Union minister warns Telangana politicians shielding Maoists
Hyderabad: Union minister of home affairs Bandi Sanjay has sent a stern warning to Telangana politicians having links with Maoists that they will be exposed and brought to book if they continue to support the Maoists.
His comments came in the wake of Mallojula Venugopal alias Bhupathi alias Sonu Dada, a former politbureau member of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), who revealed to the police that some of the Maoist leaders, especially those in the Telangana State Committee (TSC), were having links with some politicians in the state.
“Telangana politicians – consider this a warning. Those allegedly supporting armed networks while preaching democracy on stage, cut your links or get exposed. Central agencies won’t stop at Maoist cadres,” Bandi Sanjay posted on his X handle on Sunday, October 19.
“Under the guidance of Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji and Hon’ble HM Shri @AmitShah ji, the Centre is tracing the nexus that shields corruption, criminality and extremist links – and will root them out without mercy or leniency. Whoever it may be, however big you think you are – step aside if you’re part of the problem. In matters of nation’s internal security, even the tallest leaders will fall if they stand on the wrong side,” he further warned.
Mallojula Venugopal’s revelations
He also posted reports which detailed the interrogation report of Mallojula Venugopal accessed by it, where he claimed that a section of “opportunistic naxals” were being shielded by a section of Telangana politicians, and were also enjoying an undeclared ceasefire and Telangana’s resources.
The interrogation report also quoted Venugopal, also known as Abhay, as stating that “the movement began with a vow to fight for Adivasis and the underprivileged, but it sank into mindless violence and self-serving agendas.”
He was also quoted as saying that the “People’s War has become unstable and irrelevant,” with the party losing its grip in the areas where it once held a strong grip.
He also reportedly told the interrogators that the TSC was against his surrendering, and wanted him to continue the armed struggle in the Abujhmad region, despite the party suffering heavy casualties in the sustained counter-insurgency operations there. Had he followed their line, he felt that another 500 Adivasis would have died in the struggle.
Surrendered Maoist claims Hidma hiding in Telangana
A report of the Times of India quoted another former naxal named Oyam Lakhmu who surrendered before the police on October 15, where he informed the police that top Maoist commander Madvi Hidma could be hiding in the hills along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border.
Lakhmu informed the police that Hidma escaped during the 21-day-long Karregutta operation in April, where 31 Maoists were neutralised by the security forces. He said that Hidma escaped Karregutta with his trusted aides through Gunjur crossing into Telangana, and was now moving with the TSC.
Lakhmu also claimed to be a close associate of Hidma.