Balarampur (WB): West Bengal Chief Minister
Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today said the Ayodhya hills in
Purulia district have become a safe haven for Maoists and
asked police to remove the ultras from hideouts there.
"Maoists are hiding in the jungles of Ayodhya hills. From
there, they are carrying out killings in Balarampur, Arsha and
Jhalda. I have asked the police to weed them out of the
Ayodhya hills and to ensure that they cannot stay there," he
said at a public meeting here.
Bhattacharjee`s directive came as Intelligence Branch
officer Partha Biswas and NGO worker Soumyajit Basu, who were
kidnapped from the hills on October 22, were yet to be traced.
He claimed that Maoists had killed 42 CPI(M) activists at
Balarampur, Baghmundi and Arsha in the recent past and of
these, 23 were killed in Balarampur alone.
"I have received letters from school girls who have
complained that they were afraid to go to school because they
were being threatened by Maoists on their way. Shall we
tolerate this? We shall have to resist them at all costs,"
Bhattacharjee said.
Referring to the kidnapping of Biswas and Basu, the Chief
Minister said, "Maoists have kidnapped them. Today is November
14, but still there is no trace of them. We are trying our
best to rescue them alive."
Accusing Maoists of trying to usurp power in the state
and the Centre, the chief minister said his government would
not allow the ultras to raise their heads.
"I have asked the police to see that Maoists cannot raise
their heads in Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapore," he said.
Calling upon the people to unite against Maoists,
Bhattacharjee said the ultras cannot face the united
resistance of the people just as the Naxalite movement
dissipated in the face of public resistance.
"Let us pledge that we will not allow Maoists to raise
their heads. The government will stand by you with all its
power," he told the gathering.
Bhattacharjee charged the Trinamool Congress with holding
the hands of Maoists as it was unable to defeat the Left Front
politically.
"Maoists are not only killing CPI(M) workers. They are
also killing those belonging to the Forward Bloc, the CPI and
RSP. As the Trinamool Congress cannot defeat the Leftists
politically, it stands to gain if activists of the Left
parties are killed," Bhattacharjee alleged.
PTI
