VIMARSHA : Naxal Threat

Efface the danger of left wing extremism forever – Prakash Singh IPS

Vimarsha, the monthly discussion session of Vivekananda Kendra International was held in the premises of Vivekananda Kendra International [1] at 6.30 pm on 30th October 09. The Vimarsha started with the chanting of the Vedic mantras. Shri Ajit Doval, the honorary director of Vivekananda Kendra International introduced the topic and Shri Prakash Singh IPS, the speaker. Mananeeya Nivedita Didi, the honorable vice-president of Vivekananda Kendra Kanyakumari [2] chaired the session.

Shri Prakash Singh started his deliberation by echoing the view of Shri. Ajit Doval that the problem of left wing extremism has touched its dangerous zones, but is not insurmountable if we develop our capacities to meet the challenge. He stated that Naxalism occupies the second position after Jihadi terrorism in terms of its potential for terror. He again postulated that unlike many other issues like of the Kashmir, there is clariy of thought with the machinery about the issue of naxalism and the manageability of the concern.

The pattern of Naxal violence changed in the due course of time. If the violence was clearly defined as annihilation of the class enemies like zamindars, landlords etc on the perfect line of Communist ideology in the yesteryears, now it has changed to challenging the authority of the Indian state by every means. They summon to contest the rule of law through all inclement options like detention of trains, assassination of VIPs, jailbreaks etc. And many a times, they are at advantage due to delay in the state response and even are able to influence the psyche of the society by mobilizing empathy from intellectual quarters, civil right groups etc. Even if the big dream of Charu Mazumdar to take India completely the Communist way miscarried, it facilitated the philosophy of Communist militarization to disseminate throughout the nation.

Shri Prakash Singh gave a vivid picture of the graveness of the problem; naxalism has expanded to 2/3rd of our geographical area by creating a potential military zone called red corridor at its heart extending from Kerala to Nepal. The merger of MCCI with PWG, random increase in the cadre and arsenal, nexus with other insurgent groups like ULFA, LTTE, LeT etc, support from Nepal etc has aggrandized the potency of the threat exorbitantly. They are benefited by the propaganda game of branding themselves as emancipators of poor, but are really using poverty as a mean to political ends and thereby disturb even genuine development works.

There should be a multi dimensional strategy to tackle the issue, he commented. Understanding the causes of the problem like poverty, unemployment, land reforms, tribal rights, poor governance and importantly corruption is the important and primary measure to be taken. He warned that even if naxalism is tackled today and the same poor governance is continued, then the menace will reappear again after some years, in a more virulent form. He referred to various measures adopted in the past and sought after again like formidable government policy, counter-insurgency measures, socio-economic programs, mobilizing people’s support, peace talks etc. Inter-state coordination, land reforms, resistance groups, propaganda campaigns, and surrender and rehabilitation policy, military measures should include the broad plan of action against the naxals. An efficient monitoring mechanism consisting of expert task force, legislators, ministerial bodies, etc. should have a handle on the action plan. He acknowledged the recent initiatives like Forest Rights Act - 2006, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy -2007, National Rural Employment Guarantee Program etc for their respective contribution to the mission. The speaker eulogized the attempt of forming resistance group called Salwa Judum by arming the tribals to fight the naxals and support the state machinery in combating the menace.

The core of the action plan to be adopted by the government should be based on a single foundation that the development paradigm pursued since independence has aggravated the prevailing discontent among marginalized sections of society. But despite all the drawbacks and deficiencies in the government, the Naxals were not justified in their use of violence against it, carried out under the pretext of establishing social justice. So the nation has to respond to the hydra-headed menace in a decisive manner and work towards transforming the lives of the people belonging to various sections of the society.

The session was followed by a Q-A session in which various important personalities like Shri Bhurelal, Shri R.K Khandelwal participated. The interaction with the audience was followed by an oration by Mananeeya Nivedita Didi, in which she elucidated how the Naxalites were acting against the interests of the nation by massacring a large number of poor people who did not tow their line and yet audaciously projecting themselves as the protector of the impoverished. Shri Doval concluded the session and gave the vote of thanks to the dignitaries, the esteemed audience. The Vimarsha concluded with the chanting of the Shanti Mantra.