‘Menace of urban Naxalism needs serious attention’
| Date :06-May-2019 |
Staff Reporter:
Urban Naxalism is not a new phenomenon but it became known to people after the arrests of some people in recent times. It needs a serious attention of the Government as well as the society, felt the speakers at a programme organised by Bharatiya Vichar Manch at Dharampeth Boys’ School here on Sunday evening. Bharatiya Vichar Manch had organised the programme to pay tributes to 15 policemen who attained martyrdom in a landmine blast triggered by Maoists in Gadchiroli district on May 1.
The speakers and the people who attended the programme also condemned the dastardly attack by Communist Party of India (Maoist). Col (retd) Abhay Patwardhan, Adv Avinash Kale, Dr Dharmendra Turkar, and Sunil Kitkaru of Bharatiya Vichar Manch shared the dais on the occasion. Col (retd) Abhay Patwardhan said that Naxalite and Jehadi forces had joined hands to effect anti-national activities in India. He found similarities between the terrorist attack on security forces at Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir, and Maoist attack on policemen near Jambhulkheda in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra.
China also was indirectly extending support to Maoist terrorists, who want to break India by using narrative of separatism. Adv Avinash Kale pointed out that the Maoists had effected the attack as they were baffled by an impressive 72 per cent voter turnout during Lok Sabha elections. A thorough probe should be conducted into the incident and the Government must avenge the deaths of policemen, he stressed. He said that he would approach National Human Rights Commission seeking the status of martyrs to the innocent people who were killed by Maoists. “At least one person from family of each of the martyrs should be given a job in the Government,” he demanded. Dr Dharmendra Turkar, who has done his PhD in Naxalism, shed light on history of Naxalism.
“Though they are not directly supporting Naxalism/Maoism, there are professors, lawyers, journalists, doctors, and intellectuals in urban areas who have been working to serve the agenda,” he said. The phenomenon of urban Naxalism was there previously too, but the recent arrests of professors and lawyers and activities in Jawaharlal Nehru University, and in universities at Chennai, Pune, and Nagpur etc brought it to the notice of the people, he added. Maoists are working to erode the confidence of people in democracy and their supporters are doing it subtly through educational institutions in urban areas, he observed. Sunil Kitkaru made the introductory remarks at the outset and conducted the proceedings of the programme.