Ex-militant still awaits government promise on return to mainstream

A former militant, Vokto Roy, from the Kamtapur Liberation Organisation in West Bengal, said that after giving up arms in 2001, he still awaits the government's promise of helping to bring his life back to normal.

Roy was one of the militants who surrendered before the government and is yet to receive their promised dues.

The militants had surrendered upon an appeal made by the then Left-Front Government of West Bengal.

The surrendered militants have said that ever since they gave up arms, the previous as well as the successive governments have not honoured the promises of providing them an alternative route of earning a livelihood on their return to mainstream society.

Roy said that despite surrendering in the year 2001, he and other former militants are still being harassed by the local police. "If the police give me a job, it will be of great help. I will work in a job with the police force or any other government job. If I work for the police, I will be under their vigilance. Then, I will be earning at least Rs. 2000-5000, so that I can manage my family," said Roy.

Roy further said that he is leading a peaceful life as a driver and manages to earn two square meals a day. Like his former comrades, he is not after any separate province nor does he endorse any language form.

A human rights activist from Siliguri, Avi Ranjan Bhaduri, said that there looms a law and order problem at large. He added that for such matters which are political in nature, there also should be a political solution for them. "Apart from the law and order problem, this is also a polticial matter. This problem will not be tackled only with administrative action. When there is a political problem, the solution, too, has to be a political one." Bhaduri said.