Surrendered rebels of Chhattisgarh protest over govt's rehabilitation scheme

Naxalites who have surrendered a long time ago under Chhattisgarh government's lon varattu scheme, have claimed that they are yet to get the facilities. They protested at Motibag in Raipur on Sunday and also threatened to intensify their strike if the government will not take any action for them.

Raipur:Over 500 surrendered Naxalites of Chhattisgarh on Sunday staged a protest in state capital's Motibag area. They accused the government of not providing adequate facilities under the rehabilitation scheme after their surrender.

The surrendered Naxalites claimed that they left the rebel camp long ago but still waiting for government help.

"It was better that we do not surrender. So far we have neither received money from the government nor got any job after the surrender. We have been struck between the police and the Naxalites," one of the protesting Naxalites said.

Now we are getting warnings from the Naxalites. They are threatening to kill us because we left their camp and now here we are unable to make our ends meet. If the government will not consider our problems, we will hold a strike at New Raipur on February 15," he said.

To bring Naxalites into mainstream society, each State has its own rehabilitation and surrender policy. Rehabilitation of surrendered members of extremist groups is considered as an ‘acceptable and peaceful’ solution which helps promote peace and development in affected areas.

Chhattishgarh government has introduced various guidelines and policies for the surrender and rehabilitation of members of extremist groups. Though the said policy has been declared as “successful” in some places, it has failed to create a lasting effect on others.