After a wait of 18 months, thousands of supporters of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), who had fled Lalgarh and its adjoining areas in West Bengal's Paschim Medinipur district in the wake of the Maoist onslaught, returned to their homes on Sunday.
Bearing the flags of the CPI(M), an estimated 12,000 people marched from Dharampur to Lalgarh. They reopened the CPI(M) local committee office in Lalgarh, which has remained closed since 16 June 2009.
In June last year, days before the joint security operations against Maoists and the activists of the Maoist-backed Police Santrash Birodhi Janasadharaner Committee (PSBJC) were launched, suspected Maoists had attacked the premises of the CPI (M) office at Lalgarh and the home of the party's zonal committee secretary, Anuj Pandey.
The homes of other supporters were also attacked and many were forced to leave their homes.
It is hoped that the rally will boost the spirits of those who are yet to return to their homes and encourage them to do so, said Mr. Pandey, who himself came back to his home in September this year.
“Thousands returned to their homes today, but there are many others who are still unable to do so. The homes of many are yet to be repaired, but the situation is slowly returning to normalcy,” Mr. Pandey told The Hindu over telephone from Lalgarh.
On being asked about the numerous other party supporters who remain refugees, particularly in the district's Jhargram area as well as in Bankura and Purulia districts, CPI(M) State secretary Biman Bose said, “A resistance does not emerge in a single day.”
Admitting that those who were driven out of their homes had suffered and others continue to do so, he asked the supporters not retaliate with violence.
“They have lost a lot and (have) suffered tremendously. Their homes have been broken down, but there is no need for any counter-violence. The Left Front does not believe in politics of counter-violence,” he said.
When asked if the development will bolster the claims made by Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee that the joint-operations were being used by the CPI(M) to regain a foothold in Maoist affected areas, Mr. Bose said, “there is nothing new in that claim.”
“She has been demanding a withdrawal of security forces from those areas as she does not want a situation of normalcy to return. The Trinamool Congress, Maoists and PSBJC have only one aim – to terrorise the villagers and they want the present situation to prevail,” he added.
