Questioning the suggestion that railway minister Mamata Banerjee mediate between government and Maoists, the CPI(M) on Friday wondered how she could do that when she openly siding with the ultra-Left brigade.
Party politburo member Sitaram Yechury said how can the government have a minister who is allegedly collaborating with Maoists to be in the Cabinet headed by a Prime Minister who had at least on three occasions told the nation Naxals were the “gravest” threat to internal security.
Addressing a DYFI convention on Maoist violence, he said, “Mamata is in collaboration with the Maoists. How can she mediate when she is on their side? The question of Mamata mediating does not arise as they are together. The ruling class bankruptcy should also be exposed as they are supporting a person who is in league With Maoists. Maoists always supported the ruling class against the organised Left.”
Mr Yechury also took on Ms Banerjee for her remarks that she can talk to Maoists saying that the CPI(M) leader himself had spoken to Maoists in Nepal a few years back.
“The issue is different. I spoke to them after they came to the mainstream... After shunning violence and participated in the democratic process. We will talk to Indian Maoists when they stop violence,” he said.
He also accused the Maoists of targeting the same section of economically deprived sections for whom they claim to fight for.
Suggesting a three-pronged strategy to tackle the Maoist problem, he said, “It should be treated as a law and order issue as well at political front. The government should also address the problem of exploitation of the most exploited sections of the society — like the tribals.”
“If you see, Maoists are in areas which have abundant mineral resources,” he said.
—PTI