Ramachandran terms Maoists 'anarchists'

ML groups failed to fight for the people: CPI (ML) leader Rajahmundry: CPI (Marxist-Leninist) all-India general secretary KN Ramachandran came down heavily on Maoists and dubbed them as 'anarchists'. Speaking to reporters at the Press Club here on Wednesday, he observed that all the ML groups, including Maoists' party in India, started degenerating and failed to fight on behalf of people living in plain areas, particularly the working class in factories and farmers after the 1972 Naxalbari movement. He lamented that all of them became bankrupt and added that Maoists had started extortion and became 'anarchists' in the name of underground movement. He criticised both the CPI and the CPM for colluding with the ruling Congress for the past 50 years and stopped fighting colonialism. Mr Ramachandran said that the Communist parties in India have supported neo-colonialism policies like support to signing the WTO pact, Monsanto, technology transfer and other issues. He opined that China and Russia have transformed into neo-capitalist countries and were allowing Western tendencies. Replying to a question about his party, which has no presence or impact on present day politics, Mr Ramachandran said they were working for social change and they treat elections as a 'money game'. However, he said they were fighting on many issues like Posco, Narmada and Kudankulam. He made it clear that they were not involved in any underground activity and they were maintaining accounts which are audited regularly. Local leaders Ranganath and Chinnababu were present at the press conference.