It's people's war, says revolutionary balladeer

Maoist sympathiser and revolutionary balladeer Gaddar on Tuesday termed as "people's war" the Maoist attack on paramilitary forces in Chhattisgarh which claimed 75 lives.

Maoist sympathiser and revolutionary balladeer Gaddar on Tuesday termed as "people's war" the Maoist attack on paramilitary forces in Chhattisgarh which claimed 75 lives.

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Gaddar said Maoists would not have been able to carry out such a large-scale attack without people's support.

Talking to reporters he said reports that 1,000 Maoists surrounded Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) men and attacked them were surprising. "As far as I know not more than 20 to 30 trained Maoists take part in any operation. When 1,000 persons are participating they are people not just Maoists," Gaddar told reporters.

The balladeer warned that if people living in forests revolt situation would turn worse and blamed Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram's high-handed policy for such attacks.

He demanded that the government immediately stop operation Green Hunt and cancel all the mining contracts given to multinational companies.

Gaddar also appealed to Maoists to release the CRPF men in their captivity without harming them. He said the Maoists should treat the men as prisoners of war and release them.