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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

Gadchiroli SP declares Maoist menace ‘almost over’

Mumbai: In a resounding statement signalling a historic shift, Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police (SP) Neelotpal has declared the district, once the dark heart of the ‘Red Corridor,’ is on the verge of becoming completely free of the Naxal menace. The SP expressed absolute confidence in the complete eradication of the banned CPI (Maoist) presence, noting that the remaining cadres have dwindled to a mere handful. “There has been a sea change in the situation,” SP Neelotpal stated,...

Gadchiroli SP declares Maoist menace ‘almost over’

Mumbai: In a resounding statement signalling a historic shift, Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police (SP) Neelotpal has declared the district, once the dark heart of the ‘Red Corridor,’ is on the verge of becoming completely free of the Naxal menace. The SP expressed absolute confidence in the complete eradication of the banned CPI (Maoist) presence, noting that the remaining cadres have dwindled to a mere handful. “There has been a sea change in the situation,” SP Neelotpal stated, highlighting the dramatic turnaround. He revealed that from approximately 100 Maoist cadres on record in January 2024, the number has plummeted to barely 10 individuals whose movements are now confined to a very small pocket of the Bhamragad sub-division in South Gadchiroli, near the Chhattisgarh border. “North Gadchiroli is now free of Maoism. The Maoists have to surrender and join the mainstream or face police action... there is no other option.” The SP attributes this success to a meticulously executed multi-pronged strategy encompassing intensified anti-Maoist operations, a robust Civic Action Programme, and the effective utilisation of Maharashtra’s attractive surrender-cum-rehabilitation policy. The Gadchiroli Police, especially the elite C-60 commandos, have achieved significant operational milestones. In the last three years alone, they have neutralised 43 hardcore Maoists and achieved a 100 per cent success rate in operations without police casualties for nearly five years. SP Neelotpal highlighted that the security forces have aggressively moved to close the “security vacuum,” which was once an estimated 3,000 square kilometres of unpoliced territory used by Maoists for training and transit. The establishment of eight new police camps/Forward Operating Bases (FoBs) since January 2023, including in the remote Abujhmad foothills, has been crucial in securing these areas permanently. Winning Hearts, Minds The Civic Action Programme has been deemed a “game changer” by the SP. Through schemes like ‘Police Dadalora Khidaki’ and ‘Project Udaan’, the police have transformed remote outposts into service delivery centres, providing essential government services and employment opportunities. This sustained outreach has successfully countered Maoist propaganda and, most critically, resulted in zero Maoist recruitment from Gadchiroli for the last few years. Surrender Wave The state’s progressive rehabilitation policy has seen a massive influx of surrenders. “One sentiment is common among all the surrendered cadres: that the movement has ended, it has lost public support, and without public support, no movement can sustain,” the SP noted. The surrender of key figures, notably that of Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias ‘Bhupathi,’ a CPI (Maoist) Politburo member, and his wife Sangeeta, was a “landmark development” that triggered a surrender wave. Since June 2024, over 126 Maoists have surrendered. The rehabilitation program offers land, housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, and employment. Surrendered cadres are receiving skill training and are successfully transitioning into normal life, with around 70 already employed in the local Lloyds plant. A District Reborn The transformation of Gadchiroli is now moving beyond security concerns. With the decline of extremism, the district is rapidly moving towards development and normalcy. The implementation of development schemes, round-the-clock electricity, water supply, mobile towers, and new infrastructure like roads and bridges is being given top priority. He concludes that the police’s focus is now shifting from an anti-Maoist offensive to routine law-and-order policing, addressing new challenges like industrialisation, theft, and traffic management. With the Maoist movement in “complete disarray” and major strongholds like the Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh (MMC) Special Zone collapsing, the SP is highly optimistic. Gadchiroli is not just getting rid of the Naxal menace; it is embracing its future as a developing, peaceful district, well on track to meet the central government’s goal of eradicating Naxalism by March 31, 2026.

BJP looks to beating Shinde in Mumbai

Updated: Oct 30, 2024

PARTY TRYING TO PUSH SS FOR ADJUSTMENT WHILE KEEPING ITS SHARE INTACT

BJP

Mumbai: Though the BJP did not declare any candidate from Mumbai in its second list of 22 candidates for the Assembly election the party workers are hoping for a greater share of power in the city in terms of contesting more seats and enhancing its performance this time.


The BJP had won 16 out of the 17 seats it contested from the city in 2019. This time the party has so far only announced candidates for only 14 of those 17 seats. The party is yet to declare candidates from Borivali, Varsova, and Ghatkopar East constituencies, which it had contested and won in 2019. This clearly means that either the party is undecided over whom to field from these constituencies or an intense bargain is going on with the alliance partners over these seats.

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Apart from these three seats, party workers say, the BJP is eyeing at least a couple of more seats to come to its kitty. In Andheri East constituency BJP’s Murji Patel, who had contested as an Independent, polled second highest votes against Shiv Sena’s Ramesh Latke. His wife Rutuja Latke is the sitting MLA from the seat and she is with Shiv Sena (UBT), which is why the BJP is said to be very keen about the constituency.


The BJP is also opposed to at least a couple of candidates from the allies, like Nawab Malik and Swikruti Sharma (wife of encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma) and hence can get in bargain some of the other seats from the allies, the party insiders said.


For almost four decades the BJP had been slowly and steadily increasing its presence in the city. The united Shiv Sena was certainly powerful in the city than the BJP.


But, in 2017 the BJP won almost equal seats in the municipal corporation and on that basis bagged 17 out of the 36 seats in the city. While it is eyeing for contesting at least 18 seats this time, the party is certainly hoping for a couple of more seats.


Mumbai being the financial capital of the country, it is assumed that the party that rules the city would also rule the majority of business sector of the nation.


The BJP is also eyeing the municipal polls which might follow after the Assembly polls. To be in a better position to contest those polls, the party is trying to grab major share now, the insiders said.

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