'Followed Basavaraj's call': Naxal leader Rupesh on laying down arms; rejects 'traitor' tag;

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 (Bas