State govt extends ban on CPI (M),six affiliates

The Andhra Pradesh government today extended by one year the ban on the CPI (Maoist) and six of its affiliates while declaring the Revolutionary Democratic Front as an unlawful association.

The government has reviewed the matter and is of the opinion that the Communist Party of India (Maoist) is continuing to indulge in unlawful activities. Its unlawful activities, if not stopped, will constitute a serious danger and menace to public order, peace and tranquillity, state Chief Secretary Minnie Mathew said in a Government Order issued this afternoon. The ban on CPI (Maoist) has been extended as per the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Public Security Act, 1992 and would come into effect from August 17, the order said.

CPI (Maoist) offshoots Radical Youth League, Rythu Coolie Sangham, Radical Students Union, Singareni Karmika Samakhya, Viplava Karmika Samakhya and All India Revolutionary Students Federation have also been declared as unlawful for one year from August 17. The Andhra Pradesh government had banned the CPI (Maoist) for first time in 2005 and has been extending the ban every year. DGP V Dinesh Reddy had written to the government seeking ban on Revolutionary Democratic Front, a front organisation of CPI (Maoist), as well. The RDF came into being after the merger of All India People's Resistance Forum and Struggling Forum for People's Resistance. According to the Chief Secretary's order, RDF, which is part of the Tactical United Front, has been indulging in numerous unlawful activities against the state. Some of the unlawful activities include opposing and demanding stoppage of anti-extremist combing operations in the Left wing extremism-affected areas, inciting people to take violence against the democratically elected government and urging people to fight against police and join the Maoist movement.

-PTI