Indian left leaders hail SPA-Maoist peace roadmap

Indian left leaders hail SPA-Maoist peace roadmap

BY SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

NEW DELHI, June 18 - Hailing the eight-point understanding between Communist Party of Nepal - Maoist and the Seven Party Alliance government in Nepal as historic, left and socialist party leaders in India have called on the Maoist or Naxalite groups in India to emulate their Nepalese comrades.

In separate interviews to the India media they have urged the Naxalite groups across India to "reconsider their political tactical line in the wake of the Maoists in Nepal joining the mainstream". Their argument is this: "the concept of power through bullet has been repudiated even in Nepal".

Leaders of Communist Party of India - Marxist, Communist Party of India and Forward Bloc have said that "the historic accord between the Maoists and the SPA" in Nepal would have a direct impact on Maoist movement in South Asia, including the ''revolutionary corridor"' from Kashmir to Vishakapatanam.

Referring to last Friday's development in the Himalayan neighbour, CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan has said, ''This is a historic accord between the Maoists and the seven-party alliance, which will have far-reaching repercussions not only in our sub-continent but also over the Marxist extremist thinking all over the world.''

'The accord in Nepal will have ideological repercussions on the extremist elements everywhere,'' Bardhan told a news agency here.

In another interview, CPI National Secretary Shamim Faizi refuted the basic concept of Maoism that 'the power comes through the barrel of a gun'. And said "if the ballot has to decide the future of a country's set-up, which the Nepal Maoists have agreed to, the Maoists elements in India will have to redraft their political and strategic tactics."

Its origin traced as early as 1965 after the Naxalbari movement in West Bengal, today Maoist revolt a la Nepal has seriously gripped India , with nearly 200 districts in 13 Indian states affected and new India affects being affected. ''Now, they have to rethink on their political tactical line,'' Faizi said. Soon, the left leaders have said that the Indian government -- both at the center and the Maoist affected states -- would have to rethink about their strategy like raising vigilante groups such as the 'Salwa Judum' (Self-Defence Groups). Such moves have pitted local villagers against the rebels, often with tragic consequences.