Maoists are slowly gaining a foothold in Gujarat, which despite of having a large tribal population has so far remained unaffected from the 'red terror', police said.
Arrest of a Maoist leader from Surat and spurt in Maoist meetings, secret movement of the rebels in the state and
distribution of leaflets asking people to join the armed movement indicate that the banned CPI (Maoist) is trying to spread its network in Gujarat, they said.
They target migrants, who have come here in large numbers from other Naxal-affected states, as their potential cadres, police said.
"The Maoists are using the land (Gujarat) as place to recruit potential cadres from the large number of migrant population, who have come here from Naxal-hit states like Orissa, Jharkhand and Bihar, especially in south Gujarat city of Surat and collect funds for their movement," ADGP (Law and order) Sudhir Sinha told PTI.
"CPI-Maoist cadres are brainwashing potential migrant recruits and are sending them back to the state of their origin to work there," Sinha said.