CM urges reformed Maoists to reject undue instigation

Kolkata: Without naming former IPS officer Bharati Ghosh, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged Maoists who have turned to mainstream life, not to listen to any instruction of the police officer, who is no more in the force.

In the same breath, she urged them to keep a close watch as BJP is trying to bring in some people from Jharkhand to once again create disturbances in Jangalmahal.

Banerjee had an interaction with around 350 youths, who were once Maoists, at Nabanna Sabhaghar on Tuesday. Atri Bhattacharya, Home Secretary, Surajit Kar Purkayastha, Director General of Police, Anuj Sharma, ADG (Law and Order) and superintendents of five districts of Jangalmahal, were present in the meeting.

Ghosh was the first chief of Jhargram police district and later also became the superintendent of West Midnapore district. So according to experts, she is well aware of the situation in the Jangalmahal area and might try to influence some people, using her long association with the area.

During the interaction, the Chief Minister told people from those areas that they should listen to police officers who are the in-charges of the area at present and not someone who isn't in the force anymore.

She also told them that BJP is trying to once again create disturbance in Jangalmahal. "There is tension in Jharkhand, so they are also trying to create a chaotic situation here as well. In a bid to do so, they are also trying to bring in some people from Jharkhand. Their main intention is to create communal tension and disturbances among tribal groups that would lead to unrest," she said.

"So I urge you all to keep a watch so that the situation once again doesn't deteriorate in Jangalmahal area," she said, adding that they don't like peace and there is a constant attempt of creating unrest.

One of the youths who has returned to mainstream life, told the Chief Minister that there are some people against whom there was no specific case in any police station for being a Maoist. But they had been swayed after listening to Maoists activists.

Such people also want to return to mainstream life. In reply, the Chief Minister told them that they must pass such information to police and they will undertake a case-to-case study.