Bengaluru, Jan 7 Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated on Monday in Bengaluru that he is hopeful of a change of hearts among the Maoists who are likely to surrender following his appeal.
Responding to a question about whether the government is ready to accept the surrender of the Naxals, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, "I have called upon the Naxals to surrender, and there is a possibility of their surrender through a change of heart.”
“The process of bringing them into the mainstream of society is underway," Siddaramaiah stated.
Most wanted Maoists operating in the deep jungles of Western Ghats, the hilly and coastal region of Karnataka have decided to lay down their arms and join the mainstream following the appeal by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka Congress government.
According to sources, the Maoists have taken the decision following the encounter with Vikram Gowda and the continuous combing operations in the Western Ghat region by the Anti-Naxal Force (ANF) and the Karnataka Police.
Sources said that top leaders like Mundagaru Latha who heads the Tunga Naxal Wing in the state; Sundari, Vanajakshi, and Jeesha, the most wanted Maoists of south India; K. Vasantha from Andhra Pradesh and Mareppa Aroli, have decided to surrender and lay down their arms.
Maoist leader Sundari’s brother Anand, who was also a Naxal and returned to the mainstream, stated, “They will welcome her home if she decides to lay down arms. Let her and associates stop the struggle and live like common people. It’s 17 years since she had gone away from home. We will be happy if she comes back to us.”
“Sundari, surrender before the government and come back home,” he appealed in Kutlur of Mangaluru district.
The surrender procedure will happen in two to three days, sources confirmed.
The sources also revealed that the Maoists had written a letter in this regard to the Citizen’s Forum, a progressive organisation and the members of the forum have discussed the matter already with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
The CM welcomed the proposal and gave the green signal for authorities to start the surrender procedures.
The Maoists have demanded that the surrender process should take place in a dignified manner and that their self-respect should not be harmed. They have also demanded that they should not be prevented from exercising their rights under a democratic system.
The Maoists have also demanded that they should not be made to languish in prisons. The 'false' cases against them should be closed and cooperation has to be extended for them after surrender to obtain bail. It has also been demanded that all cases must be brought under one court and trial has to be expedited.
They have also demanded financial support from the government to shape their lives. The package has to be applied to other surrendered Maoists who are presently in prison. They have also sought clarification on whether Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala states will take one stand on the matter.
The Maoists have also demanded a judicial investigation of the Vikram Gowda encounter.
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