Rift in CPI (Maoist) comes to the fore

BHUBANESWAR: The rift in the Maoist organisation has come to the fore with the Bashdhara Divisional Committee (BDC) claiming responsibility for the killing of Dev Gajaranga, husband of Hanumantpur sarpanch, in Rayagada district on May 22.  In an audio tape, Nikhil, claiming to be secretary of the BDC, said the statement, issued by Odisha State Organising Committee (OSOC) secretary Sabyasachi, to the media claiming their party has nothing to do with the murder is incorrect. Either he has no knowledge of it or he has deliberately tried to spread disinformation and confusion on the matter, Nikhil added.  ‘’Over the last few days OSOC secretary Sunil (Sabyasachi Panda) has been issuing these kind of confusing statements. We have reasons to be deeply suspicious of the motives behind issuing such statements,’’ he said.  Nikhil said Sabyasachi knows too well that the man was killed as per party’s decision because he had been informed about it long ago. The victim was also warned earlier four times by a Jan Adalat for trying to sabotage Maoist party activities. ‘’The police encounter in January, in which we lost a cadre Bisu inside the Kesura forest, was based on inputs provided by Dev,’’ Nikhil said.   Nikhil also said the statement, issued by the OSOC secretary, even after having full knowledge of the situation cannot be anything but a personal view.  ‘’We want to make it clear before the people of the State that the man was sentenced to death by the Bashdhara Divisional Committee of our party,’’ he added.  He (Sabyasachi) has said that a group, which is hand-in-glove with police, may behind the killing. ‘’This is surprising because we had left behind pamphlets and notes, owing up for the murder, at the spot itself,’’ he added.     “We still do not know what kind of message Sabyasachi Panda wants to send across by issuing such a statement. We have now reasons to doubt his commitment because he appears to have distanced himself from the people’s struggle against the State. If he is not taking on the State even though he has armed cadres with him what the hell is he up to,” Nikhil asked.