Two hardcore Maoists, one of whom was reportedly involved in the Silda camp killing in 2010, called on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the State Secretariat on Thursday after surrendering before the police.
Congratulating the duo, who met her along with their child, Ms. Banerjee said the government would examine the legal cases against the couple while supporting their rehabilitation in every possible way. The Ramakrishna Mission would be approached to admit the child in one of their schools and the State would provide for his education till high school and his parents would get the government package.
The surrender comes at a time when Ms. Banerjee's efforts to restore peace in the Jangalmahal is at the crossroads with the interlocutors backing out of the negotiation process and the government mounting a fresh offensive against Naxals.
Jagori Baskey and Rajaram Soren said they have now realised that the path that they were coerced and misled into taking, was not the right one.
“We were taught to kill people, we have killed policemen and others, we now want to return society's mainstream. They are torturing the very people they said they would protect,” Jagori Baskey, who police suspect to have been involved in the Silda camp attack, said.
In the February 15, 2010 attack, 24 jawans of the Eastern Rifles were killed Naxals.
Ms. Banerjee said the cases against the couple would be processed and examined legally.
“The government will extend to them the rehabilitation package that it had announced and both of them will get this package, Their child, called Bahadur, lives up to his name … he is very bright and we will approach Ramakrishna Mission or any other similar institution with hostel facilities for his education up to the 12th standard,” she said.
“People commit mistakes and correct it when realisation dawns on them,” Ms. Banerjee said. She made a fervent appeal to all rebels to return to the mainstream. “I would appeal to my brothers and sisters in the Jangalmahal to come back to the civil society. Let good sense prevail.”
Ms. Banerjee, however, launched a scathing attack on those acting as the brains behind Maoists and conspiring. She said they do not love their country. “Let the fight be one of ideologies, not one through guns and bloodshed. Please return to civil life.”
She mentioned in this context that the areas in Jangalmahal were also among the poorest in the State — where such bloodshed was totally unwarranted. “Unrest cannot bring peace which is a continuous process,” she said.
Rajaram Soren said he was led into the Maoist-fold a decade ago, but he felt betrayed when the rebels started training their guns on the very tribals, whose lot they had sought to change.
“When I saw such wrongdoing, I decided to return to mainstream,” he said.
While the duo had first discussed their surrender with the district police in Purulia, they surrendered before the Inspector General, Intelligence Branch, and desired to meet the Chief Minister.
