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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.

Ladki Bahin, ‘batenge toh katenge’ raise campaign pitch

Ladki Bahin

Mumbai: The Assembly polls campaign, which started on issues like welfare initiatives and development, has reached its crescendo with phrases such as ‘vote jihad’, ‘dharma yuddha’, ‘Constitution under threat’ dominating the discourse.


The campaign, set to conclude on Monday, also saw NCP (SP) head Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray make an emotional pitch to voters, citing the “betrayal” by Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde, respectively.


The Mahayuti government, comprising the Shiv Sena led by CM Shinde, BJP and Ajit Pawar’s NCP, has been highlighting its Ladki Bahin scheme for women in the run-up to the November 20 state polls.


The previous Uddhav Thackeray-headed MVA government lasted for two-and-a-half years, before being pulled down by large-scale desertions in the Shiv Sena by Shinde and other leaders in June 2022. Last year, Ajit Pawar also walked out with several NCP legislators and became the deputy CM in the Mahayuti government.


The factions led by Shinde and Ajit Pawar have been recognised by the Election Commission as the ‘real’ Shiv Sena and NCP, respectively.

The “betrayal” by Shinde and Ajit Pawar dominated the poll campaign of the NCP(SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT), with Thackeray urging voters to defeat “gaddars” at the hustings.


Sharad Pawar (84) has also been on a whirlwind tour of the state and addressing rallies in the strongholds of his one-time confidants - Chhagan Bhujbal and Dilip Walse-Patil.


The senior Pawar is likely to address a rally on Monday in his home town Baramati, where Ajit Pawar is taking on his nephew and debutant politician Yugendra Pawar of the NCP (SP).


“The BJP admitting Ajit Pawar in the government is a betrayal of the core values the party stands for. It was the BJP that had called Ajit Pawar corrupt and launched a campaign against him,” claimed Vinod Salunkhe, a die-hard BJP supporter from Dadar in Mumbai.


However, he said he is resigned to supporting the BJP as there was “no other alternative”.


“I have just two options -- either sit at home or support the BJP,” Salunkhe, a senior executive in a corporate firm, said.


After the drubbing in the Lok Sabha elections, the Shinde-led Mahayuti government rolled out a slew of welfare measures, including the Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin Yojana, that hands out Rs 1,500 as monthly doles to women.


“Over 2.3 crore women have benefited from the scheme with many receiving up to Rs 7,500,” a government official said.


The scheme was launched in July and Shinde said the government had paid the installment for November in advance, anticipating the model code of conduct following the announcement of elections.


Despite welfare measures and the development pitch, phrases such as ‘batenge toh katenge’ (divided we fall), ‘ek hai toh safe hai’ (united we are safe), ‘vote jihad’ and ‘dharma yuddha’ dominated the campaign gradually, drawing concern even by BJP leaders such as Pankaja Munde and Ashok Chavan and key ally Ajit Pawar.


Fadnavis contended the leaders have not understood the “core message” of unity sought to be conveyed through the slogan and claimed foreign invaders ruled the country whenever it was divided over caste lines.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has succinctly said it in the slogan ‘ek hai toh safe hai’,” Fadnavis recently said, adding the phrases signalled a pitch for unity.


Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil, who decided against entering the electoral fray, has also been touring parts of the state urging voters to defeat those opposed to reservation for the community.


In the din of the election campaign, issues such as creating employment, attracting investments, migration by farmers, rising costs of healthcare and education appear to have relegated to the background.


In rural parts of Maharashtra, issues like farm distress, slump in the prices of soybean and cotton and non-availability of farm labour are dominant, but virtually absent from the political discourse.


“The issue of onion export ban dealt a body blow to the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections; in the assembly elections, soybean and cotton could be the issues nagging the ruling party,” Dipak Jagtap, an RTI activist from Manmad, said.


The state also saw the rival alliances roll out senior leaders from across country in the campaign.

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