A proposed armed force of 10,000 young tribal men and women, which many in West Bengal have equated with Chhattisgarh's Salwa Judum, is Mamata Banerjee's backup plan while pursuing a peace initiative with Maoists in Junglemahal.
Since last week, when Mamata made the announcement at a rally in Junglemahal, the move has seen inevitable comparisons with Salwa Judum groups, declared illegal by the Supreme Court recently. The outrage expressed by ro-Naxal groups has indicated it could turn out to be a spoiler in the peace initiative. After Central forces had halted operations in the region and the government had started exploring the possibility of releasing political prisoners, Maoist violence had stopped. Now, Maoist leaders and pro-Naxal groups have started questioning the government's motives.
The move, say Trinamool Congress leaders in Junglemahal and government officials, is part of a strategy to "combat any eventuality" if and when Central forces are withdrawn. Mamata has been under pressure since she promised such a withdrawal if she assumed power.
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