*Statement of Santosh Rana, General Secretary of PCC CPI(ML) on Jangalmahal*
On 24 August 2010 evening, a Maoist squad launched attack on village Lodhasuli in Jhargram p.s. Dt West Midnapur. With guns in hand, they forced the villagers to assemle and five villagers were severely beaten up. They demanded that Sm Rebati Chalak, the Gram-Panchayet member of Lohasuli should resign and that they (squads) would run the Panchayet. They threatened the villagers with dire consequences if anybody gave shelter to Niranjan Bera ( the Secretary of Midnapur district committee of CPI(ML) )and Upanshu Mahato (the leader of the movement against pollution of Sponge Iron factories). On 26 August night, a Maoist squad accompanied by local Trinamool Congress activists launched attack on village Chhota Gahira under Jhargram p.s.. They severely beat up CPI(ML) members Guhiram Pal, Durjodhan Mahato and Rajani Pal and other villagers. They threatened the villagers that nobody should maintain links with any political party other than the Maoists and Trinamool Congress. The CPI(ML) severely condemns both these incidents. The CPI(ML) is alarmed at the situation in Jangalmahal where in some areas armed CPI(M) supporters are capturing villages with the help of Joint Forces while in others, the Trinamool Congress is capturing villages with the help of Maoist squads. None of them has any respect for the democratic rights of the people. The CPI(ML) has been active in the area for over forty years and led innumerable struggles of the workers, peasants, Dalits and Adivasis on the issues of wages, land, irrgation,Forest rights and Dalit-Adivasi rights. In recent times, it has organized the people against atrocities by Joint Forces and against pollution of Sponge Iron Factories. Upanshu Mahato was recently in jail for launching movement against pollution. The rural reactionary forces ( ex-landlords, usurers and bad gentry) who have always opposed democratic movements have now become Maoist and Trinamool supporters and attacking us. In order to restore peace in Jangalmahal, the Joint forces should be withdrawn and the CPI(M) on the one hand and the Maoist-Trinamool combine on the other must stop capture of villages with arms. The people’s fundamental right to life and right of expression must not be suppressed. Jhargram sub-division is now burning under severe drought. Many people are starving. People need peace,food and jobs. Our appeal to ALL : Stop capturing villages and stand by the villagers with food,water and jobs 27 August 2010 [From: [email protected] <foil-l%40insaf.net?Subject=Re%3A%20%5Bfoil%5D%20Statement%20of%20Santosh%20Rana%2C%0A%09General%20Secretary%20of%20PCC%20CPI%28ML%29%20on%20Jangalmahal&In-Reply-To=%3C14147.82276.qm%40web30205.mail.mud.yahoo.com%3E>] -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB.
