Feature: Left-wing extremism - the Enemy Within

11 Dec 2009 Akshay Kumar: The Constitution of India declares India as a Sovereign State- a government by the people, for the people and of the people. However the ground reality is that 40% of the Union is beyond control of its own people alias government and gradually slipping into the hands of the Naxalites.

What started in Naxalbari has spread across 220 districts across 20 states in the Hindi-heart land. Remarkable has been the rate of expansion, which has been at an unparalleled pace. This sudden expansion can be attributed to the ignorance of the policy makers who have failed to gauge the magnitude of what they then thought was just a predicament. Nevertheless, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh described the Left wing extremism as the “single biggest internal security challenge”, no substantial step or action has been taken to combat the same; this has resulted in a backlash in the form of high casualty rates, increasing damage to public property and eventually parallel governments coming up in Maoist infested areas where the writ of the government has reduced manifolds or become negligible.

The lack of political will is reflected in the steadily increasing number of reported (unreported will be much higher, but there is a media ban on certain coverage) casualties. From 412 deaths in 2001 to 677 and 678 deaths in 2005 and 2006 respectively, Naxalites have been spreading their sphere of influence across India with an aim of including urban areas in the near future. They are taking lessons from other terror groups like the Taliban as seen in the Maoist-ordered beheading of a Jharkhand cop. They are getting bolder as seen in their hijacking of the Calcutta-Delhi Rajdhani express train and the massacre of 30 cops in Chhattisgarh in July this year.

This year as well, a total of 485 deaths have taken place so far due to Naxal related violence which includes 230 security personnel and 255 civilians in over a thousand attacks. 82% of the incidents have been reported from Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Orissa. A Patna based social activist, Pankaj says that the naxalites have flourished in areas which are extremely backward and poor. He blames the government’s policies which have created a severe regional imbalance as the cause of naxalism, calling it a direct outcome of government policies. 

The irony of the situation is that our short sighted politicians take pride in the fact that the Election Commission has managed to conduct free and fair elections in these states; but have we ever pondered over as to why there has been an increment in number of phases and the heavy deployment of para-military forces at the time of elections? The ongoing elections in a small state like Jharkhand have also been divided into multiple phases, due to the left wing scare. It is a testimony of the intense situation that persists in the Naxal affected areas. 

The aim of amelioration of the poor socio-economic conditions is no longer zeroed in on by the Naxal. The empowerment of weaker sections is now a pseudo objective. Today, the sole objective is absolute control of nation’s resources and power centers. Ram Prasad, a migrant labour in New Delhi was forced to flee Jharkhand after his small piece of land in Jharkhand’s Latehar district was taken over by the Naxals after he failed to give the “protection” money, demanded by the Naxals. Ram Prasad says that the aim of Naxals was never to uplift the deprived sections of society, if it was anything it was simply a means to arm-twist the state while hiding behind the people for their own benefits. 

A.P. Singh, a retired engineer belonging to Jharkhand’s irrigation department says, “The naxals are not interested in people’s welfare, if they were, then why they would oppose irrigation related projects in the region that would provide water to the people for drinking and irrigational purposes. Even they know that any development in the region is not good news for their self-centered ideology in the long run.”

There has been a phenomenal increase from 17 fatalities in 2005 to 361 fatalities in 2006 in Chhattisgarh, as it overtook Andhra to be the worst Naxal affected state. This year Chhattisgarh has reported 178 deaths so far. This substantial increase clearly shows the incompetence of the police in tackling the threat. A retired senior armed forces person in charge of a naxal affected area said that he knew that even the local head of police was paying protection money to the Naxals to protect his own family. Making matters worse is the merger of Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) of India, People’s War Group (PWG), and Communist Party of India (Marxist and Leninist) into one single entity referred as the CPI-M (Maoist).

Now, they are not different units fighting for different causes but one entity fighting for a common goal. This merger was announced on October 14, 2004 by the PWG Andhra Pradesh State Secretary Ramakrishna. This new entity has reaffirmed its commitment to the classical Maoist strategy of protracted arms struggle which defines its objectives not in terms of seizure of lands, crops or other immediate goals but the seizure of power. This merger has given a new lease of life to the Naxalites as they continue expanding their ambit of influence across India and Indian borders. The attack in 2007 in Jahanabad (Bihar) involving Andhra Pradesh Naxals and the attack in Chhattisgarh involving Maoists in Nepal reinforces the fact stated above.

In the past, the Indian government has been taken for a ride by the Naxals as every time a cease-fire has been announced, the Naxals have used the time to re-group and re-organize their bleeding cadres. This also shows their disinterest in reaching a permanent solution. It is important to understand that dialogue will no longer help, it is time for organised action. The government must not hesitate to call in the para-military forces and the army and a state-wise crackdown should be initiated. The bubble is on the verge of bursting and we should take charge of the situation before it bursts. The situation has been ignored in the past which has led to the Naxal menace spreading rapidly, thus it is because of our deeds that it has grown from a small tumor to a cancer that is spreading rapidly.

The Maoist threat has overtaken all other insurgencies in the country-at least from the perspective of geographical spread with various levels of Maoist mobilization and violence currently afflicting majority of Indian states. Hot pursuit is an inevitable option and sooner and later we have to resort to it because if this menace is not contained, high growth rate of GDP, increasing per capita income, globalisation, liberalisation, and privatisation will become insignificant, let alone realising the dream of becoming a super power by 2020, we will even struggle to exist as a regional power.

Comments

[Sushil Sinha]

The article is an apt summation of the root cause for this movement to survive i.e skewed development and acute poverty in the regions affecting this movement. The so called intellectuals speaking English and advocating the cause on national television is also one of the reasons for the movement to gain importance. We need to deal this with an iron hand and deliver all development projects as promised.

[arunmamgain]

A well researched and presented article by Mr Akshay,this young reporter deserves encouragement.
Good governance is the key to national integration and if the interests of our netas remain then we are headed for disintegration.

[Raghu Rajan]

This article has been filed by a young reporter who ironically has shown more clarity of thought than several self professed experts on the subject. Congrats to Akshay for the good research and his suggestions on decisive actions. To those who get carried away in our quest for human rights in the world's biggest democracy, where are the rights of people in 220 districts who live in eternal fear?

[ankit singh]

good one Mr Akshay keep it up this article gives us a lots of information and knowledge on naxalites and government need to read this again again to take proper action

[Raj]

Naxal movements in Andhra pradesh ( Telengana region)operate in a variety of guises. A Professor of University with Padma Bhushan award heads a charitable organisation which ironically receives funds from the central govt and international development funding agencies.These funds are used to spread Naxal ideology among the rural youth while carrying out mainly educational work in the Telengana Medak District .A civil liberties organisation headed by Kannabiran a noted lawyer operates in Hyderabad. This org. is filled with lawyers whose sole duty is to bail out arrested naxals.

[harri]

A well written article. Wish it had more acknowledgments. E.g. when he quotes Mr AP Singh, he could have stated whether he has met the person himself or has picked up a quote from somewhere. Will add more authenticity to his work. He also steers clear of the political support to Maoists who are courted by all sides to win local elections. Remember mamata Dis' recent meeting?

[Manish Das]

Define Naxalism slightly more in the begining.
U can also include some of the similar examples outside our country and how did dat country's govt handle it.
Emphasise upon the remedial measures especially towards the conclusion how to go about being winning the minds of the people of those tribal regions who indulge in naxalism, rather than finding punitive measures.

[Jason Verdugo]

COuld this eventually lead to a civil war?

[Akshay]

I did meet Mr AP Sinha in person. Thank You for your comments, would keep in mind all the suggestions given for future writing purposes.

[Sharoon Sinha]

Great read. Wasn't even aware about the seriousness of this issue. I would agree with Mr. Das. But all in all i like the fact that you do not take sides in the arguments presented and are rather strong about the rectification measures. Although i highly doubt that the prime minister will resort to any radical action...the lukewarm effort in the past on many issues proves that.

[Swatie Kapil]

a very well written piece..well researched and very informative..i am glad u have brought out the core issue so well..now i just hope our leaders also read it..and realise what is expected of them!!

[Himanshu Priyankar]

I am glad you have choosen a issue like naxlism.This issue is currently much relevent than any other issues .I wish him luck for your future writting..
Best of luck!!

[Sudhir]

Looks like a Shekhar Gupta is in the making. Succinct is one word that comes to my mind.
Government apathy is one of the major causes of naxalism and even demand for smaller states. Our politicians are so unconcerned that they have no time to even spend the complete allotment of MPLAD funds in their constituencies. Use of force later by way of police or army is nothing but cruelty and suppression by means available to the state. In India people are very tolerant and if Govt were to go to the people only 25% of the way the people may still forgive it. That even that does not happen for years together brings this reaction. Listen to both sides and you will know who needs to be suppressed and who is right.

[Dheeraj.]

Well writtern Akshay but what I feel is the lack of development and govenance in the entire Red belt.Blaming the left wing parties wouldnt be appropriate as other political parties also have to be blamed majorly for the country's biggest internal threat. However the Maoists are our own men and waging a war against them would result to more blood shed.Hence the govt. should be able to mobilise them to take part in public forums and adapt themselves bak into the social strata or else this alienation from the mainstream will grow beyond our thinking and run deeper into the woods.

[Bhaskar]

An interesting piece Akshay but I daresay that even without going on the other side of the plank you could have just made a slight reference to the state atrocities as well and discussed the socio-economic aspect in your article which has made naxalism rampant in large parts of the country. Nonetheless the views expressed are yours and I appreciate them. Cheers!