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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.

Dilemma Over School Uniform

School Uniform

Educationists and academic experts across the world questioned the trend of school uniforms. According to them, such policies, while aiming for uniformity, might inadvertently suppress student creativity and self-identity, vital for holistic educational development. Turning the back towards the arguments made by educationists, the Maharashtra government came with the idea of the ‘one state, one uniform’ policy and eventually messed up making mockery of the helpless students. Furious parents requested to change the uniforms, but their pleas fell on deaf ears.  


The ‘one state, one uniform’ policy aims to standardise uniforms for students in classes 1 to 8 across all government schools in Maharashtra starting from the 2024-25 academic year. Historically, state government schools had identical uniforms two decades ago, but this practice was later discontinued, allowing schools to choose their own uniforms. In rural areas, clusters of schools have maintained similar uniforms. Under the new policy, the government will provide one set of uniforms to be worn on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.


The education department of the state swung into action and took some hasty decisions. Hurriedly the state ordered that the second set, the ‘Scout and Guide’ uniforms, be worn on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, which has to be arranged by local School Management Committees (SMCs). However, SMCs have refused this responsibility, citing the inadequate Rs 110 per uniform policy set by the state.


In spite of this the distribution of uniforms was delayed by nearly four months since schools resumed for this academic year. But the script to the story was added at this juncture. Centrally-distributed school uniforms by the state government continue to be riddled with more issues like inferior quality, frays, incorrect fits and even parts of the attire missing in some cases. Due to this pathetic state of affairs, the ambitious plan of “one state one uniform” which has been marred with controversies since the beginning has run into more troubles, after the distribution of these uniforms two sets per student. Various issues with the new uniforms came to fore, teachers from government-run schools have complained of having to deal with angry parents, as they demand a return to the old practice of making and distributing uniforms at the school level.


The uniforms which were distributed to the students were of inferior quality. Many of them were torn. Incorrect fits and even parts of the attire missing in some cases. The fabric which was used for the uniforms was of low quality. The government had virtually made a mockery of the poor students.

Many students were reluctant to wear these new uniforms as people started making fun of them. Some students stopped coming to the schools.


This issue was raised also in the legislature but on the floor of the house the who cares attitude of the state government was seen.

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