Thousands of tribals led by Vijay laxmi, commander of the Korukonda (Andhra) Dalam gathered in the inaccessible Ralegada forest in the cutoff region of Chitrakonda in Malkangiri district on the Andhra-Odisha border this weekend, reports said.
Senior Maoist leaders from outside Odisha participated in the ‘Prajameli, the reports added.Maoists are observing a ‘Prisoners of State Sympathy Week’ in the Ralegada forest since September 13, sources said.
Organisers of the week said the programme is being observed to express sympathy towards the hundreds of innocent tribals and their family members in districts like Malkangiri, Koraput, Gajapati and Rayagada who are rotting in various jails after being implicated in false cases and branded as Maoists by the police.
Maoist leaders are explaining to people about the Maoist ideology. Maoist cultural troupes are also staging plays and dances.
Speakers at the convention say that the Government has chosen to forget the terms and conditions agreed to at the time of release of the then Malkangiri Collector Vineel Krishna and warned that the Government would have to pay a heavy price for this in future.
Family members of some tribals arrested by the police on ‘false charges’ are also reportedly attending the convention.