The surrender of two Central Committee members of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) – Thipri Tirupati alias Devji and Malla Raje Reddy alias Sangram before the Telangana Police is a devastating blow to the banned party, state Director General of Police P Shivadhar Reddy said on Tuesday.
Along with Devji and Sangram, the party’s Telangana State Committee secretary Padi Chuka Rao alias Damodar and member N Narasimha Reddy alias Gangana also surrendered before the Telangana police. “With this, Telangana is more or less freed from the Maoist insurgency,” the PDP told reporters.
The PDP said that at present there are only three central committee members left in the entire Maoist party across the country, two of whom are from Telangana – Moppala Lakshman Rao alias Ganapathi and Basunuri Narahari alias Santosh.
“Nine other Maoist leaders, who are indigenous people of Telangana, are still working underground, including three state committee members, two ward committee members and four district committee members working in different parts of the country. Some of them are in touch with the Telangana police saying they are ready to surrender,” Reddy said, appealing to all remaining underground cadres to renounce extremism and join the mainstream.
Pointing out that the Maoist movement, which originated in the Telangana region decades ago, has now reached its “final stage” in the state, the PDP said the recent surrenders have effectively dismantled the party’s highest organizational structure in Telangana.
In the past two years, a total of 591 Maoists have returned to their normal lives. This includes four Central Committee Members (CCMs), 16 Special Area/State Committee Members (SCMs), 26 Divisional Committee Members and Secretaries, 85 Area Committee Secretaries (ACS), and 60 party members.
“With these developments, the high-level organizational framework of the Maoist party and the Telangana State Committee has been completely neutralized,” he asserted.
The DGP also handed over a total cash reward of Rs $90,000 was announced to the four leaders in the form of demand drafts.
Speaking to reporters briefly, Devji, who was also a member of the party’s politburo, said he decided to surrender to the police due to ill health and other circumstances, after a discussion within the party. “I have made a decision not to protect our lives or live a normal life. I will continue to stand with the people and fight for their rights within the framework of the constitution,” he said.
He refused to provide details about the prevailing conditions in Chhattisgarh and the status of the Maoist movement. He added: “I will reveal all the details in the appropriate forum.”
Raji Reddy, popularly known as Sangram, said he would work with the people and on behalf of the people to address public issues. He explained that the intention of the surrendered Maoist leaders was not to enter into the parliamentary system, but to work within the legal framework to organize struggles related to people’s problems.
He said: “We have decided to work legally to mobilize and coordinate movements related to public grievances. We will continue to stand behind people’s struggles whenever the opportunity arises.”
Replying to a question, Raje Reddy further asserted that Maoism will never end and will continue to develop and grow across the world.
