The Hindu : National : PSBJC chief threatens to launch a “greater movement”

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PSBJC chief threatens to launch a “greater movement”

Raktima Bose

West Bengal, Jharkhand police plan simultaneous operation against Maoists

Synchronised flush-out operation in Purulia, Bankura and Paschim Medinipur districts
‘Police indiscriminately arresting people, ransacking their houses and fields’

KOLKATA: Threatening to launch a “greater movement” within a couple of days unless the West Bengal government withdraws the joint security forces from Lalgarh, Police Santrash Birodhi Janasadharaner Committee (PSBJC) convener Chhatradhar Mahato has warned it against “any more arrests of innocent people in the name of a Maoist flush-out.”

Speaking to The Hindu over telephone from his hideout in the Lalgarh area, he said: “The government is bent on quashing our movement. Even the Home Secretary acknowledged that it was a ‘just movement’ on his visit to Lalgarh last Sunday… It has decided to term any protest in the Jangalmahal [forest area], a Maoist movement to hide its own failures. We will launch a greater movement within a couple of days if the police atrocities continue.”

Common man’s support

Apparently emboldened by the partial success of the bandh called by the PSBJC in the Maoist-hit districts of Paschim Medinipur, Purulia and Bankura on Wednesday, he asserted that common people were supporting the movement in spite of “police atrocities.”

Mr. Mahato accused the police of disrupting farming in the region.

“They are indiscriminately arresting people, ransacking their houses and fields. The farmers cannot till their land out of fear, even after the arrival of the monsoon,” he said.

High-level meeting

Meanwhile, plans are on to launch a simultaneous offensive on the Maoists in both West Bengal and Jharkhand. At a high-level meeting attended by the Directors-General of Police of both States in Ranchi on Wednesday, strategies were chalked out for a coordinated operation by the police of both States.

Bhupinder Singh, West Bengal DGP told The Hindu that a synchronised flush-out operation would also be launched in Purulia, Bankura and Paschim Medinipur districts.

Intelligence reports

Amid intelligence reports that top Maoist leaders have fled to Jharkhand through forests following the operation by the joint security forces in the Lalgarh region, the simultaneous operation by West Bengal and Jharkhand police has been planned to leave the Maoists with no escape route.

Mr. Mahato, however, criticised the police intelligence network. “If they had all the information beforehand, how did the Maoists flee? It indicates their failure and to cover that up, they are harassing innocent people.”

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