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Good Governance The Answer:BIGGEST INTERNAL SECURITY CHALLENGE,Anil Kamboj,24 April 2006 Print E-mail

EVENTS AND ISSUES

New Delhi, 24 April 2006

Good Governance The Answer

BIGGEST INTERNAL SECURITY CHALLENGE

By Anil Kamboj

Left-wing extremism is now a bigger threat to the country than militancy in Kashmir or separatist militancy in the North East and unless some strategic response is formulated and executed, the nation may find most of its rural hinterland overrun by this storm. The Prime Minister, while chairing the meeting of Chief Ministers of Naxal-infested States, described the problem as the biggest internal security challenge.

It is a situation where at least 225 districts are under the throes of some kind of militancy. As many as 8,695 police station areas are affected by the Maoist menace. There are about 9,500 hardcore Naxalites who are spread across the Naxal-affected States. Investigations have revealed that the Indian Maoist groups are involved in illicit narcotic trade and smuggling of counterfeit Indian currency. They have linkages with ISI which is providing sophisticated weapons and knowledge about improvised explosive devices. These groups are not only getting financial support from anti-India forces, but, their cadres are also being trained by the LTTE in guerrilla warfare.

A status paper presented to Parliament last month by Home Minister Shivraj Patil reveals that the total number of people killed by Naxalite violence rose by 30% between 2003 and 2005. The number of policemen killed jumped to an astonishing 53% between 2004 and 2005. Naxalite strength has grown by over 50% since 2001. Till 2001, 60% of the weaponry was country-made. Today they have AK series, grenade launchers, mortars, carbines etc. Their command structures have also evolved and modernised.

After the merger of the CPML, PW and MCCI into the CPI (Maoists) in September 2004, they are trying to get together the other splinter groups and to intensify their mass contact programme. Of the two, the MCCI was known for its brutal methods, while the erstwhile People’s War Group in comparison was considered moderate. The Maoists leadership in Andhra Pradesh believes that the moderate approach led to irreversible losses, especially in North Telangana. In a bid to infuse new blood, the leadership expanded the North Telangana and Ahiri in Maharastra and some parts of Bastar district.

Regular recruitment of cadres is being carried out. Indian Naxalite groups continue to sustain their fraternal and logistic links with Nepalese Maoists. The Chief Ministers of Naxal-infested States have expressed their concern over the growing influence of Maoists from Nepal and felt that if not checked, they could easily infiltrate and make matters worse for India. In fact, the CPI (Maoist) and CPN (Maoist) have already provided training, arms and finances to each other.

The Naxalite leadership continues to pursue their plan to wage protracted people’s war through the armed struggle to capture political power. They seem to lay greater focus on organising along the military lines. Their constant effort is to upgrade technology and sophistication of their weaponry. They are clearly strategising to remain relevant by infiltrating schools. Their immediate aim is to create “bal – dasta”, or child squads.

The Naxalites have a very well knit organisational structure and work to a pan-India strategy. They want to control the economic resources of the region and generally operate in areas rich in natural resources like minerals, tendu patta, katha trees etc. They have been terrorising traders and local people and even carrying out extortion. Each time the Government spends on development in the affected areas, a sizable portion of funds leaks into Naxal’s hands.

On the other hand, the various State Governments have a different perception on the issue. They adopted differing and sometimes mutually conflicting policies, probably due to political compulsions. Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh have banned the Maoist, while Orissa expressed its inability to do so. Chhattisgarh initiated steps to counter rising Naxal violence, at the same time, the Andhra Pradesh Government ran a peace process for almost nine months, resulting in the sudden spurt in Naxal violence in the neighbouring states of Karnataka, Maharastra, Chhatisgarh and Orissa.

Inside the Red Corridor, stretching from Nepal to Andhra Pradesh, the Naxalites have stepped up Dandakaranya Liberated Zone in the tribal areas. It is home to various primitive tribes undivided by caste and religion. They are dependent on the forest for their livelihood but were taxed or fined for everything, from grazing, firewood collection and to house construction. The alternative was arrest. The idea of establishing a guerrilla zone in Dandakaranya was first started by Kondapalli Seetharamaiah.

Their task was not limited to organising the tribal against the atrocities. The Naxalit knew that the tribals still depended on gathering food, therefore needed skills in agriculture. Then Naxalites came up with the idea of digging lakes which could be used for irrigation and fish breeding. This idea laid the foundation of “Janatana Sarkar” or People’s Government. It is an alternative form of governance established by the Maoists after overthrowing the present Government system.

There exists a strong bond between the Maoist party and the local people, fostered through monthly village meetings that discuss common problems and needs of the village. This helps that a majority of squad members are from the local tribes, at least one from each family. The Maoist cadres are almost entirely drawn from the most exploited sections of the rural and tribal societies of the States. It is not that Mao-tse-Tung or Lenin has inspired the Naxalite cadres. It is an anger and vengeful voice of exploited whose resentment has grown over the last few decades having been bypassed by the socio-economic changes in rural and tribal areas. 

Though Naxals have not yet carried out any operation in Uttaranchal, but have their presence in the State, specially in the Pithoragarh, Champawat and Udham Singh Nagar districts. These areas are also serving as hiding places for Maoists of Nepal. It is a possibility that if surreptitious armed activity gains route, the tough terrain with forests and isolated hills, would make it virtually impossible to control it.

To combat this challenge, the government has defined a policy. It would address this menace simultaneously on political, security, development and public perception management fronts in a holistic manner. It will deal sternly with the Naxalites indulging in violence. It being an inter-State problem, the States will adopt a collective approach and pursue a coordinated response to counter it.

There will be no peace dialogue by the affected States with the Naxal groups unless the latter agree to give up violence and arms. The states where there is Naxal influence but no violence would have to focus on socio-economic development of the backward areas and regular interaction with NGOs, intelligentsia etc to minimise overground support for the Naxalite ideology and activity.

The State Governments will need to accord a higher priority in their annual plans to ensure faster socio-economic development of the Naxal affected areas. The focus should be on implementation of land reforms, development of basic infrastructure like roads, communication, power, water supply etc and provide employment opportunities to the youth. The initiative will be that of State Governments whereas Union Government may continue to supplement the efforts and resources of the affected states on both security and development. Central Government has already sanctioned Rs. 2,475 crore under the backwards districts initiative component of the Rashtriya Sam Vikas Yojna.

All Naxal-affected States may have to strictly implement the surrender-cum-rehabilitation schemes for Naxalites who want to shun violence. The real remedy lies in good governance which is sensitive to the needs of the most exploited. Though the government has taken good step forward, but the menace will have to be tackled with a dedicated and determined approach. ---INFA

 (Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

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