Mamata calls Naxals for talks

Trinamool chief urges rebels to eschew bloodshed, repose faith in democracy

Addressing a huge rally in the heartland of the Maoists here in defiance of the 144 CrpC that has been in force for more than six months, Banerjee promised that she would take up the cause of development in this backward region with the UPA government at the Centre. But in return, she sought a guarantee for peace and eschewing of violence and bloodshed.

“We are ready to support you (Maoists)... tell us what you want us to do, but on one condition... you have to stop violence and bloodshed. You will achieve nothing by killing innocent people,” Banerjee said, whose remarks have taken many in the ruling party by surprise.

Stop violence
“We will go to Chhattisgarh, Dantewada...anywhere you want...will address all your problems. But stop this carnage. Be it the murder of a Maoist or tribal or villager or policeman or mediaperson, I am equally hurt because all of them are my family.” Urging the Maoists to repose faith in democracy, she went a step further and said: “Take my life but not of the innocents. Stop this violence.”

Reacting to the CPM charges on her links with the Maoists, Banerjee said: “It is an open challenge to the CPM to prove that Mamata Banerjee is a Maoist. It is not me, but the CPM who exercises ‘gun politics’.”

In an indirect message to the state and Central authorities that dialogue must precede a conducive atmosphere, she stressed that the operation against the rebels must end to create that environment for talks.

End security operations
“Operation Green Hunt must end. Innocent people are being killed. I am not blaming the Central Reserve Police Force. It is CPM cadres, who in disguise of policemen, are misguiding them. The bloody CPM goons are picking up villagers in the name of ‘Maoist hunt’ and murdering them,” Mamata said.

Advocating rights of the tribals in the jungle land, the Union minister said she would urge the Centre to bring  a bill in Parliament to ensure the same.

“The rights of the jungles would be with the tribal people of the forest. I will see that development does not elude Lalgarh. I believe that tribals should be the owners of the forest land,” she said.

Braving the scorching midday sun, hundreds of tribals and people from the neighbouring areas thronged the rally that was also addressed by  Maoist peace broker Swami Agnivesh and social activist Medha Patkar. Like Banerjee, they too spared no opportunity to take on the ruling CPM, while advocating the cause of the Left-wing extremists.
Swami Agnivesh, who was the peace negotiator between the government and Maoists, demanded a judicial inquiry into the death of Maoist leader Cherukuri Rajkumar alias Azad, who was purportedly killed in an encounter at a time when he was involved in peace negotiation.

“Azad’s death should be probed. There should be a judicial inquiry into the death of Azad who was involved in the peace process,” he observed.