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In an apparent show of belligerence the Maoists of jangalmahal on Sunday put a counter-proposal to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in which they demanded immediate release of all their jailed comrades as a condition for peace talks.
The Maoist response that came a day after Banerjee issued a 7-day deadline to the Red ultras to shun arms and join talks underscores their indifference towards the Chief Minister’s offer and could close scope for further dialogue, even widen chances of armed confrontation, experts said.
“The Maoists are aware that the Government cannot release their top leaders incarcerated under the Central UAPA. This means they are not sincere about peace,” said a senior Trinamool leader and a State Minister close to Banerjee adding the Sunday’s developments would only make the Chief Minister harden her stance and operations against the ultras could begin sooner than later.
Posters found at several places near Jhargram and Salboni responded to Banerjee’s offer.
Apart from putting a counter proposal the posters used equally harsh words warning “Bengal’s Trinamool mafia” and asking them to prepare themselves for “ultimate punishment if the Government does not keep its pre-electoral promises like releasing the jailed political prisoners.”
The Chief Minister had at a rally in Jhargram on Saturday given a 7-day ultimatum to the Maoist “supari killers” to stop killing and come over to the dialogue table failing which the Government would do what ever it thought appropriate to bring peace in jangalmahal.
Experts who dwelt on the Maoist response on Sunday saw “only one positive side to it” saying “they do not carry any pre-condition of withdrawing central forces from jangalmahal which the Maoists have been demanding for long.”
There was no immediate reaction from the Government but DM SK Gupta said the SP had been asked to investigate the matter.
In a related development CPI(M) secretary Biman Bose on Sunday said “When in opposition Mamata ignored the problem though the Maoists were killing our men in dozens. She even questioned the presence of the Maoists in jangalmahal and now she is facing the music,” he said.
A section of civil society including Mahasweta Devi and Sujata Bhadra the Government mediator for talks with Maoists frowned at the changed Government tack. “They should keep their promises, pull out forces and release the jailed political prisoners immediately,” Bhadra said.
Meanwhile, State Intelligence sources said the Maoists had expanded their network taking advantage of the 4-5 months’ ceasefire to areas bordering jangalmahal. “They have come as far as Chamkaitala in West Midnapore which borders four districts of Hooghly, Burdwan, Bankura and Midnapore. This is alarming and explains the Chief Minister’s agony and sudden toughening of stance” a top intelligence official said.
The Maoist response that came a day after Banerjee issued a 7-day deadline to the Red ultras to shun arms and join talks underscores their indifference towards the Chief Minister’s offer and could close scope for further dialogue, even widen chances of armed confrontation, experts said.
“The Maoists are aware that the Government cannot release their top leaders incarcerated under the Central UAPA. This means they are not sincere about peace,” said a senior Trinamool leader and a State Minister close to Banerjee adding the Sunday’s developments would only make the Chief Minister harden her stance and operations against the ultras could begin sooner than later.
Posters found at several places near Jhargram and Salboni responded to Banerjee’s offer.
Apart from putting a counter proposal the posters used equally harsh words warning “Bengal’s Trinamool mafia” and asking them to prepare themselves for “ultimate punishment if the Government does not keep its pre-electoral promises like releasing the jailed political prisoners.”
The Chief Minister had at a rally in Jhargram on Saturday given a 7-day ultimatum to the Maoist “supari killers” to stop killing and come over to the dialogue table failing which the Government would do what ever it thought appropriate to bring peace in jangalmahal.
Experts who dwelt on the Maoist response on Sunday saw “only one positive side to it” saying “they do not carry any pre-condition of withdrawing central forces from jangalmahal which the Maoists have been demanding for long.”
There was no immediate reaction from the Government but DM SK Gupta said the SP had been asked to investigate the matter.
In a related development CPI(M) secretary Biman Bose on Sunday said “When in opposition Mamata ignored the problem though the Maoists were killing our men in dozens. She even questioned the presence of the Maoists in jangalmahal and now she is facing the music,” he said.
A section of civil society including Mahasweta Devi and Sujata Bhadra the Government mediator for talks with Maoists frowned at the changed Government tack. “They should keep their promises, pull out forces and release the jailed political prisoners immediately,” Bhadra said.
Meanwhile, State Intelligence sources said the Maoists had expanded their network taking advantage of the 4-5 months’ ceasefire to areas bordering jangalmahal. “They have come as far as Chamkaitala in West Midnapore which borders four districts of Hooghly, Burdwan, Bankura and Midnapore. This is alarming and explains the Chief Minister’s agony and sudden toughening of stance” a top intelligence official said.
