Calcutta, July 8:Chief minister Mamata Banerjee will visit Jungle Mahal next week with a bouquet of development announcements as part of her two-pronged strategy to ensure peace in the Maoist-affected region.
Apart from the development process, the team of human rights activists picked by the chief minister yesterday will try to bring Maoists to the talks table. One likely impediment is the choice of political prisoners shortlisted for release. ( )
Mamata has asked the ministers in charge of departments such as irrigation, backward classes welfare, agriculture, water resources investigation and Paschimanchal (western region) affairs to finetune the projects she can announce on her first visit to Jungle Mahal after becoming chief minister, government sources said.
On July 12 and 13, PWD minister Subrata Bakshi, his junior Subrata Saha, Paschimanchal affairs minister Sukumar Hansda and forest minister Hiten Barman are expected to tour Jungle Mahal to lay the ground for Mamata's visit. Based on their inputs on roads, transport, public distribution system, health care and schools, Mamata will finalise the development package.
Rights activist Sujato Bhadra, who, along with Debashish Bhattacharya, is leading the team of interlocutors, said his team would try and bring together the Maoist frontal organisations operating overground in Jungle Mahal in an attempt to reach out to those inside the forest.
"A couple of organisations have responded to our call. We are trying to get everybody on board before proceeding with the talks," Bhadra said. Among the respondents is a breakaway faction of the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities that is reportedly not averse to holding talks with the government but is apprehensive about its intentions.
"The process has to start somewhere. It is important to gain the confidence of the people and the organisations before we move forward," said Prasun Bhowmik, a member of the team.
Of the six members, three — Bhadra, Bhowmik and Chhoton Das — have for long been vocal in their opposition to the presence of forces and arrests made under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
The team members cautioned that the peacemaking process would be a long-drawn one and not time-bound. At their meeting with the chief minister, the rights activists had referred to the killing of Maoist leader Azad last year while efforts were being made to persuade the Centre and the rebels to hold talks.
"PCPA president Lalmohan Tudu was killed in cold blood. A repeat of any such incident will be disastrous for the whole process. We have asked the chief minister to ensure that the police don't go about carrying on raids and killings," said an activist.
The interlocutors are also seeking a "safe passage" for the Maoist leaders in case they agree to hold talks with the government representatives in Calcutta.
"Like the Maoists, the police also have to hold fire. Talks and raids cannot go on simultaneously,"said Das.
"We do support some of the demands the Maoists have raised but don't agree with their politics of annihilation. If the new government takes up projects that will benefit the people, why not participate?" asked Bhowmik.
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