‘Urban Naxals’ active in 18 states, Intel tells MHA

Mukesh Ranjan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 7

Notwithstanding Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s repeated claims that Naxal violence has come down substantially in the country, security agencies have flagged that the influence of urban activities of over-ground Left-Wing Extremist (LWE) elements have been noticed in at least 18 states, including non-affected Punjab and Gujarat, who, it is learnt, have asked for additional grant under security-related expenditure from the Centre.

Sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said, security agencies in a note informed that influence of urban activities of CPI (Maoists) were seen and observed in at least 18 states.

Meanwhile, the MHA sources also confirmed that the Ministry has of late received inputs from Punjab and Gujarat police in which they said overground activities of CPI (Maoist) have been vogue for the past 4-5 years in the two states. “The ministry is also in the receipt demand from the two states that they should also be extended grants on the lines of security-related expenditure given to the Naxal violence-affected states,” a senior official in the know of development said.

Sources in the MHA said, the two states have been asked for regular sharing of intelligence with Multi-Agency Centre (MAC), an intelligence-sharing “fusion Centre”, regarding visits of activists with Maoist leanings and their activities in urban areas. They also contended that the two states have referred to a document, “allegedly prepared by suspected Maoist ideologue Kobad Ghandy”, which dwelt on the prospect of Naxalism in Punjab.

In their notes, sources said, the police in the two states informed that the top decision-making body of the Maoists controls the urban activities through various regional bureaux and sub-committees, including those involved in mass organisations.

As it is learnt from sources, in the note it is also said the prominent areas identified as part of the plan include the Surat-Pune industrial corridor, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Coimbatore. “The mass organisations represent the link between the rural and urban areas. The main objective is the mobilisation of the masses, including the working class and the youth and formation of Tactical United Front by involving other like-minded organisations, by exploiting common issues,” it added.