A MULTI-PRONGED APPROACH IS NEEDED TO TACKLE NAXALS

YB WEB DESK. Dated: 4/20/2021 12:25:39 PM


SUDHIR HINDWAN The gruesome incident, in which 22 security personnel were killed by the Naxalites in Chhattisgarh recently, deserves the harshest condemnation. This incident is not the first-of-its-kind and there have been numerous such targeted attacks by the outlaws on our security forces. A few days ago, eight Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in a landmine ambush at Sukma. Last year as many as 300 Naxals attacked the 74th battalion of the CRPF. In 2014 more than 26 paramilitary personnel and in 2010 more than 70 CRPF jawans were killed in the same area by these outlaws. The recent incidents have once again confirmed that Maoists have not been wiped out, though they were down for a while. Chhattisgarh appears to have become the epicentre of such attacks. The Government is concerned about how to eradicate the menace of Naxalism which is posing a grave challenge to the entire security apparatus. The recent attacks that were carried out using Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and the kind of modusoperandi the Naxal cadres have adopted, speak volumes about the unprecedented violence and ruthlessness that have engulfed their minds. The current state of affairs does not offer any hope of reconciliation and negotiation with them. The attacks were carried out despite repeated warnings by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which shows the audacity of the present breed of Maoists and also that they are undeterred by such warnings. The brutal killing of our jawans reminds us of the cold-blooded murder of Inspector Francis Induwar by Maoist guerrillas in 2009 which sent the message that it is difficult to persuade the outlaws to change their mind, by reason or by threat. In the last few years, the simmering discontent and prevailing unrest among the rural population in States like Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha has been expressed in the form of naked violence. The Naxals plan their attack in such a way that people see justice and fulfillment of a cause in these inhuman killings. Attacks on important Government buildings, telephone exchanges, railway stations, villages and police pickets have become quite common. In some areas where there was a lull for long, the recurrence of Naxal activities has disturbed the peace. Bihar witnessed a phase of Naxal activities in earlier days as there were various extremist organisations operating in the State, including the Indian People’s Front (IPF), the Mazdoor Kisan Sangram Samiti (MKSS) and the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC). There have been a number of attacks on police pickets by them. In some areas of central Bihar their underground operations are on the rise. The Naxals raise funds by means of extortion from the contractors, corrupt officials and powerful landlords. The MCC is very active in central Bihar districts such as Patna, Jehanabad, Gaya, Nalanda and Navada. In Jehanabad, the mobilisation of weaker sections of society by the IPF and the MKSS has been mainly on the basis of a common concern for equitable distribution of land and payment of minimum wages, among other things. Over the years, Andhra Pradesh has suffered heavy losses because of the upsurge in Naxalite activities. In the last two decades the People’s War Group (PWG) has continued with its activities which include bank robberies, murder of policemen, kidnapping of businessmen, officials and attempts at political assassinations. Despite the repeated attempts by States and the Centre to control the menace of Naxalism, the problem has only amplified. These outlaws are misled by some powerful syndicates for political gains. The common people living in the Red Corridor are caught between the Naxals and the security forces, as they can neither dare to go against the former nor can they support the latter. Taking sides, means facing the wrath of either group. There is a need for strong political will to dispel the psychological fear created by the Naxalites in the minds of the people and instil confidence among the citizens that the State is by their side. There is also a need to strengthen the Intelligence system and work upon achieving greater coordination among the security forces, including the local police. It is time we devise a multifaceted approach, including the support of the media, in order to change the sympathetic attitude of people towards the Maoists. Naxalites, through their guerrilla warfare have dodged our jawans and have cornered them, though the latter are much superior in their training, number, equipment and potential. Hence, it’s time to understand and work with a comprehensive vision to counter the Naxal-psyche while simultaneously generating confidence among the masses — which can play a decisive role in this battle against the Naxalism.

 

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