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130 Maoists surrender, CM asks Ganapathy to lay down arms
In a historic event, 130 Maoist members surrendered with arms in Telangana, marking a significant decline of the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army.
In a landmark mass surrender, 130 members of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), including a large number of People’s Liberation Guerilla Army commandos, surrendered with their weapons before Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy in Hyderabad on Saturday.
The cadres handed over 124 firearms, including AK-47 Rifles and over 5,200 live ammunition of various calibre, the highest in recent times in the country with respect to the quality and numbers of arms surrendered by the PLGA (People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army).
Of the 130 surrendered ultras, 125 belong to Chhattisgarh, four are from Telangana and a top leader from Andhra Pradesh – Chalasani Navatha alias Chandra, who was working as Dandakaranya special zonal committee member and party’s Andhra committee secretary, the Telangana police said.
Some of them constituted the personal protection team of recently surrendered central committee members Thippiri Tirupati alias Devji and Malla Raji Reddy. “With their surrender, the People’s Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA) has now completely lost its existence,” the police added.
Speaking to reporters later, Revanth said this was the biggest-ever surrender of Maoist cadres along with their weapons in the country. “Their surrender follows the recent talks we had with top leaders of the CPI (M) including Devji, Malla Raji Reddy, Damodar and Narasimha Reddy, who surrendered to the police on February 22,” he said.
He added that 721 Maoists have surrendered in Telangana so far.
The chief minister said that the surrendered Maoist leaders told him they would convince the remaining top leaders of the CPI (M) including Muppala Laxman Rao alias Ganapathy, the party’s founding general secretary, if the government assured them of complete security for their lives and well-being after surrender.
“A couple of days ago, I had met Union home minister Amit Shah and discussed with him the proposals put forth by the surrendered Maoist leaders. Shah clearly told me that the Centre has no objection, if Ganapathy and others surrender along with their weapons and join the mainstream and are rehabilitated as per the norms,” the chief minister added.
“I am calling upon Ganapathi, who is underground, along with the other Central Committee members, to surrender. Join the mainstream of public life and become partners in the reconstruction of Telangana,” he said.
“The total eligible reward amount of ₹4.18 crore will be disbursed to all the 130 surrendered cadres as part of state & centre’s relief and rehabilitation policy. An interim relief of ₹25,000 each has now been handed over to all of them,” state director general of police B Shivadhar Reddy said, adding that only seven active underground cadres from Telangana remained in various formations across the country. “Of them, only one area committee member is currently active in the Telangana state committee, while the remaining cadre are operating in other states. Out of three central committee members still underground, two are from Telangana, including Ganapathy,” he said.
The chief minister also said the surrendered Maoist leaders also proposed enhancement of the bounties announced earlier on their heads and provision of sites for housing and health cards to avail of better treatment in super speciality hospitals, as well as allotment of agricultural land in their villages.
He added that the government would constitute a committee to decide on the enhancement of compensation given to the surrendered cadres, as per their position.
Revanth Reddy added that the government would consider withdrawing cases against surrendered Maoists where legally permissible. He also said former Maoists would be welcome to enter politics if they choose to do so, noting that some former extremists have already transitioned into public life. “Leaders like Seethakka have even risen to become ministers in the state. Those interested in joining the Congress party can approach the Pradesh Congress Committee and express their interest,” he said.
