Naxals trying to enter trade unions in Vizag

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, Sep 14: Maoists, hitherto operating in the thick forest tracts of the district and beyond are in recent times focusing on the industrial areas of the city.Following deep forays into the jungle by Greyhounds over the past year, most Maoist armed squads have been beaten back and forced to move out of the Agency mandals. They have crossed over to the contiguous forests of the Eastern Ghats, principally Malkangiri and Koraput districts of Orissa. A fresh initiative by the ultras is to extend their influence in the plain areas of the district. The industrial area in the city is seen as promising by the Maoists. This is substantiated by several documents discussed at a political reorganisation review meeting of the Andhra Orissa Border Special Zone Committee. These documents were seized by police combing parties. The divisional committees of East Godavari, Visakhapatnam,Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and several border districts of Orissa come within the purview of the AOBSZC. Sources point out that Maoists are keen on playing up issues emanating from industrial unrest. Their intention is to work among both the organised and unorganised working class. This is something the Maoists have not done in a concerted manner unlike several other Marxist Leninist political formations which have trade union fronts and actively take up issues related to the working classOn the other hand, the Maoists have, ever since they entered the Vizag Agency in the early 1980s, concentrated their activity almost exclusively in the 11 forest mandals of the district. Though important Maoist cadre have used and continue to use the industrial suburbs as a shelter zone, they have not sought to intervene in the city either directly or through their semi-clandestine front organisations. This appears to be changing.The recent crisis at Gangavaram private port leading to police firing and repeated clashes between the administration and agitating fisher-folk is a case in point and came in handy for the Maoists waiting for a good opportunity. The Maoist East Division Committee secretary Jagadeesh has put out statements expressing solidarity with the fisherfolk. He also warned the port management and government functionaries of dire consequences if injustice was done to fisherfolk agitating for a comprehensive and just relief and rehabilitation package. There are more than 10 to 12 PSU’s and many private industries in the city with over a lakh working force depending on them either directly or indirectly.It is learnt that the special police also have with them several representations given by trade union leaders from the area to the Maoists during the peace talks last year. The cops are also in the possession of the diary of top Maoist leader Sudhakar who participated in the talks. He was then AOBSZC secretary and was almost nabbed by the police a few months ago near Makkuva of Vizianagaram district.“There have been some agitations by the industrial working class in the recent past that has had the backing of the Maoists. The managements of some industries conceded workers’ demands because of this ‘link’ with the ultras,” says a trade union leader requesting anonymity. It may be recalled that V R Gopal alias Gopi alias Azad, a courier to several top Maoist leaders surrendered before the Vizianagaram police recently. According to information, Azad was nabbed by the police who kept them in their custody and got him to ‘surrender’ about a week later. The police later picked up his father Lakshman Rao and sister Jhansi from the city on the charge of being Maoist cadre. Speaking to this correspondent, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bhavana Saxena said the department has special surveillance teams keeping a watch on the naxal moments in the city and added that they have intensified the watch these days especially on suburbs. "We will definitely look into the industrial 'link'" said the DCP. .