First the CPI(M) grassroot workers at Purulia could not summon enough courage to open their local party offices despite the party top brass urging them to fight the Naxalites. And now, the party is finding few takers for its call to form armed resistance groups — Shanti Raksha Samity.It may be recalled that after a series of Naxalite attacks on CPI(M) leaders — the latest one took place last month in which Bandwan Zonal Committee member Ravi Kar and his wife were killed — CPI(M) bigwigs, including state committee secretary Anil Biswas exhorted party comrades to take up arms to fight the Maoists.According to party insiders in the district, the party had planned to form groups of CPI(M) workers in villages and arm then to combat the Naxalites .“The party’s ambitious idea took a serious beating when they failed to recruit people,” a senior official of the ruling party said. “The party is finding it difficult to galvanise its workers as recruiters. There is the fear that once armed, they may turn against the party and the administration itself.” But local CPM leaders said they don’t want people to pick up arms against the Maoists. ‘‘We are only talking of self-defence,” said CPI(M) state committee member Manindra Gope.
