelligence officer Hariramshankar – who coordinated with the committee – have played a key role in the surrender of Naxals. It was in June 2023 that ADGP (intelligence) Sharathchandra took the initiative to execute the surrender policy, Bilidale said.