328 left wing extremists have surrendered: Mamata

Of them, 205 have already been enrolled as Special Home Guards, she says

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Tuesday that 328 left wing extremists had laid down arms after the Trinamool Congress government came to power in 2011.

“So far, in West Bengal, 328 left wing extremists have surrendered. They include 111 Maoists in 2017 [till date],” Ms. Banerjee said on social media.

Of those who had laid down their arms, 205 had already been enrolled as Special Home Guards.

“Apart from employment, surrendering Maoists get financial incentives as well as assistance for housing, medical and child education, as per norms,” she added.

Despite the Chief Minister’s claims of success in her anti-left wing extremism strategy, activists claim that she has gone back on her promise of releasing political prisoners who include Maoists.

“In 2011, the government set up a committee which recommended release of all political prisoners, including Maoists. But the government has not taken action on the recommendations,” Sujato Bhadra, who was part of the committee, said.

Mr. Bhadra pointed out that despite claims of peace in Jangalmhal (which was once hot bed of Maoist activities), Central forces had not been withdrawn from there.