No change in Bengal Maoist areas, says sympathiser
September 20th, 2011 - 10:25 pm ICT by IANS
Kolkata, Sep 20 (IANS) Litterateur and Maoist sympathiser Varavara Rao, who visited the rebel-hit areas of West Bengal Tuesday, said the people’s condition there has not changed under the new regime.
“There is no improvement in the situation. Nothing has changed in these three months, people are facing the same problems as they did earlier. Trinamool (Congress) leaders are attacking the people,” Rao told IANS by phone.
Varavara Rao, along with several intellectuals and rights activists, visited Junglemahal (Maoist-affected forested areas in western part of the state) on a fact-finding mission regarding the alleged atrocities on people by joint security forces.
“There has been no development in the area. The roads are in bad shape. The joint forces often perpetrate violence on the locals,” he said.
Rao refused to comment on the killing of a local Trinamool leader Tuesday by Maoists. “Though I came to know about it through media reports, but I cannot comment until I verify,” he said.
Trinamool leader Lal Mohan Mahato was killed by Maoists in West Midnapore district Tuesday, following which an enraged Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called it an act of cowardice and said politics of murder will not be allowed to prevail.
Rao also hoped to meet Banerjee to discuss the Maoist issue.
“We hope to meet Banerjee day after tomorrow (Thursday) but the CM’s office is yet to confirm the meeting. Given a chance, we would discuss primarily the withdrawal of joint forces as well as the UAPA (Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act). Of course, peace talks will also be on the agenda,” he said.
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- 'Bengal committed to peace with Maoists' - Sep 30, 2011
- Maoist sympathisers doubt Mamata's commitment to peace talks - Oct 15, 2011
- Withdraw joint forces from Junglemahal: Trinamool MP - Jul 11, 2011
- Mamata Banerjee to visit Maoist hotbeds - Jul 10, 2011
- Maoists call Junglemahal shutdown Oct 22 - Oct 19, 2011
- Kabir Suman mocks at Mamata's visit to Irom Sharmila - Jan 28, 2012
- Bengal interlocutors step aside from peace process - Nov 28, 2011
- Kishenji eliminated in Didi's regime - an irony? (West Bengal Newsletter) - Nov 27, 2011
- Maoists using CPI-M guns to kill: Mamata - Sep 20, 2011
- Rights activists hit out at Mamata - Mar 27, 2012
- Mamata should withdraw joint forces: Mahasweta Devi - Oct 08, 2011
- Maoists regrouping in Bengal: Police - Jul 05, 2011
- Surrender arms and talk: Mamata appeals to Maoists - Jul 08, 2011
Tags: activists, atrocities, bad shape, chief minister, congress leaders, cowardice, day after tomorrow, fact finding mission, intellectuals, kolkata, lal, maoist, maoists, midnapore district, mohan, peace talks, prevention act, security forces, varavara rao, west bengal