West Bengal tribals protest against presence of CPI-M's 'Harmad' cadres

West Midnapore, Jan 13 (ANI): Scores of tribal students and locals of Manihada village staged a protest here on Thursday against the presence of 'Harmad' or armed cadres of the state's ruling Communist Party of India -Marxist (CPI-M).

According to local reports, the 'Harmad' gangs have been raiding villages, burning and looting houses, and killing people.

The tribals also protested the January 7 killings in Lalgarh's Netai village, where some suspected armed CPI-M cadres killed seven people and injured over 20 others.

The students said the 'Harmad' cadres threatened them to refrain from appearing for their exams.

"Harmad gang members always threatened us that they will kill us if we go and appear for examinations in the schools. They also ordered us not to attend schools and snatched lunch boxes and money from us. They abuse us and our headmaster has become their agent. We students condemn it," said Fatik Mahato, a student.

Mahato said that 'Harmad' camps are working in various villages of West Bengal.

Further slamming the threats made by the 'Harmads', Mahato said the tribals here are not afraid of death.

"We students put up in the forest area and do not fear death from 'Harmad' gang's bullets. We love struggle and revolution. They can't stop our struggle," he added.

Earlier on January 2, Railway Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee said Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram had used the right word 'Harmad' to describe the CPI-M cadres.

"Home Minister Chidambaram is correct. Those who carry guns and bombs should be called 'Harmad'. What else will he say to describe CPI-M cadre?" Banerjee said on the Home Minister's letter to West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on the prevailing law and order situation in the state.

In one of his letters to Bhattacharjee about the prevailing situation in Bengal, the Home Minister had virtually ordered him to disarm and demobilise the armed cadres of his party and referred to them as 'Harmad Vahini'. (ANI)