Mamatas thin Lalgarh line: Today,forces,Maoists on the same side

To the jawans who have been battling the Maoists under immense pressure and duress,the irony couldnt hurt more. Tomorrow our role will be that of protectors for Maoists and PCAPA (Peoples Committee Against Police Atrocities) members,who will have to come to the rally ground through areas where Marxists have regained control, says a CRPF jawan on way to Lalgarh for deployment.

Nine companies of central security forces and a huge deployment of state armed police and other special forces will be standing guard for Mamatas rally,with the state taking no chances to avert a clash between the tens of Maoists and PCAPA members expected to turn up for the rally,and CPM cadres rearing to take them on.

Mamata gave the forces some anxious moments,with reported plans to parade families of the victims of Lalgarh violence and relatives of those killed in encounters with security forces. However,the Union Railway Minister finally dropped that plan following serious objections from the administration. The families may now only be accommodated close to the podium for an audience with Mamata.

The Trinamool has also cancelled the plan to have three podiums. Instead,there will be one stage where 22 members of several organisations,including senior party leaders,will be present. We have cancelled the plan of three stages due to some security reasons… And we have decided not to allow any of the PCAPA leaders on the stage,though everybody is allowed to join the meeting. On the stage,apart from Mamata Banerjee,Mahasweta Devi,Mukul Roy,Subhendu Adhikari,Swami Agnivesh and Bratya Basu with many others will be present, said Mrigen Maity,Trinamool district chief.

What will keep the forces on their toes is the seething tension between Trinamool supporters and Marxist cadres. According to Trinamool sources,the main aim of holding the meeting in Lalgarh was to help dismantle camps of CPM cadres reportedly holding sophisticated weapons. Party leaders at the ground level in Lalgarh,Salboni and Pirakata areas have been asked by the senior leadership to mobilise people and move through areas like Dherua,Enayatpur and Kashijhora where the CPM have their camps.

Kumud Mahato,a member of the PCAPA of Dharampur,says: We were asked by our leaders to march towards Lalgarh via Enayatpur. At least two members from every family have to join the meeting.

The rally is being held under the aegies of the Santras Virodhi Manch,which combines disparate activists from Medha Patekar to Swami Agnivesh,from a section of Kolkata intellectuals to retired IPS officers and government bureaucrats. Swami Agnivesh is likely to lead a convoy of about 20 cars from Kolkata to the venue.

Many of the Maoist and PCAPA members who will attend,the security personnel anticipate,would be among their list of wanted,named in crimes such as murder,looting,arson,and even attack on security forces.

Refusing to say more,Pankaj Kumar Singh,IG,CRPF,says: Lets see. If we get to spot any wanted Maoist,we will certainly arrest him.

However,at ground zero,senior police officials scoff at the idea,pointing out that the security forces do not have the wherewithal to either identify or track the 130-odd general body members or 30-plus core committee members of the PCAPA,many of whom double up as Maoist squad members and are wanted in specific cases.