The Red Menace

nawabs · Post by **nawabs** » 18 Mar 2012 14:34

Some extra information:
Paolo Bosusco, who runs a suspected illegal travel agency in Puri last 6 years offering trekking services,has already visited that area plenty of times before and must have known that the State Government was not allowing tourists in their.Still he did not heed to the advice of authorities and went to the area.His photo:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/orissatrek ... hotostream

Claudio Colangelo must have been his customer.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/italian-cons ... 368-3.html

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 21 Mar 2012 06:40

Views from the Left

Bitter pill

The Left has expressed concern about the recent spate of mergers and acquisitions of Indian pharmaceutical companies by foreign multinationals.

An article in CPM journal People’s Democracy says that the tough business environment in developed countries is forcing many MNCs to embark on multiple processes to dominate the pharma sector. Many of them, who had enjoyed patent monopoly, are threatened by the expiry of patents for their blockbuster drugs, it says, causing them to eye India whose pharma industry is the world’s fourth-largest, in terms of the quantum of medicines manufactured. These MNCs are also eyeing the export market of the Indian companies and increasing their influence in the non-patented medicine area by forming strategic alliances with large Indian companies.

“Greenfield FDI investment can help build the base of a country provided it comes in areas of technology assimilation and diffusion. But this happens only when manufacturing activities are undertaken by the MNCs. If they are more interested in selling imported drugs and drugs manufactured by others in India, obviously the question of advancement in technological progress does not arise,” it says.

The article says that the government should establish certain measures in the people’s interest — including a strict price control regime to prevent reckless profiteering, the liberal use of compulsory licence, particularly by using public sector firms in manufacturing medicines, abolition of loan-licence manufacturing and an appropriate policy for encouraging bulk drug manufacturing by Indian companies. Instead of the automatic approval of FDI, it says that the Foreign Investment Promotion Board should restrict foreign shareholding up to 26 per cent.

Chain reaction

ANOTHER article in People’s Democracy focuses on first anniversary of the Fukushima disaster. It argues that the “cosy relationship” between the nuclear industry and its regulators in Japan had led to all warnings (including those of earthquakes and tsunamis) being ignored — and that a similar situation exists in India.

“[The] Indian nuclear energy programme, as observed in Japan, suffers from a similar combination of technology hubris and cohabitation between the regulator and the nuclear plants. In India, [the] AERB is still a part of the Atomic Energy Commission and even in the new act introduced in Parliament, it will be subservient to the commission,” it notes.

With the Left having extended moral support to the protests against nuclear plants, the article discusses Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s remarks about protesters at Koodankulam. “Virtually calling all opponents of the plant as foreign agents... does not do justice to the complexity of the issues surrounding nuclear energy in the country... The government does not appear to have any serious intention of discussing the nuclear energy programme or the safety of nuclear plants. Instead, the dreaded ‘foreign hand’ is being paraded to explain away the questions that are being raised on nuclear energy. The foreign hand charge must make strange reading, that too of an American hand, coming as it does from a government that has surpassed even the BJP-led NDA government in its love for the US,” it says.

The article says that the nuclear energy issue needs an open discussion — not only with regards to safety but also costs. “It beats all understanding why the cost of nuclear energy from Koodankulam and Jaitapur should be shrouded in such secrecy... It is precisely this mysterious secrecy that has created distrust for nuclear energy,” it concludes.

UPA in ICU

THE editorial in CPI weekly New Age focuses on the state of the Indian economy in the context of the UPA’s troubles — the latest being the resignation of the railway minister.

“It is not just the railways that is in the ICU, the entire economy is there. The aviation sector is in a total mess. Industrial production is continuously declining. The government is cheering up with the change in indexes on a monthly basis whereas the economy is on the decline on a long-term basis. And that is the problem, which the ruling combination at the Centre is not ready to visualise,” it says.

It also says that the uncertainty about the UPA 2’s future has caused smaller constituents to blackmail the government to the extent possible, led by Mamata Banerjee.

“In such a dangerous situation, in place of falling prey to the intrigues of this or that party to distract people’s attention from the basic socio-economic issues, the concentration needs to be on building mass movements on price rise, unemployment, growing economic disparity, selling of national assets under the garb of disinvestment of PSUs, the threat to the democratic and trade union rights and of course, the all-pervasive corruption,” it concludes.

sum · Post by **sum** » 21 Mar 2012 08:28

Maoist ‘sleeper cells’ active after kidnap

The “sleeper cells” of Maoists secretly stationed in some of the towns and urban centres in Odisha, including state capital Bhubaneswar, have become super active since the kidnapping of two Italians by the left-wing ultras came to the fore last Sunday.

They have been ably providing their senior cadres deep inside the southern Odisha forests accompanying the two foreign hostages urgently required logistic support like releasing press statements to the media and getting in touch with activists’ brigade sympathetic towards the Maoists’ cause.

How intensely active the members of these sleeper cells could be well assessed from the swift manner in which the names of Maoists’ mediators reached the offices of a local media late on Monday within minutes of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s announcement indicating halting of combing operation by the security forces in the Naxal-hit districts.

The sleeper cells were also responsible for sending to the local media the audio tape of Maoists’ Odisha in charge Sabyasachi Panda last Sunday in which the most wanted Naxal leader claimed responsibility for the abduction of the two foreign nationals.

The fax and e-mail messages carrying the Maoists’ 13-point charter of demands which landed in the offices of local newspapers and TV channels on Monday morning was also the handiwork of the members of the sleeper cells.

The police intelligence sources acknowledge that the sleeper cells of the Maoists have become extremely active after they (the Maoists) decided to make the kidnapping episode public last Sunday.

“Tell me, can the Maoists send fax messages, e-mails and audio tapes sitting deep inside the jungles. They have been able to do that only with the help of these sleeper cells stationed in different urban centres,” said a highly placed official in the police intelligence.

The existence of the Naxals’ sleeper cells in Bhubaneswar had come to light a couple of years ago when the local police and the special branch unearthed such a cell while conducting a raid on a house in the city and arrested Subhasree Panda, the wife of Sabyasachi Panda.

Jarita · Post by **Jarita** » 22 Mar 2012 03:03

nawabs wrote:Some extra information:
Paolo Bosusco, who runs a suspected illegal travel agency in Puri last 6 years offering trekking services,has already visited that area plenty of times before and must have known that the State Government was not allowing tourists in their.Still he did not heed to the advice of authorities and went to the area.His photo:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/orissatrek ... hotostream

Claudio Colangelo must have been his customer.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/italian-cons ... 368-3.html

What was he really involved with? Usually cover of travel agencies around the area of Puri are pedo's & human traffickers. Better check

nawabs · Post by **nawabs** » 24 Mar 2012 07:18

BJD MLA abducted by Naxals in Odisha

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/bjd-mla-abdu ... 122-3.html

In an another hostage crisis in Odisha, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLA Jhina Hikaka was abducted by Naxals on Friday night in Koraput district. Koraput SP confirmed that the BJD MLA was picked up by the Naxals while he was on his way home. Hikaka was travelling with his driver and personal assistant, who were let off by the Naxals.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 26 Mar 2012 02:36

CRPF trains girls from Naxal areas as security guards

nawabs · Post by **nawabs** » 27 Mar 2012 13:30

15 CRPF jawans feared dead in Naxal attack in Maharashtra

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/crpf ... 79581.html

Naxalites blew up a bus carrying Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel using a landmine in Pashutola area of Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra on Tuesday.
Initial PTI reports suggested that 15 CRPF personnel were killed in the landmine blast. The bus was carrying personnel of CRPF's 192 battalion.The ministry of home affairs (MHA) has sought a report from the Maharashtra government regarding the incident.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 28 Mar 2012 07:37

Naxals kill 12 CRPF men in landmine blast

Twelve CRPF personnel were killed and 28 others were injured when Naxals triggered a landmine blast near Pushtola about 40 km from the district headquarters on Tuesday noon.

Views from the Left

The time is now

In an article in People’s Democracy, CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat says the Left could use the current political situation (the UPA’s vulnerability and the BJP’s troubles) to effectively resist neoliberal policies. Karat argues the recent assembly elections have weakened the UPA’s political authority: “In the case of the president’s address, the role of the Samajwadi Party and the BSP proved crucial for the passage of the motion. This will become the pattern. Every time the government seeks the passage of an important legislation, it will have to negotiate and barter its way through,” he says. “For the Left and democratic forces, this is a favourable time to advance the resistance to the neoliberal policies. The Manmohan Singh government-favoured legislations for opening up the banks and insurance sector to more FDI, the pensions bill, the foreign education institutions bill, etc — all need to be stopped and thrown out,” he says.

He also acknowledges the CPM drew a blank in the recent assembly elections. “Without expanding the party and strengthening Left unity by bringing all Left forces on to a common platform, it will not be possible to utilise the opportunities that exist,” he says.

The MP mafia

An article in CPI’s New Age takes on illegal mining in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh. It argues that the image of the state as an island of peace has taken a beating due to the recent spurt in crime — be it the murder of RTI activist Shehla Masood or the killing of IPS officer Narendra Kumar. It claims that“the government is patronising terror and corruption in the state. The mining and the liquor mafia cannot flourish without the protection of the state government,” the article asks. It says many ministers, MLAs and MPs are hand-in-glove with criminals with open connivance of state and central leaderships of the BJP. The situation is such that even IPS officers are not secure. “The question is why subordinate policemen like the officer’s personal security did not stand with him when he got into [the] operation. The family of the deceased IPS officer demanded a CBI inquiry but the government ordered for a judicial inquiry,” it says.

It also says the state government must enact a stringent whistleblower protection law. “The present system supports the corrupt and victimises those fighting them. The nexus between the political bosses with bureaucracy must be broken. The state government is responsible for maintaining law and order and it will not stop the unlawful activities if it patronises and protects the mafia and murderers,” it says

nawabs · Post by **nawabs** » 28 Mar 2012 16:20

Court discharges Kobad Ghandy in illegal activities case

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/court ... ase-191022

A Delhi court today discharged Kobad Ghandy in the unlawful activities cases against him

Mr Ghandy was arrested by the Delhi Police in 2009 on charges of trying to set up a recruitment centre for Maoists in the national capital. He has been in jail since then. Mr Ghandy is expected to move for bail in a day or so. While he has been discharged in the unlawful activities case, relatively less serious charges like forgery in other cases continue.

Paving the way for the trial, Additional Sessions Judge Pawan Kumar Jain framed charges against 65-year-old Gandhy under various provisions of the IPC relating to cheating, forgery and impersonation in the case in which he is accused of trying to set up a base for banned outfit CPI (Maoist).

The court, however, discharged Mr Gandhy of the charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act due to improper sanction from the authorities.

"In my opinion, case is made out against Gandhy under the provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act but I am discharging (of the charges under UAP Act) him for want of proper sanction," the judge said.

The Maoist leader earlier had opposed filing of a supplementary charge sheet against him saying the police has filed the charge sheet despite there being no fresh material against him.

An alumni of the prestigious Doon School, Ghandy was said to be part of the top leadership of erstwhile CPI-ML (People's War Group) from 1981 and continued as a Central Committee
member in CPI (Maoist). He was elected to its Politburo in 2007.

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 28 Mar 2012 16:26

While Naxals kill with impunity, they enjoy all the rights in the world. Seems to me unlike the Average Police man or CRPF Jawan these guys have the right connections in our country's Leftist Elite.

Naxal leader Ghandy freed for lack of evidence

[quote] Police had accused Kobad Ghandy of trying to set up a Naxal wing in Delhi. Ghandy is a Doon school alumnus and had studied in London.[quote]

The Maoist leadership don't seem to be poor tribal s but Nationally and internally well connected rich leftists with good Media and lawyer connections.

sum · Post by **sum** » 28 Mar 2012 18:36

A Delhi court today discharged Kobad Ghandy in the unlawful activities cases against him

Mr Ghandy was arrested by the Delhi Police in 2009 on charges of trying to set up a recruitment centre for Maoists in the national capital. He has been in jail since then. Mr Ghandy is expected to move for bail in a day or so. While he has been discharged in the unlawful activities case, relatively less serious charges like forgery in other cases continue.

He can now start writing weekly columns in "THE WEEK" like how Binayak Sen writes every week nowadays ( and no clarification by the editor that the columnist is a SC convicted person out on bail)

Supratik · Post by **Supratik** » 07 Apr 2012 01:16

breaking news : Marxism out of HS (11-12) syllabus in West Bengal.

nawabs · Post by **nawabs** » 07 Apr 2012 11:32

IIM graduates, IT professionals to play agents of change in Naxal areas

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/a ... 288347.ece

As many as 78 districts affected by Maoist menace will soon witness a surge of energy and optimism, with young professionals ready to make a difference. A total of 156 youngsters aged between 22 and 30 will don the mantle of agents of change, working in the Naxal-affected region for two years, in the first batch of the Prime Minister's Rural Development Fellows Scheme (PMRDFS) to be formally launched in Hyderabad on Saturday.

The aim of the unique scheme is simple. “If the Maoists attract youth through their ideology, then the government has to counter that in a similar way,” Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said, speaking to The Hindu earlier this month. As many as 8,600 applications were received for 156 posts, and the applicants ranged from social workers to IIM graduates to IT professionals, Mr. Ramesh said about the project he introduced in 2011.
Aim is win confidence

“The scheme is one way of gaining back the confidence of people in the Naxal areas. It is necessary to create a perception change among the youth,” he said.For the Fellows themselves, this is an opportunity to “be a part of the solution,” as 25-year-old Vishnu Nair states. An engineer from NIT Trichy, Vishnu gave up his job with an MNC in Chicago to return to India.

“Most of the educated youngsters in India today are heavily skilled in solving the problems of the rich or those of the developed countries. I was into risk analytics, and I felt that it was not helping the development of my country in any way. NIT, where I studied, was heavily subsidised by the government, so I felt like I should be giving back to the society.”

As Fellows, they will not be part of the ‘permanent bureaucracy' for which the Naxals have contempt. “We will work as goodwill ambassadors, as agents between the government and the people to restore their faith,” said Mr. Nair.
‘Sherpas to Collector'

The role of the Fellows, according to Mr Ramesh, is best described as “sherpas to the District Collector.” They will be placed in the Naxal-affected districts of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Odisha covered under the Integrated Action Plan — a project of the Planning Commission and the Home Ministry to intensify development work. “A Collector has a lot of responsibility, and the Fellows, with their experience and training, will help in the development process that includes planning and monitoring,” Mr Ramesh said.

The Ministry is set to spend Rs 60 crore on the scheme, with stipends amounting to Rs. 53 crore and the training cost Rs 6.5 crore.

The Fellows will be paid Rs 50,000 in the initial two months of training to be organised by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, and then Rs 75,000 for the rest of the fellowship period. However, for Neeraja Kudrimoti, like most other Fellows, it is not money but the sense of being part of the development process in the most affected conflict area of the country that matters more.
‘Great opportunity'

“Leaving the security of an IT job is a big deal, but there was no sense of contentment working in a cubicle. There was always a sense of ‘what am I doing this for?' This was a great opportunity to contribute and be a part of the change we all hope for, sitting outside,” said the 24-year-old employee of Patni Computer Systems, from Pune.
Integrated planning

Soumita Basu, a development worker with the Azim Premji Foundation, said the fellowship provided an opportunity to participate in integrated planning. “People have lost faith in the development process, and this is one way of restoring that. I would want to contribute to the cultural and social process of bringing the region back on the development agenda.”
Security concern

Asked if security is an issue, Neeraja is honest to admit that it is. The recent Odisha incident in which an MLA was abducted by Maoists has in fact escalated the fears, she said. “I am scared, and I am aware that the government has not really shared a rosy relationship with the Maoists. But facing danger is a part of the journey that we have agreed to take on. Hopefully with the work we do, we will make things easier in the region, and for the next batch. For that, I am willing to take the risk.”

Sachin · Post by **Sachin** » 07 Apr 2012 11:39

Supratik wrote:breaking news : Marxism out of HS (11-12) syllabus in West Bengal.

The Hindu has an excellent cartoon on this subject. It is there on the printed edition, but could not find it online.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 08 Apr 2012 03:22

Op Abujhmaad: In a first, CRPF enters land of Maoists, myths

ManuT · Post by **ManuT** » 08 Apr 2012 08:33

As deadline nears for hostages release, Odisha govt scrambling to meet demands

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/as-de ... herstories

In the meanwhile the other Maoist group which has held the Biju Janata Dal MLA captive, has issued another threat. They want five other members released by April 10 if Mr Hikaka is to be safely released and has warned of 'dire consequences' if their demand is not met.

Speaking to NDTV over the phone, Jagabandhu, the spokesperson for the Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) said if the state government does not release the prisoners after withdrawing all charges against them by April 10, they would decide on the fate of the BJD MLA who is in their custody. Jagabandhu has said the claim the Odisha government that there are eight Maoists in the list of 27 prisoners is incorrect. In reality there are only two Maoists in the government's list and that they now want the release of five regular Maoist leaders and cadres. They are Chheda Bhushanam alias Ghasi, Gananath Patra, Suna Pangi, Singa Nachika and Valsi Wadeka who are now lodged in the Koraput jail.

When told that the state government has indicated that there will be some delay in releasing the prisoners because there is a judicial process involved in the exercise, the Maoist spokesperson said they did not recognise so-called judicial processes. "The people are our judiciary", he said adding "all the prisoners named by the government should be released without any conditions and all cases against them have to be withdrawn by April 10".

Jagabandhu said the MLA, Jhina Hikaka is in good health and safe but his safety cannot be guaranteed after the deadline expires. "We will take the next step if the government does not fulfill our demands", he warned.

---
Cost of Mufti Mohd Saeed as Home Minister still being paid.

Nihat · Post by **Nihat** » 08 Apr 2012 10:00

Indian security forces and Maoist
rebels have clashed in eastern
Jharkhand state.

One soldier was killed and two policemen
were injured in the battle in Latehar
district, late on Thursday.

Police said it appeared that the rebels had
dragged away the bodies of six militants
they believe were killed, but no bodies
were recovered.

Maoist rebels have carved out strongholds
in a number of states in the north, east
and centre of India.

Last month, a landmine explosion blamed
on the rebels killed at least 15 policemen
in the western state of Maharashtra.
'Fierce gunfight' Jharkhand police spokesperson Raj Kumar
Mallik said the security forces fought the
rebels in the Karamdih forest after
receiving information about the presence
of top commanders of the outlawed
Communist Party of India (Maoist) in the
area.

"The state police along with the federal
paramilitary soldiers surrounded the
area," said Mr Mallik.
PO
"Soon there was a burst of fire from the
rebels. The security forces also retaliated.
There was a fierce gunfight. We are sure
that there have been many casualties
among the rebels," he said.

He said the rebels dragged away the
bodies of six of their men, who appeared
to have died in the fighting.

A senior police official in Latehar told the
BBC that during a combing operation that
followed the incident, blood stains were
seen in the forest.

In the neighbouring state of Chhattisgarh,
security forces said they had entered an
area considered to be a rebel stronghold.
This is the first time that security forces
have been able to enter Abujhmaad area
in Narayanpur district, home to the local
rebel headquarters, says the BBC's Salman
Ravi in Raipur, the capital of Chattisgarh.
But a spokesman for the rebels, Gudsa
Usendi, told the BBC that the security
forces had ransacked villages and arrested
"innocent" villagers in the area in the
name of carrying out an operation against
the Maoists.

m.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-17635613

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 08 Apr 2012 10:04

it was interesting to watch the howls of anguish on TV from usual suspects in reaction to Mamata's syllabus change

Supratik · Post by **Supratik** » 08 Apr 2012 19:30

Bangladesh liberation war history in HS (11-12) syllabus in West Bengal.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 09 Apr 2012 03:03

On Maoist reading list: how to down choppers, and how to crack IAS exam

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 09 Apr 2012 04:56

nawabs wrote:IIM graduates, IT professionals to play agents of change in Naxal areas

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/a ... 288347.ece
As many as 78 districts affected by Maoist menace will soon witness a surge of energy and optimism, with young professionals ready to make a difference. A total of 156 youngsters aged between 22 and 30 will don the mantle of agents of change, working in the Naxal-affected region for two years, in the first batch of the Prime Minister's Rural Development Fellows Scheme (PMRDFS) to be formally launched in Hyderabad on Saturday.

The aim of the unique scheme is simple. “If the Maoists attract youth through their ideology, then the government has to counter that in a similar way,” Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said, speaking to The Hindu earlier this month. As many as 8,600 applications were received for 156 posts, and the applicants ranged from social workers to IIM graduates to IT professionals, Mr. Ramesh said about the project he introduced in 2011.
Aim is win confidence
[...]
As Fellows, they will not be part of the ‘permanent bureaucracy' for which the Naxals have contempt. “We will work as goodwill ambassadors, as agents between the government and the people to restore their faith,” said Mr. Nair.
‘Sherpas to Collector'

The role of the Fellows, according to Mr Ramesh, is best described as “sherpas to the District Collector.” They will be placed in the Naxal-affected districts of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Odisha covered under the Integrated Action Plan — a project of the Planning Commission and the Home Ministry to intensify development work. “A Collector has a lot of responsibility, and the Fellows, with their experience and training, will help in the development process that includes planning and monitoring,” Mr Ramesh said.

The Ministry is set to spend Rs 60 crore on the scheme, with stipends amounting to Rs. 53 crore and the training cost Rs 6.5 crore.

The Fellows will be paid Rs 50,000 in the initial two months of training to be organised by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, and then Rs 75,000 for the rest of the fellowship period. However, for Neeraja Kudrimoti, like most other Fellows, it is not money but the sense of being part of the development process in the most affected conflict area of the country that matters more.
‘Great opportunity'

“Leaving the security of an IT job is a big deal, but there was no sense of contentment working in a cubicle. There was always a sense of ‘what am I doing this for?' This was a great opportunity to contribute and be a part of the change we all hope for, sitting outside,” said the 24-year-old employee of Patni Computer Systems, from Pune.
Integrated planning

Soumita Basu, a development worker with the Azim Premji Foundation, said the fellowship provided an opportunity to participate in integrated planning. “People have lost faith in the development process, and this is one way of restoring that. I would want to contribute to the cultural and social process of bringing the region back on the development agenda.”
Security concern

Asked if security is an issue, Neeraja is honest to admit that it is. The recent Odisha incident in which an MLA was abducted by Maoists has in fact escalated the fears, she said. “I am scared, and I am aware that the government has not really shared a rosy relationship with the Maoists. But facing danger is a part of the journey that we have agreed to take on. Hopefully with the work we do, we will make things easier in the region, and for the next batch. For that, I am willing to take the risk.”

Will provide lots of recruits for the Maoists, or Maoist recruits a legitimate job and excuse to be there.

Hari Seldon · Post by **Hari Seldon** » 09 Apr 2012 17:36

From a a journo on twitter:

>>@Mrityunjoykjha Odisha police association threatens to boycott duty in Naxal areas if hardcore Maoists are released

I hope its true and its way about time our uniformed personnel stand up for the right thing when the Govt of the day is clearly not equipped to do so.

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 09 Apr 2012 22:29

Ma Sha Alllah! Even the reds see it
CPM edging away from China model?

Jayanth Jacob, Hindustan Times
Kozhikode, April 07, 2012
Email to Author

Call it a tectonic shift if you will. The comrades seem to be distancing themselves from the Chinese model of socialism, something that they once fiercely advocated. The intense debate for a new ideological document at the CPM party congress has resulted in members criticising the Chinese
model for various reasons, including rising corruption, inequality and unemployment.

Presenting the resolution on ideological issues in the closed door discussions, politburo member Sitaram Yechury spoke of the possibility of a “counter revolution” taking place in China if the country continued with the same economic policies.

The delegates, who spoke on the subject, raised many issues that they thought was plaguing the Chinese model of socialism. One of the members said the Chinese model was focused more on creating billionaires than addressing the rural-urban divide — the last 18 years seeing a 13-fold increase in the income gap.

The party is also not taking it lightly that the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) has dropped the concept of anti-imperialism from its concept at a time when that remains one of the major planks of the CPM. Delegates insisted that the party should give more importance to the indigenous models of socialism, and address the issues of caste and religion in a more effective manner.

Nihat · Post by **Nihat** » 11 Apr 2012 12:47

Odisha hostage crisis: Panda issues fresh tape

CNN-IBN | 11-Apr 10:17 AM

Bhubaneswar: A breakthrough seems to
be in sight in the Odisha hostage crisis.
Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda in his
latest audio message has said that he will
free abducted Italian Paolo Boscusco if
the government honoured its agreement
signed with the negotiators.

In a new audio tape released by the Naxal
leader, he claims that the Italian tourist
himself wants the government to release
one tribal woman before he is freed.
Panda said that if the government obeys
their pact, then the Italian hostage will
soon be released.

This came a day after his wife Subhashree
Panda was acquitted. Subhashree Panda
was arrested and jailed in 2010 in
connection with an encounter case.
However, there was no clarity on the
release of BJD MLA Jhina Hikaka, who has
been held hostage by another faction of
Naxals.

Meanwhile, the Naveen Patnaik
government in Odisha has come under
attack with experts saying it must stop
giving in to the demands of the Naxals.
The Naxals' deadline for the government
to release 30 jailed cadres

http://m.ibnlive.com/news/odisha-hostag ... 676-3.html

Nihat · Post by **Nihat** » 12 Apr 2012 12:46

Odisha: Italian hostage Bosusco
freed by Maoists

CNN-IBN | 12-Apr 11:18 AM

New Delhi: Italian hostage Paolo Bosusco
was released by the Maoists on Thursday,
29 days after he was abducted along with
his countryman Claudio Colangelo by the
Naxals in Odisha's Kandhamal district.
External Affairs Minister SM Krishna has
congratulated Odisha Chief Minister
Naveen Patnaik on the safe release of the
Italian national, saying it enhances India's
reputation as a safe destination. "I
appreciate Naveen Patnaik's efforts," he
said.

Bosusco (54) was handed over by the
Maoists to their mediator Dandapani
Mohanty and some journalists in the
forest of tribal-dominated Kandhamal
district bordering Gajapati and Ganjam,
official sources said.

The Italian national was brought to the
state capital in the company of
mediapersons and Mohanty who, along
with BD Sharma, negotiated with three
Odisha government representatives for
his release.

Saying that he loves Odisha very much,
Bosusco told reporters, "I am happy
being a free man now. I am tired and
need some rest."

His release came a day after Maoist leader
Sabyasachi Panda in his audio message
had said that he would free the abducted
Italian if the government honoured its
agreement signed with the negotiators. In
the audio tape released by the Naxal
leader, he claimed that the Italian tourist
himself wanted the government to release
one tribal woman before he is freed.
The government has agreed to free 27
jailed cadres.

Panda had said that if the government
obeys their pact, then the Italian hostage
would soon be released.

http://m.ibnlive.com/news/odisha-italia ... 004-3.html

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 17 Apr 2012 07:02

The ‘Naxal’ urban culture

Rudradev · Post by **Rudradev** » 17 Apr 2012 09:31

Nihat wrote:
Odisha: Italian hostage Bosusco
freed by Maoists

CNN-IBN | 12-Apr 11:18 AM

. In the audio tape released by the Naxal leader, he claimed that the Italian tourist himself wanted the government to release one tribal woman before he is freed.

http://m.ibnlive.com/news/odisha-italia ... 004-3.html

So the Italian "tourist" openly joined the Maoists in demanding that the government release terrorists. What next, Pablo? Would it please you to send the murdering Italian Navy Marines arrested in Kerala back home as well? After all this is Italian National Congress rule onlee.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 18 Apr 2012 05:50

Indian state's 'leftist marriage ban' criticised
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-17738632

The former Communist rulers of India's West Bengal state have criticised a government minister who asked party members not to marry leftists.'Mentally boycott'
Members of the state's ruling Trinamool Congress party "should not enter into any kind of relationship with CPI(M) - Communist Party of India (Marxist) - members. You should not marry anyone, even distantly related, to a CPI(M) member," Mr Mullik told the party gathering on Sunday.The minister later told the BBC that he had only requested the party members to stay away from their political rivals. Ms Banerjee has recently been criticised for being undemocratic "It was not a diktat. I only requested our party members to not get married into a CPI(M) family, nor attend any ceremony at a CPI(M) member's house. "They were requested not to talk to CPI(M) members at tea stalls, and not go to the market with them."Mr Mullik explained that if Trinamool workers mingled with CPI(M) supporters, they would not be able to take "political revenge"."Trinamool workers may get mentally weak if they befriend CPI(M) members. We must continue with our tirade against the CPI(M) and take all necessary steps to isolate the party that has destroyed growth in West Bengal for the last 34 years."When asked whether his call amounted to socially boycotting the Communists, Mr Mullik said: "I can't give a call to socially boycott them. I have made a request to 'mentally boycott' them."Mr Mullik's utterances were "unfortunate and ridiculous", said senior CPI(M) leader Mohammad Salim."Democratic values are at stake because intolerance is being promoted by the highest authorities," he said."It is regrettable that the ruling party is developing and promoting enmity between people," he added

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 18 Apr 2012 06:23

There was and remains a similar virtual ban within the Leftist movement about marriage. There used to be severe criticism for fraternizing in public with "enemies" of the party, including congrez and trinamool. Higher ups mingled but explained it as within party knowledge and "tactical" moves onlee.

For card carriers, permissions required for marriage - in most leftist setups. In almost every case background checks on the proposed partner carried out if outside the party. For above a certain level marriages are almost certainly fixed by the party.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 18 Apr 2012 06:44

Views from the Left

CALL FOR NEW PROBE

While the BJP celebrated the clean chit given to Narendra Modi by the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) in the post-Godhra Gulbarga housing society massacre case, the Left claimed the SIT was “manipulated” by the Gujarat chief minister and called for another comprehensive, combined probe. An editorial in the CPI journal, New Age, said: “The entire Gujarat episode of 2002, right from the burning of Coach 6 of (the) Sabarmati Express, to the continued anti-minority violence for months together, need a comprehensive independent inquiry, as the Narendra Modi regime has done everything possible to sabotage the investigation. It used police and administration shamelessly to terrorise the victims and bribe the witnesses to sabotage judicial proceedings. Sangh Parivar-related lawyers were appointed prosecutors... to defend the culprits. A former BJP minister was murdered as he had started speaking (the) truth”.

It alleged that the SIT was compromised by Modi and referred to the appointment of an amicus curiae by the Supreme Court. “...To be satisfied with just nine cases investigated by SIT is a farce to say the least. Until and unless a thorough probe is conducted... justice will not be done... The so-called ‘clean chit’ to Modi in one of the nine cases investigated by SIT cannot whitewash the real crimes of Modi,” it added.

The New Age lamented the absence of a strong political alternative in the state. “The main political opposition, Congress, is not only a badly divided house, it has failed to show any political will to counter Modi’s offensive.”

FAILURE OF CAPITALISM

The CPM’s People’s Democracy devoted its latest issue to the recently-held CPM party congress. An editorial said that the “Marxist-Leninist understanding that capitalism can never be a system free from either human exploitation and crises” has been vindicated. In the Indian context, the editorial admitted that “while the objective situation is sharply pointing towards the need to strengthen a political alternative to capitalism, the subjective factor, that is, the unity in (the) struggles of all the exploited sections of the people led by the working class, needs to be strengthened to establish... a political alternative”.

The editorial added: “There is an urgent need to meet and defeat the ideological challenges that imperialism and reactionary forces mount against Marxism and socialism. For two decades, they propagated the ‘eternality’ of capitalism and pronounced the death of Marxism and socialism. Today in the face of this severe global capitalist crisis, such ideological offensives are being severely mounted through new theoretical constructs like post-modernism... The essential point of all these ideological attacks is to deny the very existence of class exploitation and class struggle and seeking to portray human society and civilisation as the summation of a multitude of micro or local phenomena. These ideological challenges, thus, seek to obfuscate the truth of intensified human exploitation and the degradation of nature under capitalism,” it argued.

Tarnished army

New Age carried an article on the controversies surrounding the army, claiming that the “spate of controversies” might have been a result of the “vicious factional feud within the force as well as the manipulations of the arms dealers.” It says that the recent controversies “not only tarnish the image of [the] armed forces but have become a blot on the very functioning of the UPA 2 government.”

The article talked about corruption in defence procurement in the context of the Tatra truck deal and argued that there was evidence to prove the involvement of the officers of the armed forces in scams. It alleged that the “arms supplier lobby” has “conquered and influenced the armed forces, the government and every conceivable pillar institutions of the state.” The article also claims that the “arms supplier lobby” has “the power even to decide the chiefs of (the) three forces and fix their tenure. They even have the capacity to create conflict between the government and defence officials. They also have the influence in private media channels, which run campaigns to achieve their target.”

It also said that the “serious shocking revelations should not be brushed away as an outcome of the recent conflict between the army chief and the government... It is not the question of who is right and who is not, it is a question of a serious risk to the nation’s sovereignty, integrity and security. The government has become insensitive and irresponsible even in safeguarding the security of the nation.”

Anindya · Post by **Anindya** » 18 Apr 2012 19:17

Ex-Army officer moves SC to stop Odisha govt from releasing Maoists

Agnimitra · Post by **Agnimitra** » 18 Apr 2012 23:55

If they want to exploit the resources of those areas, they must be made to cough up enough to ensure social upliftment and distribution of wealth. Let's see whether this is just breadcrumbs, cosmetic or real development.
India Inc to help tackle Maoist terror

DELHI - In what is widely being perceived as a unique outreach initiative, the Congress party-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government has sought the help of corporate India to deal with with what Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has described as "the biggest national security challenge facing India" - Maoist/Naxal terror.

Close on the heels of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee constituting the Bharat Livelihoods Foundation (BLF) last month, an organization to economically empower marginalized communities, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh has sent out formal letters inviting leading business groups - the Tatas, Reliance, Wipro and Infosys - to become its partners and synchronize efforts with the government to squash the Naxal menace.

Though part of it looks like a hafta arrangement - funneling this mercantile class hafta into the leftist lobby's pockets while further consolidating the gratitude of the backward populations to the leftist elites.

And it is towards this end - and the subsequent loss of business to India Inc - that the UPA's latest initiative is aimed at. "Our objective is to create a total corpus of 1,000 crore rupees [US$200 million] to begin with," Ramesh wrote in the invitation letters to the captains of industry.

"This would enable BLF to be a sustainable, strong and meaningful organization in its efforts to scale up civil society interventions and transform the lives and livelihoods of the marginalized adivasis [tribes] living in and around 170 districts," Ramesh wrote. His ministry will hold a meeting with civil society, state governments and potential partners on April 27 to take the proposal forward.

The foundation, reveal ministry sources, will be managed on professional lines, with a chairman and a full-time chief executive officer. It will bolster developmental activities in watershed management, dairy, fisheries and agriculture. Holistically, it will focus on whittling down the gap between outlays and outcomes, ensuring better implementation of government programs.

"Among those who have most acutely felt the sense of exclusion and alienation are the adivasis, who perform poorly on every indicator of well-being, whether it be poverty, health or education," said a joint concept note on the foundation prepared by the rural development ministry and the Planning Commission.

"What is worse, given the specific demography of adivasi India, the pockets of adivasis' concentration have witnessed an unprecedented upsurge in Maoist militancy in recent years," the note added.

The government has approached the captains of industry as while mayhem and destruction have dominated the larger narrative of the Naxal movement in India, a raft of businesses have successfully managed to prosper in these places. This was likely boosted by Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives - as well as the payment of protection money.

"This means that when the Naxals see economic benefits percolating down directly to them, they are far more malleable," opines Dr Pradipto Baruah, a political scientist at the Jadavpur University. "These marginalized groups are willing to talk the language of growth and development, and when they see themselves as stakeholders in that process, they are willing to cooperate."

Delhi's multifarious attempts to control Naxal terror across the country have met with a lukewarm response. There are doubts that the three-year-old, $700-million Integrated Action Plan (IAP) has been able to bridge the "trust deficit" between the Maoists and civil society and the government on the other, the objective outlined by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Nonetheless, a revamped IAP is likely to be implemented from April 2013.

Planning Commission member Mihir Shah, a critic of the IAP, says the flagship program alienates the intended beneficiaries because locals are given no say in decision-making. According to Shah, the government officials responsible for the trust deficit in the first place are the ones who decide on the projects taken up under the IAP. "Without involvement of local beneficiaries and civil society as a third party monitor, the plan cannot work," said Shah, who is pressing for re-orienting the approach to IAP.

Under the government's new battle plan involving corporate India, resources from government schemes will enable the latter to develop better synergies with civil society organizations. Officials say that in the past two decades, some of the best innovation in improving livelihoods in the tribal areas has come from civil society and BLF is an effort to support these grassroots initiatives to uplift the tribal community.

According to experts, the challenge is to transform systems of administration and levels of awareness at the grassroots to ensure that well-meaning pieces of legislation (such as the Right to Information, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and the proposed Food Security Act and Minerals Act) have the requisite impact on the ground. This development will gradually bring about the desired positive change in rebel mindsets.

The firms can participate in BLF by paying donations. Those shelling out about $40 million are given a board position. Though the government will not have any say in its day-to-day functioning, its funds will be disbursed to civil society in a need-based manner.

The primary reason why India Inc is willing to take on the Maoists is because these firms too are tiring of the government's inability to eliminate them, which takes a heavy toll on business. Ironically, Naxal violence is concentrated mainly in the mineral-rich area of the country where most of the precious iron ore, coal, bauxite and limestone are found.

None of these mineral riches can be exploited fully by business houses as Naxals regularly target their factories, mills and mines. Coal India, Nalco, NMDC, SAIL, Essar Steel and Tata Steel - which have operations in the eastern states - have all been victims of Naxal terror.

Jindal Steel, a $12 billion conglomerate, has had to hold back its plans to build a steel plant in central Chattisgarh due to Naxal attacks while Essar's iron ore plant has been targeted several times. Tata Steel's steel plant in the same area has also suffered damage. State-run enterprises aren't spared either. National Mineral Development Corporation and Steel Authority of India have repeatedly had their expansion plans scuppered due to the Naxal fear mongering.

Currently, according to unofficial reports, approximately 200 billion rupees are stuck in power and steel industries in this mineral-rich belt due to the Maoist menace.

nawabs · Post by **nawabs** » 21 Apr 2012 23:57

Maoists kill two security guards, kidnap Collector in Chattisgarh

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/a ... epage=true

Cadres of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) abducted Alex Paul Menon, the Collector of Chhattisgarh’s troubled Sukma District at about 4:30 Pm on Saturday evening. Mr. Menon was returning from a village meeting when a group of between 15 and 20 Maoists stopped his entourage at Manjipara village, about 8 km from Kerlapal, a village on National Highway 221.

Sukma’s Superintendent of Police, Abhishek Shandilya said the Maoists also killed two personal security officers who accompanied the Collector.

Mr. Menon’s abduction comes at a time when, just across the state border, the Odisha government is involved in protracted negotiations to free Jhina Hikaka, an MLA who was kidnapped by the Maoists on March 24. Earlier this month, the guerillas released two Italians who had also been kidnapped in Odisha. Last year, the party abducted the R. Vineel Krishna, the Collector of Malkangiri, an Odisha district bordering Sukma. Mr. Krishna was released after the state government agreed to a list of demands.

“We are organizing a search party to look for the Collector. We have not received any demands from the Maoists as yet,” Mr. Shandilya said.

“We were conducting a Gram Swaraj Abhiyaan across the district and so we had been traveling with the Collector since the morning,” said Surendra Prasad Vaid, Sukma’s Sub Divisional Magistrate, in an interview over the telephone, “In the morning, the Collector visited the interior villages near Badde Setti and Sam Setti on a motorcycle and returned to Kerlapal for lunch.”

After lunch, Mr. Vaid said, a team of about 25 to 30 civil administration officials accompanied Mr. Menon to a farmers meeting in Manjipara. “Ten minutes after we arrived, the shooting started,” said Mr. Vaid, “As the crowd dispersed, a group of Maoists came and first shot the Collector’s guard. The other guard tried to run, but the Maoists killed him as well.”

Mr. Vaid said the Collector quickly got into his Tata Safari vehicle and started to leave when three Maoists stopped his vehicle. “There were three of us in the car when they stopped us and started shouting ‘Who is the Collector? Who is the Collector’. The Collector identified himself, and they took him away,” said Mr. Vaid.

Maoists holding Jhina Hikaka hostage make fresh demand

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 812086.cms

Maoist rebels holding Odisha legislator Jhina Hikaka hostage for more than three weeks on Saturday demanded the release of all members of Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangh (CMAS) in exchange for his release.

The rebels had earlier sought the release of 29 prisoners, mostly members of the CMAS, which works mainly in the southern parts of the state, including Malkangiri and Koraput districts, on tribal-related issues

.

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 22 Apr 2012 02:36

tiptoe into forbidden hills

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120422/j ... 403928.jsp

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 22 Apr 2012 07:17

Naxals are the govt in a village India just discovered

In the heart of darkness

anchal · Post by **anchal** » 22 Apr 2012 17:03

The recent abduction of collector in CG smells fishy. The dude ignored repeated warnings from security forces and ventured into jungles without adequate cover

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 23 Apr 2012 05:59

10 French nationals on Red turf deported

Javee · Post by **Javee** » 24 Apr 2012 06:37

anchal wrote:The recent abduction of collector in CG smells fishy. The dude ignored repeated warnings from security forces and ventured into jungles without adequate cover

What makes you say so? He did go out with his escorts and about 20 other govt officials.

Anindya · Post by **Anindya** » 24 Apr 2012 08:44

PV Rajagopal is unhappy at the deportations

PATNA/NAWADA: Just as Bihar police deported 10 French nationals for alleged links with Maoists and escorted them on Monday till they boarded a Delhi flight from Patna, P V Rajagopal, a member of the PM Manmohan Singh-headed National Land Reforms Council, went on a fast in protest against the "insult to the foreign guests".

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 25 Apr 2012 06:40

Views from the Left

Baseless Attacks

In the current issue of People’s Democracy, the CPM hits back at the “mainstream media”, which it argues unleashed “vitriolic attacks” against the party during its recent party congress.

The editorial quotes from articles in newspapers and argues that the attacks against the CPM reflect their frustration at the fact that the party has redoubled its resolve to “not merely refuse being co-opted by neoliberalism but, on the contrary, to strengthen the popular struggles against these policies forcibly being pushed down the Indian people by international finance capital led imperialist globalisation”. It rejects suggestions that it was time the comrades transformed themselves into social democrats. “Social democracy is an ideology which... ‘champions the interests of the ruling classes when in government and champions the interests of the working class when in the opposition.’ The CPM champions the interests of all exploited classes and oppressed sections of the Indian people... Those who seek to teach us lessons on democracy in Indian conditions will do well to recollect that it was the Indian communists who showed the world for the first time in 1957 that communists can participate and win in state assembly elections in a country ruled by the bourgeois-landlord classes,” it says.

Improving Ties

The CPI believes that the Pakistan army chief’s views on the demilitarisation of Siachen and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s decision to accept an invitation extended to him by Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari signify the changing nature of Indo-Pak relations. An editorial in its weekly, New Age, looks into the thaw in ties.

It says Pakistan has been showing “considerable flexibility” on improving relations with India during the past few months. Referring to Singh’s acceptance of Zardari’s invitation, it says: “India realises that the growing grip of terrorists and religious fundamentalists on Pakistani society is becoming a real threat for the very existence of (the) Pakistani state... The recent jail break at Bannu is an indicator of Pakistan heading towards a ‘failed state’ position. It will be in the interest of Pakistan itself that it takes stringent possible measures [sic] against the terrorist and religious fundamentalist forces.”

Understanding Oil Prices

An article in People’s Democracy focusses on the cost-based study of petroleum products of national oil marketing companies. It is based on a letter written by Rajya Sabha member and CITU General Secretary Tapan Sen to petroleum minister Jaipal Reddy.

“The department of expenditure under the ministry of finance had asked the tariff commission for a cost-based study of petroleum products of national oil marketing companies. Though the tariff commission had been given the target date of July 2011 for (the) submission of its study report, it appears that it has not accomplished its task so far,” it says. The article quotes Sen as demanding that a copy of the report be circulated among MPs “for the sake of a better understanding of the subject of pricing”. It says that “there is an immediate need for (the) appraisal of (the) actual cost of production of crude oil and natural gas in... ONGC and OIL, and their joint ventures”. It argues that oil and gas in India cannot be priced according to international prices.

Compiled by Manoj C.G.