Date:03/07/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/07/03/stories/2009070357931300.htm

National

‘Chhatradhar provided an open forum for Maoists’

Indrani Dutta

He might not be formally a Maoist, but he will be arrested when he is found: Buddhadeb

Following the operations, the Maoists are fleeing to Jharkhand
They have two training camps in that State

Kolkata: Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said that Chhatradhar Mahato has provided an open forum for Maoist activity in Lalgarh by forming the Sangram Committee (Police Santrash Birodhi Janashadharaner Committee).

Participating in a budget discussion on his department (Home and Personnel Administrative Reforms) in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, Mr. Bhattacharjee said: “Formally his name might not be on the [Maoist] organisation’s list, but by forming the Sangram Committee, he has provided an open-forum for Maoist activity in Lalgarh and its surrounding areas.”

He was replying to a point raised by the leader of the Congress Legislative Party Manas Bhunia, on the Home Secretary’s statement that Mr. Mahato was not a Maoist.

“While I do not think it is appropriate to take names of officials in the floor of the Assembly, I would like to mention in this context that the government has said that he will be arrested once he is found,” Mr. Bhattacharjee said. The police were now looking for him.

He added that the Trinamool Congress has been very closely involved with the Maoists. “They are intertwined. They [TC and Maoists] were involved in Nandigram, in Khejuri and in Lalgarh – but they [TC] are not Maoists.” Similarly, the Congress has involved Chhatradhar Mahato in their relief operations by distributing rice, but “that does not mean that one can label the Congress as Maoists,” Mr. Bhattacharjee said to buttress his argument.

He said that the sources of strength and support for the Maoists were in Jharkhand where they have two training camps. “Where are their arms, their explosives coming from?” Mr. Bhattacharjee asked saying that the Maoists had seized the opportunity provided by Jharkhand.

Following the operations in West Bengal, the Maoists are trying to flee to Jharkhand, he said. “We are trying to seal the exit points but there are many dense forests and we cannot seal all those exits,” he said.

In this context, he mentioned that while he had urged Home Minister P. Chidambaram to launch the operation in Jharkhand too , he (Mr. Chidambaram) had said that this was not possible during the monsoons .

On the relief operations launched in Lalgarh after the operations, Mr. Bhattacharjee said the people there are devastated.

“Ration shops, groceries are all closed and officials are trying to provide relief.” He added that for over a year, all sorts of activity – irrigation, forestry and road construction had been brought to a standstill.

He said departmental secretaries were being sent to restore and regain the people’s confidence .

After this a task force would look into implementing the development projects formulated for that region.