Maoists expanding base in S Bengal

Statesman News Service

KOLKATA, 25 AUG: Documents seized from Maoist hideouts in Lalgarh during joint operations reveal that it has set up six Zonal Committees (ZCs) in the state so far and at least five more will come up in south Bengal districts.

Representation from West Bengal in the outfit’s Central Committee (CC) and Politburo has also increased, according to information available to the state and central police organisations.

The outfit is also planning to set up more units in districts including Nadia, Burdwan, Murshidabad, Hooghly and Birbhum.

The CPI (Maoist) will be setting up two ZCs in Nadia and Murshidabad shortly, an officer said adding that another unit will be established to spread Maoist activities in Arambag, Khanakul and Goghat (Hooghly) and Chandrokona, Ghatal (West Midnapore).

A Maoist leader hailing from Jangipara in Hooghly has been entrusted with the responsibility of looking after this particular committee, the officer said adding that another Maoist leader from Jangipara has recently been inducted into the CC.

The Maoist outfit had faced a setback in Nadia a few years ago following arrests of some of its key leaders. Following that, the outfit had dissolved its zonal committee that used to monitor party activities in Nadia and Murshidabad. But over the past two years, it has managed to recruit new cadres. Now, it has been planning to set up separate ZCs in Nadia and Murshidabad, the official said requesting anonymity.

The outfit, according to the official, has expanded its base in Burdwan and Birbhum as well. It is considering a proposal to form two separate ZCs in these two districts. Earlier, leaders belonging to the party’s Simanta Zonal Committee were looking after Maoist activities in these two districts.

The Simanta Zonal committee is now being split into two ZCs, the officer said. The chief of the outfit’s militant wing ~ People’s Liberation Guerilla Army ~ Kishenji alias Koteswar Rao has also admitted that they have expanded their base in most South Bengal districts over the last three years.

The party has set up some ZCs in South Bengal districts and many others are in the pipeline, Kishenji said. He, however, refused to comment on the representation of West Bengal in CC and politburo. Stateman