Santosh Rana

Statement on the Murder of Babu Bose in Jangalmahal

First published: 26 September 2011.
Published on MIA: 10 December 2023.
Source: Santosh Rana, "Statement on the Murder of Babu Bose in Jangalmahal", Revolutionary Democracy (Vol. XVII, No. 2; September, 2011). Online at: http://www.revolutionarydemocracy.org/rdv17n2/babu.htm

Sri Babu Bose, the leader of Jharkhand Janamukti Morcha and Jharkhand Andolan Samanway Mancha was murdered by the Maoists on 25-9-2011. The PCC CPI (ML) severely condemns this gruesome murder. Thoughout his political life, Sri Babu Bose fought for the autonomy of the Jharkhand cultural region and for the rights of Adivasis on land, forest and water. He was active in the formation of Jharkhand Andolan Samanway Mancha which was a united platform of CPI (ML) and four Jharkhandi parties. During the Left Front rule in West Bengal, the state government had lodged him in jail for years on the basis of trumped up charges. After the Trinamul Congress government came to power, the Samanway Mancha had submitted a memorandum to the state government demanding autonomy for Jangalmahal.

In the Jangalmahal, the Maoists have killed more than 300 activists and sympathizers of CPI (M), the Jharkhand Party, Trinamul Congress and Congress over the last three years. The overwhelming majority of them are poor Dalits and Adivasis. In the Jangalmahal, the Maoists have no programme of mobilising the masses on the issues of wages, jobs, land, water and forest. They simply want to establish their hegemony in the area by physically liquidating the activists of all other political parties. We, on behalf of CPI (ML) have, on many occasions talked to them and tried to persuade them to rectify this disastrous line. But they have not seen reason.

We, the PCC CPI (ML) oppose their line of liquidating activists of all other political parties. We call upon the people to unite to defend the fundamental right of supporting or opposing any political party. The Indian people have achieved this fundamental right through many struggles. The agenda before the people is to expand this right, not to throw it away. The CPI (ML) believes that the people of Jangalmahal will defeat the Maoist strategy of bringing this area under their dictate.

Santosh Rana,
Provisional Committee, CPI (ML),
26th September 2011.