Surrendered Naxal leader Bhupathi urges comrades to quit violence, join mainstream

Surrendered Maoist leader Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Bhupathi has urged active cadres to abandon armed struggle and join the mainstream, calling the path of violence a “failure.” He and co-leader Rupesh have offered to help those willing to surrender

Gadchiroli: Top Naxalite Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Bhupathi, who surrendered to Gadchiroli police on October 14, urged his active comrades to lay down arms and join the mainstream to work among the masses.

His video appeal was part of a press release issued on Saturday by Gadchiroli police. In the video message, Bhupathi gave out his and his surrendered comrade Rupesh’s mobile phone numbers for ultras to contact if they were desirous of leaving the outlawed movement helmed by the Communist Party of India (Maoist).

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Bhupathi, who was a Polit Bureau and Central Committee member, secretary of Central Regional Bureau, and spokesperson of CPI (Maoist), said comrades involved in armed struggle for power and land must understand that their acts have made them move away from people, which itself showed the “failure of the path”. “Active Maoists must leave the way of violence, surrender, and join the mainstream and work among people,” he said.

He also accused the Central Committee of the proscribed outfit of taking a “hardened approach” due to its unwillingness to let go of armed struggle despite realising the change that is taking place all around.

He said those dubbing him and other surrendered Naxalites as “gaddar” (traitors) are spreading misinformation. Bhupathi said Rupesh, also a Central Committee member who laid down arms in Chhattisgarh last month, had explained in great detail about why ultras must surrender. “So I will not explain it (need to surrender) further,” Bhupathi added.

The situation has changed, and Maoists must leave the armed movement and work within the law, the surrendered leader asserted. “I would request all intellectuals in the country, janwadi premiyo (democracy lovers), and most importantly benefactors of tribals to understand our decision and support us. Those who want to lay down arms and want to work among the people can contact me and comrade Rupesh on the phone,” he said in the video message.

Bhupathi, a founding member of the banned People’s War Group who helped spread the Maoist movement across the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border by supervising platoon operations, formally surrendered with 60 cadres. They handed over 54 weapons, including seven AK-47S and nine INSAS rifles. Rupesh alias Satish laid down arms along with more than 200 cadres in Chhattisgarh’s Jagdalpur on October 17, making it the largest mass surrender in that state’s history.