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Source: The Hindu (http://www.hinduonnet.com/2009/09/29/stories/2009092952100300.htm)
Other States
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Orissa
  

Narayanpatna turning red with each passing day?


Ch. Santakar

Posters put by naxals continue to be intact as police are not removing them immediately
KORAPUT: Narayanpatna in the district is a different place now for alleged inaction by both revenue and police officials. Each place in the block appears to be in the process of turning red with each passing day. Till recently occurrence of a red banner anywhere in the block created sensation among people and was removed by the police at the shortest available time, but now things have changed. The red-coloured banners that were placed last Saturday in different parts of the block urging people to join the naxal movement were seen even after a week. Handwritten posters were put up by naxalites on roadside trees with similar messages. A vehicle carrying special police force was blasted by naxals near Paluru between Laxmipur and Narayanpatna a few months ago. The severely burnt vehicle has been lying on the roadside at the same spot all these months. Hundreds of trees were cut by the naxals to block roads in Narayanpatna and Bandhugaon blocks. While the roads were cleared from!
time to time, the logs are still lying on either side of the roads.
The number of people approaching the local police station has come down, attendance of teachers and students in schools is at its minimum and work for the officials in these blocks has got minimised over the last many months.
Further, the movement for land rights by Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangh (CMAS), Narayanpatna, has created fresh impetus to the red movement. Members of the sangh who are called ‘Ghenua Vahini’ could be seen even on the roads, more so in groups dressed in red with pieces of red cloth tied on their forehead and carrying bow and arrow while checking the vehicles that were approaching the block every now and then . While the sangh had no links or any form of connection with the naxals, the red colour was chosen and the members were holding bow and arrow as a mark of their tribal identity, Nachika Linga, president, CMAS, Narayanpatna, said. Deep inside the block, which was guarded heavily by the members creating protection for their leaders, the sewing machines are seen working day and night in the little huts to stitch dresses for their members from the bundles of red cloth.


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