Rehabilitating SPOs

The People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR) welcomes the Communist Party of India (Maoist)’s statement following the landmark judgment of the Supreme Court (SC) on the Salwa Judum reassuring the special police officers (SPOs) that the Maoists do not see them as enemies. The Maoists have extended their cooperation towards ensuring a smooth transition for the SPOs by undertaking the responsibility of rehabilitating them and ensuring their livelihood if they return to their villages, and break all connections with state forces. This statement is of significance for the following reasons:

(1) It allays the hysteria being built up in the media about the retaliatory violence that will be wreaked by the Maoists following the disarming and disbanding of the SPOs.