Surrender by Naxal shows crisis in cadres, feels MHA

The Union home ministry is viewing the surrender of top Maoist G.V.K. Prasad as the beginning of a significant churning in the CPI(Maoist) ranks where many leaders and cadres have begun acknowledging the futility of their “armed struggle’’ against the government.
Top government officials said the naxal movement which initially tried to build support on “ideological’’ issues, knitting together its cadres across states on issues of empowerment and rights of the poor and tribals, has fallen apart and turned into an outfit perpetrating only mindless violence and brutal killings.
MHA officials pointed towards a recent “shift’’ in the way the Maoist surrenders are taking place recently as reasons like “ill-health’’, factionalism , and “old age’’ are no longer the only reasons the Maoist leaders are choosing to join the mainstream.
“The outfit is facing the biggest crisis today. Vested interests of some leaders, brutal killings of civilians, criminal activities of its cadres is the only driving force of the CPI(Maoist). This has disenchanted the tribal youth and is also weaning away some of its top leadership,” a top government functionary said. The MHA believes that the space has been created for the government to step in.
Prasad’s case is being treated carefully by the government with officials pointing out the active Maoist top leader has chosen to quit because of the extreme violence perpetrated by the outfit.