Maoists agree on 30-day truce

The Maoist spokesperson “Akash”,in the statement,states that the agreement was signed during the recent meeting they had in Junglemahal with the government-appointed interlocutors,led by Sujato Bharda.

According to the agreement,the joint forces will be restricted to the camps. No raids will not be carried out and no arrests will be made. Similarly,the Maoists will also not take any “punitive action” against anybody based on the “people’s verdict” durnig this one month,provided the government fulfills the conditions.

Besides,the government will “disarm” all kinds of civil bodies raised in Junglemahal like the Vairab Bahini,Jana Jagaran Manch,Harmad camps and People’s Committees. It is alleged these organisations are armed and work in tandem with security forces.

The consensus was arrived at in the light of an appeal for restraint by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in July,said Chhotan Das,one of the interlocutors. The proposals would now be placed before the government for a final decision,he said.

Meanwhile,in yet another bid to restore peace,Banerjee is likely to visit Junglemahal next week and may announce the final decision regarding truce for a month.

It may be noted that violence had returned to Junglemhal over the past couple of months after a period of relative peace. Nearly half a dozen political workers were gunned down in recent weeks. The Maoists,on the other hand also alleged that their supporters were being picked up at random by security forces.

In this context,the latest round of meeting between the interlocutors and the Maoists is a welcome change. However,on the flip side,the interlocutors are not accepted as a representative body for all Maoist factions and sympathisers.

At at time when hardcore Maoists are still demanding the “unconditional” release of all political prisoners from jails,the truce offer is seen as a tactic by Maoists to buy time and restructure their operations.