The banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) has announced a nationwide bandh scheduled for October 24. This action is a protest against the government’s alleged ongoing campaign against Maoist leaders and members, which the party claims is being conducted to benefit corporate forces.
According to a statement released by the CPI (Maoist) central committee spokesperson Abhay, security forces have been engaged in a prolonged counter-insurgency operation for over five and a half months across various regions including Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha. Abhay further alleged that several senior Maoist leaders were killed in staged encounters during September.
The party has accused security forces of unlawful arrests, torture, and extrajudicial killings of its members. Abhay criticized the BJP-led government, accusing it of transforming India into a ‘corporate Hindu state’ by dismantling democratic institutions, persecuting minorities, and suppressing dissent. He also claimed that intellectuals and dissenters critical of the government are being labeled ‘urban Naxalites’ as part of a ‘fascist conspiracy’ to eliminate opposition.
The CPI (Maoist) has appealed to various political parties, social organizations, and the general public to support the protest week leading up to the bandh, urging them to make the October 24 shutdown a success. They have also called for organizing meetings, rallies, and cultural events to highlight and resist the government’s actions.
In a separate statement, the CPI (Maoist) also denounced former leaders who had surrendered as ‘traitors to the revolution,’ calling for their punishment according to revolutionary justice.