North Bastar Kanker [Chhattisgarh], Oct 26 (ANI): A total of 21 Maoist cadres, including 13 women, surrendered with 18 weapons, in North Bastar Kanker on Sunday.

NEW DELHI: Rejecting the CPI(Maoist) central committee’s (CC) “traitor” tag thrown at him and fellow Naxal leader Bhupathi alias ‘Sonu’ in view of their recent surrender, CC member Rupesh has said they laid down arms in line with slain general secretary Basavaraj‘s final call to ‘partymen’ to cease armed operations against security forces and explore talks with Centre. In a video statement shared with TOI, Rupesh, currently in Chhattisgarh, can be heard rejecting CPI(Maoist)’s latest claim that Basavaraju had a rethink on his stance favouring a ceasefire “to save the party, cadre and movement” – communicated in multiple statements since March 2025 – after Centre had refrained from toning down anti-Naxal operations in ‘core’ areas of the Maoists. “It is true that till B R Dada (Basavaraj) was killed in May, he maintained the view that conditions are ideal for abandoning armed struggle and starting talks with govt about our future,” Rupesh said, adding that every PB/CC member had received this message. “I had personally met Dev ji (current CPI Maoist general secretary) and another CC member after that,” he said but added that Dev ji was not in favour of ceasefire and talks. “Why is it that when a meeting of Dandakaranya Special Zonal committee was held recently in south Bastar, the surrender plan of north sub-zonal bureau, though known to the leaders, was never brought up? Why is it that Basavaraj’s final letter to PB/CC members has not been shown to the cadres?” Rupesh asked. This, a Chhattisgarh police officer indicated, suggests that Devji and CC members Sangram and Hidma, along with senior cadres Barse Deve and Pappa Rao, have failed to communicate to the lower ranks the collective decision of the CPI(Maoist) – taken under Basavaraj – to end armed struggle. Rupesh said the letter sent to him by Basavaraj, was shared by him and deliberated upon by cadres of north sub-zonal bureau of DKSZC, who passed it down to divisional committee and area committee members.