Maoists oppose foundation day celebrations of Chhattisgarh

Narayanpur (Chhattisgarh), Nov. 1 (ANI): Maoists forced a daylong shutdown in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur District on Tuesday to oppose the foundation-day anniversary celebrations of the state.

Chhattisgarh was carved out of neighbouring state of Madhya Pradesh on November 1, 2000.

The outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) put up several pamphlets on the Narayanpur-Sonpur road and asked its cadres and people to stay away from the functions.

The insurgents have demanded withdrawal of troops and cessation of action against them in the rebel-infested Bastar region.

"Maoists have written 'we oppose the Chhattisgarh foundation day celebration.' They have also demanded withdrawal of the Army training establishment from Bastar (district) and an end to action against them," Dev Narayan Patel, a police officer told Asian News International (ANI).

Police have made elaborate arrangement to meet the challenge and cordoned off celebration venues with extra security.

"The venue of the programme has been cordoned off with the deployment of three layers of the security. Other than that teams for frisking and checking have been deployed at many places. We will be able to handle the situation due to elaborate security arrangement," added Patel.

The commuters were worst hit due to the strike as vehicles stayed off the roads.

"When I came I saw that vehicles are stationed. Vehicles are not plying that is why everybody is facing problem," said Raju Baghel, a passenger.

The tussle for power by the Maoists has led to a virtual breakdown of state-machinery in the villages of insurgency-hit regions, with many locals reeling under abject poverty and violence.

Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram has termed the Left-wing extremism to be 'a bigger challenge than terrorism'. (ANI)