Maoists caution youths not to apply for government jobs

13 September 2011

biswabrata goswami
MIDNAPORE, 13 SEPT: The state government may have initiated the recruitment process of “national volunteer force” for around 10,000 posts from youths living in three districts of Junglemahal, but Maoists have started threatening the youths asking them not to apply for the jobs.
Several Maoist posters have been found at different places in Salboni, Lalgarh, Belpahari, Nayagram and Gopiballavpur in West Midnapore in which the rebels have threatened the youths, asking them not to join the police recruitment process.
“Je Ba Jara Police-e Jog Debe, Tader Mrityu Danda Deoa Habe (Those who will join the police force will be given death punishment)”, a Maoist poster written in red ink found at various places in Junglemahal read.  Apart from putting up posters, Maoists have also threatened many youths and asked them not to join the police. “I am eligible to be recruited as a national volunteer force or junior constable, but some leaders (Maoists) have asked me not to file an application,” said Manoj Mandi (name changed on request) in Salboni.
A senior police officer, who often conducts raids in Junglemahal, said, “We have seized such posters from Salboni and Lalgarh. But we are trying to instill confidence among the youth so that they feel free to file applications for recruitment”. Since these are regular posts there will be no lowering of standards, unlike the recruitment of junior police constables. As chief minister Miss Mamata Banerjee has already promised several employment opportunities for the backward regions in Junglemahal and Darjeeling, the huge backlog of ST reservation has come in handy to the state government. But several organisations and Maoist sympathisers have already criticised Miss Banerjee’s initiative and said the state government is following the same model of Salwa Judum that existed in Chhattisgarh.
Dr Binayak Sen, a human rights activist, also criticised the move recently and said, “We feel the problem of Red insurgency in West Bengal cannot be solved by the law and order approach. It can only be addressed through sustained socio-economic reform. And for that the government has to follow an approach based on equity, justice and peace.”
To protest against the government’s policies with regard to the development issues in Junglemahal, the Democratic Forum against Terror, Corruption and Imperialistic Aggression had recently organised a rally at the venue where Miss Banerjee had addressed a gathering last year. Chhatradhar Mahato, the jailed PCPA leader, had contested the Assembly poll under its banner.
While criticising Miss Banerjee for skipping “major issues” and talked of their “apprehension” about her decision to recruit 10,000 special police constables, Mr Nabarun Bhattacherjee, secretary of the Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR), said: “She is failing to keep her promises made before the Assembly poll. The Central forces have not been withdrawn till today while she had promised the withdrawal of security forces from Junglemahal. No political prisoner has also been released as yet.”