Mamata gives Maoists seven days!CM ties peace to development - Raft of projects for Jungle Mahal!Maoist posters ask Mamata to keep her poll promises!

Mamata gives Maoists seven days ARNAB GANGULY Mamata with Jayita, whose father was killed by Maoists. Picture by Amit Datta Jhargram, Oct. 15: Mamata Banerjee today handed insurgents in Jungle Mahal a seven-day ultimatum to give up arms and come to the talks table, although she did not use the word "Maoist" even once in her 55-minute speech. On her second visit to this West Midnapore town after becoming chief minister, Mamata dared those she branded "supari (contract) killers" to assassinate her if they had the "buker pata (guts)". "I am giving you seven days. Decide what you want to do in these seven days," she said, speaking at a stadium that the security forces had turned into a fortress. "If you want peace, negotiations can take place — but only if you give up your guns. I will give you that opportunity. I am in favour of negotiations and the doors are still open. But talks and killings cannot continue side by side." Although Mamata did not utter the M-word except once when she said "this is neither Marxism nor Maoism nor nationalism", she stood flanked by the wives of two local leaders killed by suspected Maoists. Nor did she mention the CPM, unlike before when she would blame the party's alleged shenanigans for the rise of insurgency in Jungle Mahal. In the hills, Mamata had promised to keep Darjeeling within the state even at the cost of her life. She made the same offer for the sake of peace in Jungle Mahal. "Jibon diye shanti aanbo. Amaar rakto nin; Jungle Mahal-er rakto neben na (I shall bring peace with my life. Shed my blood but don't bleed Jungle Mahal)," the chief minister said. "If you want to kill me, kill me. I am here. Dekhi koto buker pata (let's see how much guts you have)." Since assuming power, Mamata had unofficially put a stop to the joint forces' operations in Jungle Mahal and formed a team of interlocutors to bring the Maoists to the talks table. A few minor police raids took place recently after the continuing killings snapped her patience. "There have been no operations in four months. We started the peace process but killings have continued. We have kept our word but you didn't," she said. "There will be no operations only if peace returns." Mamata has already dismissed as "rubbish" a recent offer of a month-long ceasefire from Maoist state secretary Akash. Trinamul sources close to her said she wanted peace on her own terms. Mamata inaugurated and announced a raft of projects for Jungle Mahal and promised more if peace was maintained. ( ) "You want schools, colleges, hospitals, roads… I will give you everything. I will give you as many jobs as you want. But peace has to be there. Peace means development. I won't do anything that will disturb peace," she said. Mamata also repeated her offer of rehabilitating surrendered rebels but it was more stick than carrot. Before she took the microphone, she held Jayita, the five-month-old daughter of slain Trinamul leader Lalmohan Mahato, in her arms. Jayita's mother Chhabirani as well as Dipali and Anindita, the wife and daughter of murdered Jharkhand leader Rabindranath Bose, stood on the dais beside the chief minister. "What was the fault of this child? What wrong had these women committed? Why were their husbands killed?" Mamata asked. "You want to kill everybody… who has given you so much power? This is no ideological battle, there is no 'ism'. Goondas have taken the role of supari killers. They come in groups on motorcycles, wait in the darkness, lay landmines or spray bullets. No political ideology needs the backing of contract killers. The brave fight in open fields." Mamata then threw the killers a challenge she had earlier posed to the CPM when in the Opposition. "Come out on an open ground. There will be no police. Your comrades and my people will face each other. Let's see who has the last word. The Trinamul Congress is ready to face you." Giving the CPM reaction, leader of the Opposition Surjya Kanta Mishra said Mamata had caused "irreparable damage'' by her failure to act against the Maoists for four months, which allowed the rebels to "regroup". Asked about her seven-day deadline, Mishra said: "She sat tight for four months. Now, she is talking about extending the time by another one week. Okay, we'll wait." But he welcomed Mamata's attack on the insurgents, while complaining she hadn't done so when the Maoists were killing Left supporters.

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CM ties peace to development - Raft of projects for Jungle Mahal

ARNAB GANGULY

Jhargram, Oct. 15: Mamata Banerjee today announced a slew of development projects for Jungle Mahal and urged the people of the Maoist-affected region to ensure peace. Carrying forward her policy of aggressively pursuing development to bring back to the mainstream those who had sided with the Maoists, Mamata kicked off several projects and promised more if peace was maintained. (See chart) "You want schools, colleges, hospitals, roads… I will give you everything. I will give you as many jobs as you want. But peace has to be there. Peace means development. I won't do anything that will disturb peace," the chief minister told a rally in Jhargram, West Midnapore. She laid the foundation for 17 girls' hostels, a road linking Netai and Lalgarh and a drinking water project in Kantapahari and formalised the recent upgrade of Jhargram sub-divisional hospital to a district hospital. In a departure from her earlier practice, the chief minister put price tags on most of the projects. "The Jhargram stadium will be renovated at a cost of Rs 2.3 crore. Two stadiums will be built at a cost of Rs 8 crore. We will spend Rs 14 crore to build a polytechnic college at Ramgarh," she said. Sources in the chief minister's office said she was "better prepared" for this Jungle Mahal trip than her previous visit three months ago. "In July, she had just assumed charge. Although the state still faces the same financial problems, she now understands the situation better. Last time, she had announced 40 projects. Today, she announced around 15," a CMO official said. Mamata urged residents not to turn hostile if they did not get jobs under a drive to induct Jungle Mahal youths into the police force. "We will recruit 10,000 youths. But those who don't get jobs should not turn hostile. Their names will be registered in an employment bank for Jungle Mahal and they will get jobs according to their educational qualifications," she said. Mamata said the wives of Lalmohan Mahato and Rabindranath Bose, two local leaders killed by suspected Maoists, would be given jobs. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1111016/jsp/bengal/story_14629482.jsp Before the rally, Mamata held a meeting with the West Midnapore administration to take stock of the projects announced earlier. She asked block development officers to oversee the affairs of CPM-run panchayats that have not been functioning since Trinamul came to power.

Maoist posters ask Mamata to keep her poll promises

MIDNAPORE: A day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee gave Naxals a seven-day deadline to lay down arms, posters allegedly by CPI(Maoist) today appeared in tribalJunglemahal asking her to keep her poll promises of withdrawl of joint forces and release of jailedMaoists. 

"If the promises are not kept Trinamool Congressleaders will face threat to life," said one of the posters pasted on a wall at Bhadutala bazar at Salboni. 

Another poster demanded comprehensive development of Junglemahal area. 

The three posters were handwritten in red in Bengali and signed as CPI(Maoist), police said. 

West Midnapore district magistrate Surendra Gupta said he had asked the superintendent of police to investigate the mattert. 

Police said it was suspected to be the handiwork of miscreants. 

After Banerjee's public meeting yesterday at Jhargram, where she nixed the Maoist offer of cessation of arms for a month in Junglemahal, a procession was taken out by Nari Ijjat Bachao Committee, the women's wing of Maoist front organisation Peoples Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA). 

The procession which had covered the forest area villages had made the same demands and also sought withdrawl of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act under which PCPA Chatradhar Mahato had been arrested. 

"I am giving you (Maoists) a seven-day ultimatum to lay down guns. Think over it. We will not tolerate any more violence. Killings and negotiations cannot go hand in hand," Banerjee told a rally here 

Maoists reject Mamata package

TNN | Jul 13, 2011, 12.41AM IST

MIDNAPORE/PURULIA: The Maoists have rejected chief minister Mamata Banerjee's offer to barter development with laying down of arms. The guerrillas instead have accused Mamata of not keeping her pre-poll promise and resorting to "cheap drama" over development. 

In a press release issued from Purulia on Thursday, Maoist leader Bikram reminded the CM that Jangalmahal remained more peaceful than elsewhere in the state since the change of guard in May, while "the CPM harmads and the green harmads of Trinamool Congress kept fighting among themselves in the rest of the state. She is asking us to lay down arms. But we want the harmads of all shades to surrender to the people," wrote Bikram. 

Coming down heavily on the CM, who went to Jangalmahal with a huge police force, the Maoist leader said: "The chief minister had promised that she won't come to Jangalmahal with guns, but with development package. Mamata has gone back on her promise. She has been doing this everywhere - in Singur, Nandigram and Jangalmahal." 

Turning down her offer to lay down arms, the Maoists have questioned her sincerity. In a statement, Maoist leader Bikram said, 

"Her offer of talks is nothing but a proposal of surrender," read the Maoist statement. The red brigade alleged that Mamata is just playing tricks with the people in Jangalmahal. 

The guerrillas also threatened to take "strong action" against Trinamool leaders and workers who have turned "corrupt and greedy". Referring her entire "development package and tours" as a cheap drama, the Maoists said that they are ready to talk with Mamata if she visit remote parts of Jangalmahal without forces and if she reaches out to the most deprived people. 

But if Mamata's Lalgarh rally on August 9, 2010, is said to be the turning point in Jangalmahal politics, her meetings in Nayagram and Jhargram didn't arouse the same enthusiasm. Attended by close to 10,000 people in each of these meetings, this was a far cry from the close to 70,000 who attended the Lalgarh rally. 

Santras Durniti O Samrajyawadi Agrasan Birodhi Ganatantrik Mancha, an umbrella organization of various factions, including PCPA, thinks people have spontaneously rejected Mamata's initiative. The Mancha secretary, Asoke Jiban, said even during British rule there was development. "Just development cannot solve all problems. People in Jangalmahal have realized that they are being cheated. And if they do not attend her meetings it is only because of this. She has not addressed the core issues. People are still languishing in jails on false charges. 

Her decision to recruit 10,000 youths in police sounds like forming another Salwa Judum. The Lalgarh agititation had resulted in people voting for her. She is reneging on her promises. 

The agitation in Lalgarh was not about getting rice for Rs 2, it was about self respect and dignity," he said. 

Even Mamata's pre-poll election meetings on May 6, drew crowds thrice the number seen today. Did the spectre of Maoists loom large resulting in the feeble turnout? 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Maoists-reject-Mamata-package/articleshow/9203818.cms

PCPA unhappy with role of interlocutors

Caesar Mandal, TNN | Aug 15, 2011, 05.46AM IST

KOLKATA: The People's Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA) - a major stake holder of Jangalmahal - recently wrote to the civil society, expressing its dissatisfaction over and questioning the role of the government-appointed interlocutors. It also openly advocated for the Maoists for the first time since its formation in 2008. The letter further queers the pitch for theMamata Banerjee-led government to chart its course through the often protracted and at times seeming deadlocks, to meet a key pre-poll promise. 

Mamata had promised to resolve the Jangalmahal impasse within three months of coming to power and has already chosen the belt for her first visit as a chief minister outside Kolkata, announcing a host of development measures. There were claims earlier that the members of the civil society have received feelers from the Red brigade on their readiness for talks. In an open letter addressing three members of the civil society - Sujato Bhadra, Debabrata Banerjee and Debasis Bhattacharya - PCPA clearly says it is not happy with the role played by the interlocutors. 

The letter, however, hinted at their adverse stance towards talks until getting a reply about their demands from the government and the interlocutors. Sujato Bhadra, one of the members of the interlocutor team, said he was aware of the letter. "PCPA has a critical approach. But they did not rule out dialogue. It's a positive sign for us, as our role is to bring both ends together for talks," said Bhadra. 

In the letter, the PCPA leadership alleged that despite having "close links" with the Lalgarhmovement, the members of the civil society worked hard to ensure victory of the Trinamool Congress candidate by opposing Chhatradhar Mahato in the Assembly polls. Mahato, they said, had raised his voice for the tribal cause. 

PCPA leaders feel that Mamata's recent announcement of the Jangalmahal package can't bring peace until the government withdraws the joint forces. "It's an eyewash and publicity for the government," the letter stated. 

The outfit even batted for the Red rebels. "Maoists are in Jangalmahal for the past 15 years. None can deny their presence. Maoists are sons of the soil. But the government or the members of the civil society never spoke out about their basic rights. Like the previous government, the new ministry has also been denying considering the Maoist movement as a political movement," the letter said. 

The PCPA leaders criticized the interlocutors for not raising their voice when the government resumed operation in Jangalmahal and for supporting a case by case review to release political prisoners. Though the PCPA leaders affirmed that they are ready to start dialogue with the government, they stuck to their two basic demands - unconditional release of political prisoners and withdrawal of joint forces. 

The resentment gained more voices after police detained two Kolkata-based doctors, Abhigyan Sarkar and Sidhhartha Gupta, at Patharchakli village near Chakadoba of Belpahari on Sunday morning. The duo was headed for Chakadoba village where PCPA has set up a health camp for the villagers. On the way, the police intercepted them. "In a similar way, the previous government had also deprived people from getting medical aid," said Dilip Hansda, PCPA spokesperson. 

The letter is, however, significant at this time because the PCPA holds an important key of Jangalmahal politics and a crucial section of the Maoist hierarchy is believed to have direct links with the outfit. Days ago Sujato Bhadra had claimed to have received a positive message from the rebel camp to start dialogue. The letter, however, has raised questions as to whether a majority of the rebel brigade is actually ready for unconditional talks.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/PCPA-unhappy-with-role-of-interlocutors/articleshow/9606265.cms

Full coverage

Will Mamata's move change India's Maoist policy? Daily News & Analysis - Sankar Ray - ‎Oct 13, 2011‎ Maoists' Bengal area secretary Akash's disclosure that he and few of his comrades sat with a couple of interlocutors chosen by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on September 30 and gave written consent to begin negotiations with the state ... Maoists, Intellectuals Urge WB Govt to Initiate Talks Outlook - ‎Oct 13, 2011‎ PTI | Kolkata | Oct 13, 2011 Maoists and their supporters today expressed disappointment at the absence of any response from the West Bengal government to the month-long truce offered by the ultras. In a letter, West Bengal state secretary of Maoists ... Negotiating with the Maoists: Lessons from the Andhra experience Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses - ‎Oct 13, 2011‎ The West Bengal government is reportedly considering holding negotiations with Naxalites of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), or Maoists, in short. Mahasweta Devi, social activist and well-known writer, has lent her voice of support for the move, ... As CM readies for Junglemahal visit, civil society makes peace appeal Indian Express - ‎Oct 13, 2011‎ "We have come to know from media reports that an agreement was signed on September 30 by your team of interlocutors and the Maoist state leadership of West Bengal regarding the unilateral cessation of armed action on the part of the Maoists for a ... Cop-hiring drive in Junglemahal a conspiracy , say Maoists Indian Express - ‎Oct 12, 2011‎ A statement signed by one Akash, who identified himself as CPI(Maoist) state committee secretary, read: "She (Mamata Banerjee) wants to give arms to the tribal population and we are apprehending that she will bring the Salwa Judum back in West Bengal ... CPI (Maoist) leaders start movements in jails Hindustan Times - ‎Oct 13, 2011‎ Earlier in Krishnagar, the Maoist organised a hunger strike," said Kumar. Several senior Maoistleaders, including the Politburo members, former state secretaries and state committee members, are lodged in different Bengal jails, including central ... Mamata and Maoists: Legacy of Opportunism People's Democracy - ‎Oct 14, 2011‎ Bhagwat Hansda, central committee member of the 'Maoist'-backed People's Committee Against Police Atrocities, was arrested in Binpur. Some reports in media have suggested that theWest Bengal government has prepared the blueprint for a full-scale ... Naxals may undermine Mamata's grand plans of a tribal Junglemahal armed force Indian Express - ‎Oct 13, 2011‎ However, in private, officials fear Maoists may be using the force to their advantage and filling the ranks with own activists. "We have been receiving information that several PCAPA (People's Committee Against Police Atrocities) personnel and Maoists ...

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5. Mass transfer of 300 IRB personnel on grounds of indiscipline ‎ IBNLive.com - 1 day ago PTI | 01:10 PM,Oct 15,2011 Kolkata, Oct 15 (PTI) Hours before West Bengal Chief MinisterMamata Banerjee's scheduled visit to Maoist-hit Jangalmahal, ... 300 IRB jawans shunted for Silda agitation‎ Times of India all 2 news articles »

6. Centre on guard against Mamata-Maoists 'truce' ‎ Daily News & Analysis - Manan Kumar - 5 Oct 2011 The Maoists' offer incidentally came after Mamata's threat to go all out against the ultras on September 25 following four months of soft-line approach. ... Interlocutors waiting for govt stand on Maoists‎ Times of India Bengal Maoists offer 1-mnth conditional ceasefire‎ Hindustan Times In letter to Mamata, Naxals list preconditions for ceasefire‎ NDTV.com Calcutta Telegraph - IBNLive.com  all 50 news articles »

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10. Red zone women appeal for Mamata audience ‎ Times of India - 2 days ago LALGARH: Mamata Banerjee has broken many conventions after taking over as chief ... "The problem is that the government is only concerned over Maoists. ...

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