Maoists call for boycott of rural polls

Ranchi: The CPI (Maoist) has given a call to boycott the panchayat election since ‘the condition of rural people remain the same despite several elections’.
CPI (Maoist) southern zonal committee spokesman Ashok on Wednesday said the real beneficiaries of the elections would be the ‘mukhiyas’, the ‘pramukhs’, and the zila parishad members who would get salary and huge funds in the name of development.
He urged the villagers to ask the candidates about the shortage of basic facilities in rural areas. “People should ask them why the provisions of the panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Area) act has not been implemented? Why is there a scarcity of drinking water? Why there are no primary health centres? Why irrigation facilities are poor? Why is the number of schools and teachers inadequate? And, why are the state forces setting up camps in villages without the permission of gram sabhas?”
IG (Operations) Amol Homkar said, “We have learnt about the Maoists’ call. They have done so in the past too.”