Naxal trying to expand activities in urban areas: Govt

Front organisations provide safe hideouts to armed cadres, says R P N Singh

Naxals have been trying to expand their activities in urban areas and their plans include sabotage and selective assassinations in cities, the Lok Sabha was told today.

Minister of State for Home R P N Singh said the CPI(Maoist) has been making efforts to expand its activities in urban areas through overground front organisations and members of such organisations masquerade as 'activists' espousing causes which mainly supplement the activities of underground cadres in direct and indirect ways.

Singh said the front organisations provide safe hideouts to armed cadres and also facilitate procurement of supplies to Maoist war machinery.

'They also initiate legal action on various issues to slow down the enforcement regime. They are also adept at dissemination of propaganda and disinformation to demonize the state and security forces,' he said.

The Minister said a strategy of CPI(Maoist) for urban areas is documented in a paper titled 'Urban Perspective' and according to it the group would mobilise working classes in urban areas, build a united front of classes similarly placed to the working classes and military tactics involving sabotage actions and select assassinations by 'action teams'.