India: 29 organizations in West Bengal organize to oppose Operation Green Hunt

Villagers murdered in cold blood by Special Police Officers during the Indian army-directed Salwa Judum (Purification Hunt), the direct precursor of Operation Green Hunt. Salwa Judum's "scorched earth" methods burned down more than 600 Chattisgarh villages that were accused of supporting the Maoists

Twenty nine organizations and many individuals in West Bengal have formed a citizens’ campaign against Operation Green Hunt. “Operation Green Hunt–Virodhi Nagarik Andolan” to  raise the popular voice against the war being waged by the Indian state against people and the rampant violation of democratic and human rights, in order to facilitate to taking over  of natural resources by corporate interests.

The Operation Green Hunt-Virodhi Nagarik Andolan plans to conduct a sustained campaign against all aspects of Operation Green Hunt and expose the larger economic designs behind it to the general public. As the first among the series of campaign actions, a daylong public cultural protest action, “The Voice of My Protest” is planned in the heart of Kolkata on 18th December, 2010, from 10 am onwards.

Cultural activists  from all over Bengal and beyond will participate in this programme to express their protests against state repression and the corporate looting of resources in the name of Operation Green Hunt.

 

Revolutionary songs, slogans mark Maoist leader Azad’s last rites

The funeral of Maoist leader Azad in Hyderabad on Sunday

7/4/2010
Hyderabad, July 4 (IANS) The last rites of top Maoist leader Cherukuri Rajkumar alias Azad were performed here Sunday amid revolutionary songs, slogans and red salutes by sympathisers, former extremists and civil liberties activists.
Azad’s brother Anil Kumar aided by revolutionary writer Varavara Rao and others lit the funeral pyre around 2 p.m. as the slogans of ‘Lal salam, lal salam’ (red salute) and ‘Comrade Azad amar rahe’ rent the air.
For over two hours, the mourners from various groups held a meeting at Panjagutta cremation ground, paying tributes to Azad and accusing the central and state governments of killing him in a stage-managed gunfight.

Speakers, including revolutionary writers, poets, singers, intellectuals and rights activists, described Azad as a ‘hero’ and vowed to continue the fight to fulfil his dreams.