India bans extreme left-wing political organization

NEW DELHI, June 22 -- Indian government Monday imposed a blanket ban on the extreme left-wing organization, Communist Party of India-Maoists (CPI-Maoists), calling it a "terrorist organization."

The central government made the decision hours after the West Bengal government, run by the Communist Party of India-Marxist, refused to ban the CPI-Maoists and said it would fight the rebels politically.

"Though law and order is a state subject, the central government decided to bypass the West Bengal state's jurisdiction and banned the CPI-Maoists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, which is implied all over the country and not in a particular state," a senior Indian Home Ministry official said, on condition of anonymity.

CPI-Maoist thus joins the list of 34 other organizations including Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Toiba which have been banned directly by the Indian government under special powers.

CPI-Maoists, already banned in several Indian states, is believed to be the political wing of the Naxal insurgency which has been engaging government forces for decades.

Over the past one month, at least 180 police personnel and security men have been killed by Naxal insurgents, according to police.