Mulugu: Tribal hinterland on the edge

Mulugu: The customary din and bustle ahead of People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) Week is back with the CPI-Maoists allegedly releasing a series of letters launching a tirade against some ruling party leaders for their reported involvement in land grabbing in and around Eturnagaram, the tribal hinterland abutting river Godavari 240 kilometres northeast of Hyderabad. It may be mentioned here that since 2000, the Maoists have been observing PLGA Week annually from December 2 to 8, in memory of their slain leaders and cadre.

In a latest letter released in the name of CPI-Maoist Spokesperson, Telangana State Committee, Jagan, the banned outfit urged the people to commemorate the 19th PLGA Week by organising rallies, meetings and other activities.

The letter said that after the BJP came to power at the Centre for the second time, the Hindu fascist forces have a free run as they continue to attack dalits, Adivasis and minorities. The Centre's agenda - naxals-free India – is quite clear as it was ratified in a meeting of Chief Ministers of the Maoist-affected States held in Delhi on August 26. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has announced a three-year action plan to ward off the Maoist challenge, thereby to create a fascist nation where feudal and bourgeois forces have a free run to loot the nation. "It is high time for the youth to save the country by joining Maoists," the letter said, urging people to support their red path by sending at least one person from each family.

In another letter purportedly released by Venkatapuram-Wajedu Area Committee Secretary Sudhakar, the ultras threatened ruling TRS party leaders of dire consequences for resorting to land grabbing with the help of police. The letter said that some TRS leaders occupied about 150 acres belonging to 56 tribal farmers of Sudibaka village under Venkatapuram mandal.

A few days ago, a letter issued in the name of Sabitha, the Secretary of Eturnagaram-Mahadevpur Area Committee, the Maoists warned the TRS and BJP leaders of facing severe consequences for their involvement in land grabbing.

Against this backdrop, the forest fringe villages on either side of Godavari River abutting Dandakaranya (DK) stretched over four erstwhile districts of Khammam, Warangal, Karimnagar and Adilabad appear to be sitting on a powder keg.