Maoists have started taking possession of farmland belonging to CPI(M) leaders in West Midnapore, a strategy reminiscent of China’s agrarian revolution, which paved the way for the Communist takeover in 1949.
And in this exercise their target is the land of Left leaders who have fled their villages out of fear of the rebels.
Leaders of the Maoist-backed People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) have grabbed at least 200 bighas
(1 bigha = 14,400 square feet).
The rebels have also started “cooperative farming” in these plots, another legacy of pre-revolution China.
“There might have been some cases of land grab in and around Lalgarh, but I have no knowledge of other areas,” said Manoj Verma, SP, West Midnapore. The police, however, had not received any formal complaint yet, Verma added.
“This is just another example of lawlessness the Maoists are trying to create. First, they threatened our supporters to leave their own villages and are now trying to grab their properties,” said CPI(M) West Midnapore District Secretariat Member Bijoy Pal.
Alangana Mahato (70), mother of CPI(M) leader Nirmal Mahato, approached the Bera village committee of the PCAPA on the 30-bigha plot that her family owned. The family also owns two tanks, each on about 10 bighas.
{{/usCountry}}Alangana Mahato (70), mother of CPI(M) leader Nirmal Mahato, approached the Bera village committee of the PCAPA on the 30-bigha plot that her family owned. The family also owns two tanks, each on about 10 bighas.
{{/usCountry}}The PCAPA has ruled the land will come under cooperative farming and the produce of only 5 bighas will go to Alangana and her daughter Menoka. The produce of the rest of the land will go to other villagers.
Nirmal Mahato fled to Jhargram with his wife and son about eight months ago, following Maoist threats. “My son has not fled. He is residing elsewhere for his son’s education,” Alangana Mahato said.
In the last week of April, Maoist circulated a pamphlet in West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia, warning CPI(M) leaders of their “last opportunity” to either return home or lose land.