By IANS,
Kolkata : Maoist guerillas have called a 24-hour shutdown in West Bengal’s Junglemahal region on Saturday to protest against alleged atrocities of the joint security forces and ruling Trinamool Congress backed goons. They also demanded immediate release of water from the Kangsabati barrage.
In a statement Wednesday, Communist Party of India-Maoist state secretary Akash also demanded setting up of 200 cold storages in Junglemahal – forested areas of three western districts West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia – and Rs.400 per quintal subsidy to paddy cultivators.
Refering to the suspension of seven India Reserve Battalion personnel who had resorted to hunger strike in September protesting against “marathon postings” in Maoist-affected areas and the authorities’ reluctance to sanction holidays, the statement asked: “Who has given the right to the government to cause distress to the jawans?”
Akash alleged that the joint forces had committed atrocities on people in many villagers, but the government did not arrest any of the cultprits.
“There was a time when the Trinamool, and its leader Mamata Banerjee used to be vocal about the violence indulged in by harmads (then ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist backed miscreants). Now the Trinamool Congress has formed the Vairabh Banini (goons backed by the Trinamool) in West Mdinapore and Jungle defence forces in Purulia.”
The two-page statement sent to the media accused union minister and senior Trinamool Congress leader Mukul Roy of moving around with the Vairabh Bahini. “The Vairabh Bahini of Mamata Banerjee and Mukul Roy are committing more atrocities than what the harmads perpetrated in the past.”
“And Banerjee is terming us as supari killers and jungle mafia.”