In a historic mass surrender, 130 members of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), including a large number of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) commandos, surrendered along with their weapons in front of Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy in Hyderabad on Saturday.
The cadres handed over more than 124 firearms, including AK-47 rifles and more than 5,200 live ammunition of various calibres, the highest recent number in the country in terms of the quality and number of weapons handed over by the revolutionary People’s Liberation Army.
The Telangana Police said that of the 130 ultras who surrendered, 125 of them belonged to Chhattisgarh, four from Telangana and a senior leader from Andhra Pradesh – Chalasani Navata alias Chandra, who was working as a member of the special Dandakaranya district committee and secretary of the party’s Andhra committee.
Some of them formed the personal protection team of recently surrendered Central Committee members Thipri Tirupati alias Devji and Malla Raje Reddy. “With their surrender, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army has completely lost its presence,” the police added.
Speaking to reporters later, Revanth said this was the biggest ever surrender of Maoist cadres with their weapons in the country. “Their surrender comes after the recent talks we had with senior CPI(M) leaders including Devji, Mala Raje Reddy, Damodar and Narasimha Reddy, who surrendered to the police on February 22,” he said.
He added that 721 Maoists have surrendered in Telangana so far.
The Prime Minister said that the surrendered Maoist leaders told him that they would convince senior leaders of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) including Muppala Laxman Rao alias Ganapathi, the party’s founding general secretary, if the government assured them of complete security for their lives and well-being after the surrender.
“Two days ago, I met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and discussed with him the proposals made by the surrendered Maoist leaders. Shah clearly told me that the Center has no objection, if Ganapathi and others surrender with their weapons and join the mainstream and are rehabilitated as per norms,” the Prime Minister added.
“I call on Ganapathy, who is working underground, along with other Central Committee members, to surrender. Join the mainstream of public life and be partners in the reconstruction of Telangana,” he said.
Total qualifying bonus amount is: $Rs 4.18 lakh crore will be disbursed to all 130 surrendered cadres as part of the state and Centre’s relief and rehabilitation policy. Temporary relief from $“25,000 each have been handed over to all of them,” said state Director General of Police Shivadhar Reddy, adding that only seven active underground cadres from Telangana remained in various formations across the country. “Among them, only one district committee member is currently active in the Telangana State Committee, while the remaining cadres are working in other states. Of the three Central Committee members who are still underground, two are from Telangana, including Ganapathy.”
The Prime Minister also said that the surrendered Maoist leaders also proposed enhancing the previously announced bounties on their heads and providing housing sites, health cards to avail better treatment in super specialty hospitals, as well as allotment of farmland in their villages.
He added that the government will form a committee to decide on increasing compensation for the surrendered cadres, according to their position.
Revanth Reddy added that the government will consider withdrawing cases against surrendered Maoists when legally permissible. He also said that former Maoists would be welcome to enter politics if they so choose, noting that some former extremists have already moved into public life. “Leaders like Sithaka have risen to become state ministers. Those interested in joining the Congress party can approach the Pradesh Congress Committee and express their interest,” he said.
