The State Council of Porattom, a radical Left organisation, has urged the State government to stop its “move to eliminate Maoist activists for fighting for the rights of plantation workers” at Kambamala in Wayanad.
In a statement here on Thursday, Porattom State convenor Shanto Lal said the government should discuss political and economic issues raised by Maoists, instead of adopting military action to eliminate them.
The policies of successive governments at the Centre and the State made the life of farmers, plantation workers, and tribespeople miserable, said Mr. Lal. “Increasing unemployment, farmer suicides owing to revenue recovery measures by financial institutions, recurring mysterious deaths of tribal workers in the ginger farms of Karnataka, and rising prices of essential commodities were their results,” he alleged.
The Centre had launched ‘Operation Samadhan Prahar’ to eliminate Maoists. “The LDF government in Kerala also follows the Centre’s policies to wipe out Maoists,” he said.
Maoists in the State are only engaged in propagating their ideals and organising agitations for the working class. But the government was trying to eliminate them, he added.
Mr. Lal also demanded the withdrawal of Thunderbolt commandos from the Kambamala area.
