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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.

Congress loses traditional Muslim voters to Sena (UBT)

UBT

Mumbai: Certain Congress leaders are contemplating whether it was the right decision to go again with the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) this time too.


Many Congressmen confessed that while the decision to be part of the coalition may eventually lead them to power they point out that being part of the MVA have cost them both their traditional Muslim voters and Muslim party workers dearly.


A case in point is the Shiv Sena’s (UBT) first list which does not have a single Muslim face as a candidate in it. “What is the point of this alliance?” fumes a Congress leader on conditions of anonymity. “While all of our Muslim voters have been voting for the Sena we haven’t got any of their Marathi voters voting for our candidates! Our Muslim votebank has diminished.”


He gives an example of the South Mumbai Lok Sabha seat won by Sena’s Arvind Sawant due to the Muslim votes from Byculla and Mumbadevi alone.


Another Congress leader points out that Sena is also ‘encroaching’ in their territory. “On Wednesday there was a gathering of many Muslim leaders and representatives specially from Mohalla committees at Islam Gymkhana in Mumbai to discuss the upcoming strategy. Almost 90 percent of guests in this gathering were Shiv Sainiks,” the leader says. “The Muslim organisations and members of civil society asked the Shiv Sena (UBT) workers why there is no representation to the community despite the Muslim voting for the party.”


A Congress insider claims that many Muslim party workers are leaving the party. “We used to have a large number of Muslim workers from Vidharbha and Marathwada who used to work with us.


They are now shifting their allegiance to other parties specially the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi.”


A senior Congress leader says the party will suffer in Mumbai by giving away its strongholds.


Nizamuddin Rayen, spokesperson for Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC), rubbishes all rumours of discontent amongst the Congress regarding the MVA pact. “The adjustment is happening in a good way, although lot of party workers may be angered with the way things are going, but the leaders will surely explain it to them.” He says the Muslims need not be worried by this as they are sure to get representation in the polls.


Nadeem Nusrath, General Secretary of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) points out that through this alliance, the Congress has primarily been able to convey and demonstrate in very clear terms that secularism, liberty, freedom of expression and upholding in spirit and Constitution is the way forward in Indian polity.


“The Congress has been able to demonstrate in earnest that right wing political parties have accepted the fact that BJP, RSS is very narrow and parochial in its approach to Indian politics. Political power at all costs is their only dictum, to run this democracy.”


“When the people give their unconditional support to Congress, the internal dissatisfaction in the party becomes the primary and only spoiler,” says Nusrath.

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