Ex-naxalites step in to save waning Telangana movement

Even as enthusiasm among the T-protagonists is on the wane with leaders running out of ideas as well as funds, Telangana movement has assumed a 'red' touch with surrendered naxalites, Maoist sympathizers and ex-militants forming a network to sustain the movement in the rural hinterlands of north Telangana districts of Adilabad and Nizamabad. Donning the garb of netas and holding placards and shouting slogans,these surrendered naxals and Maoist party sympathizers are touring interior villages,motivating the people to fight unitedly to achieve their long-standing dream of a separate Telangana state.Speaking to TOI,former top naxal leader Bapu Reddy said the movement has reached a decisive stage."The rural populace believe it's now or never.Without the help of politicians,we are organising meetings and rallies in support of T-state and the people are solidly backing us,"he said.

A resident of Posanipet village in Sadasivnagar mandal,Bapu Reddy was an area commander of Karimnagar-Khammam-Warangal region in the People's War Group.He lost one of his hands while hurling a bomb at a police party in Kamareddy in 1985.The ex-naxal leader made it clear that they would continue the agitation. In fact,a majority of the surrendered naxals and former militants have found in the Telangana movement a perfect way to escape police harassment,sources said.Though there has been no significant activity of Maoists in Adilabad,Nizamabad and Karimnagar districts in the last five years,the presence of exmilitants and sympathizers is significant in the villages,a source noted."Though some of them have migrated to the Gulf in search of employment,others have joined the movement,"said T Krishna Rao who has been following the naxal activities in Adilabad.Analysts said the T-agitation has come in handy for the ex-naxals to win the confidence of the people."They are becoming leaders in their own right by exposing the double-standards of public representatives on the contentious issue,"an analyst said.

A senior Congress leader of Nizamabad district on condition of anonymity agreed that the influence of Maoist sympathisers and surrendered rebels on the people is tremendous."They have spread their network in 14 of 36 mandals in the district.Their revolutionary songs and literature cast an immediate spell on the rural folk,"the Congress leader said.Former naxal and now sarpanch of Kannapur village Venkataswamy said it won't be possible for the powers that be to suppress the movement since it has already gone into the hands of rural people."The surrendered naxals are given false hopes of rehabili-tation by the Andhra rulers.They believe with T-state their lives would be better off,"he told TOI. Swamy gave up arms in 1994 and joined the mainstream. Interestingly,Venkataswamy joined the extremist movement in 1983 after he failed to land a police constable job in 1982. He worked as weapons store incharge in the naxal outfit."People would take recourse to militant movement if the Union government fails to carve out Telangana this time around,"he warned. CPI(ML) New Democracy leader V Prabhakar,who worked as a naxal commander in the 90s, said the people are fed up with the leaders and want them to take the lead in the T-movement.
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(source-toi)