Salwa Judum being used to kill innocent tribals: CPI

Welcoming the Supreme Court directive to disband Salwa Judum, the CPI Central Secretariat said the people of Chhattisgarh were "sandwiched between Maoist extremists on one side and the police and Salwa Judum on the other".

It said that under the garb of Salwa Judum, "innocent tribal people fighting against forceful acquisition of land for industries were arrested, tortured and killed".

Tribal youths with nominal training were also being "armed as Special Police Officers (SPOs)" and "mostly used against innocent tribal people. Civil and democratic rights were openly violated," the party said.

It said that a large number of CPI cadres and leaders, including elected representatives, have been arrested on "cooked-up charges and put in jails for the last few months".

The party demanded complete dismantling of Salwa Judum, disarming of the SPOs, restoration of civil liberties and release of all CPI and other innocent tribals from jails immediately.