Movad (Adilabad), Oct. 26: The first public meeting in the State after the merger of the MCCI and CPI (ML) PWG will be held at Asifabad mandal headquarters in the district on October 31. Two martyrs’ memorials will be unveiled at Movad and Balanpur villages in Asifabad mandal on the same day before the public meeting.

The meeting assumes significance in view of the merger of the two biggest Naxalite groups in the country. It is being organised to galvanise the tribals to fight for their rights on ‘Jal, Jameen, Jangal’ (water, land and forest) for which the tribal legendary hero Komuram Bheem fought the Nizam forces and died. The commemoration of the martyrdom of Bheem is also being celebrated on October 28 (64th anniversary) in the district. It is expected that former MCCI Naxalites from other States like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar will participate in the meeting.

It is being said that the martyrs memorial being constructed at Movad is the third highest memorial in Asia. It is 45 feet high and rates after the memorials in China and Guttikonda Bilam. Construction is going on apace as the day of unveiling approaches. As many as 80 tribals from Asifabad, Kerameri, Tiryani and Sirpur (U) mandals have been working for the last 20 days on the construction - the majority of the workers are tribal women.

Tribal leaders said they were working voluntarily as many of their brethren had died for the movement. Meanwhile, addressing a press conference at Mangi forest area, district committee secretary Tekam Mothiram alias Vijay said said that the meeting was the second in North Telangana after Mogilicherla in Warangal, and added that it was significant as it was the first meeting in the State after the merger of the PWG and MCCI groups.

He said that they were expecting about 1.5 lakh public to attend the meeting. He said that the party had applied to the local police and Home Minister for permission to hold the meeting in Asifabad.