In what has alarmed the security agencies, the central committee of the CPI(Maoist) has decided to extend their support the ethnic groups demanding separate states in Assam and Gorkhaland in West Bengal.
Informing that the CPI(Maoist) was also supporting Telengana in Andhra Pradesh, authoritative security sources in the ministry of home affairs told this newspaper that the central committee meeting of the red rebels, which was held recently, took note of the movements of various ethnic groups in Assam and West Bengal.
Pointing out that the central committee decided to extend their support to the movements of various ethnic groups for a separate state, security sources claimed that there was specific mention of Bodoland and Gorkhaland movements in the resolution of the central committee which they have decided to support.
Admitting that CPI(Maoist) rebels are on the run in entire eastern India due to mounting pressure of the security forces and it was not known as to how they intend to support these movements, security sources said that red rebels see the movements of ethnic groups in Assam as an opportunity to spread their presence by fishing in troubled waters.
Security sources also pointed out that activities of the CPI(Maoist) has received major setbacks in the past one year in Assam, but admitted that there are at least 30 trained Maoist cadres who have been dormant for quite some time.
Claiming that top Maoist leader Prashant Bose was looking after the activities of the CPI(Maoist) in Assam and other north-eastern states, security sources said that threat from Maoist rebels cannot be overlooked even after the success of security forces in arresting their key operatives.
About the downfall in the activities of the CPI(Maoist) in the north-eastern states, security sources said that the top leadership of the outfit was engaged in consolidating its position in Bihar and Jharkhand but keeping a close watch on developments in tea garden areas and other local issues. Security sources also pointed out that the CPI(Maoist) was not very comfortable in dealing with Assam’s tea tribe community, which has a “mixed ethnicity”.