Unite in fight against Maoists: Buddhadeb

BALARAMPUR - West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Sunday urged the people to unite in the fight against the Maoists and uproot them from the state.

“Maoist activity is the biggest problem in our state. They are creating hindrance in development work. They are also obstructing the schools and panchayats from running smoothly, besides killing innocent people,” Bhattacharjee said at a rally organised by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M).

“It’s high time we all come together to fight against the Maoists. People will not forgive them for their politics of killings,” he said in this Maoist-affected belt of Purulia district.

Bhattacharjee said the Left-wing ultras have shifted their base to the Ayodhya Hills area after finding the going tough in West Midnapore’s Lalgarh in the face of strong action by security forces.

“They are now committing atrocities in Arsa, Balarampur, Jhalda, Bandwan and Bagmundi areas during the night. They have killed several of our party supporters and leaders.

“The Maoists think that by killing innocent people, they will come to power in Bengal or they will be able to rule in Delhi, but we will not let them carry out their activities,” he said.

Despite repeated denials from the rebels, the chief minister maintained that Intelligence Branch officer Partha Biswas and school teacher Soumyajit Basu had been abducted by the Maoists.

“Both of them came here to teach the tribal people the usage of furnace, but they were abducted by the Maoists. I am trying my best to free them,” Bhattacharjee said.

The chief minister’s meeting at Purulia was part of his tour to win back the support of rural population prior to the assembly elections - scheduled to be held in the first half of 2011.