Mamata to address public meetings in Junglemahal

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After initiating a slew of measures in her effort to put a curb on the growing Naxalite activities in Junglemahal, Mamata Banerjee has decided to go there early next week. Though no official announcement has been made as yet, government sources say the chief minister is likely to address three public meetings in the area on July12 and 13. The chief minister is expected to address two public meetings (at Jhargram and Nayagram) in West Medinipur, and one (at Sarenga) in Bankura. Besides, she will meet senior officials of the various government departments responsible for delivering essential services like ration, medical support, job creation through NREGS, minor irrigation, and the police department at Medinipur.

Mamata’s task in Junglemahal has become difficult as she has made a serious departure from her pre-poll commitment of withdrawing the joint operation of central and state armed police forces. On May 5, Mamata, as the chief election campaigner of Trinamool Congress (TMC), held two public meetings at Jhargram and Nayagram, and held out this promise.

Also, in her election manifesto, there was categorical assurance on this line. But, on July 7, as the chief minister, she made it clear that the question of withdrawing the central force from that area or stopping the joint operation did not arise till the Naxalites surrendered their arms. The message did not go well with the latter.

The police have already noticed that in pockets like Shalboni, Belpahari, and Gopiballavpur, Naxalites have started flexing their muscles. Yesterday, armed Naxalites raided a small industrial unit in Salboni and forced out a hefty fine.

Though the state government has decided to release a number of political prisoners, of which the release order of 45 (most of them are Jalpaiguri’s Kamtapuri activists, and a few Naxalites) have already been issued, the continuance of joint force in Junglemahal put the TMC-led state government on the path of confrontation with the Naxalites, just like its predecessor. Now, it is to be seen how Mamata handles the situation in her first public meeting in Junglemahal as the chief minister.

The state government is also actively considering recruiting 8,000 youth from Junglemahal to form a special police force following the instance of Tripura government. Tripura’s Manik Sarkar government raised a special police force Tripura Special Rifles in 2003-04, which went a long way in winning the tribal population back from the extremist influences. The tribal youth were mostly recruited from Khoai, Bilonia and other extremist infested areas in raising this force, which eventually paid dividend in curbing the extremist menace.