Paraphrasing singer and author Bob Dylan'sfamous song, ?Blowin? in the Wind?, we can ask the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government , ?How many massacres will it take till you know that too many people have died??
The Ides of March proved to be murderous for the brave policemen and activists of the anti-Naxal movement Salwa Judum. More than 400 armed Naxalites swooped on a police post in Bijapur in the Bastar range of Chhattisgarh in the early hours of March 15. In the surprise attack, in which they vastly outnumbered and outgunned the security personnel, about 55 cops and Salwa Judum activists were killed, many of whom were hacked to death by bloodthirsty Naxalites.
The mass slaughter of policemen and their auxiliaries by Naxalites in Chhattisgarh underlines the Leftwing terrorists? growing might as well as steely resolve. It is a testimony of Naxalites? enhanced strength and strike capability that they organised the attack so meticulously and successfully. It also shows the Red terrorists? resolve: come what may, they would not give up their violent ways. The erstwhile Soviet Union might have disappeared, the Berlin Wall may have fallen, China might have ceased to be communist save in name; but the cruel ultras waging a war against the Indian State refuse to believe that the world has rejected their fantasies of a New Dawn.
These things, however, are not the problem; the problem is the muddled thinking, reckless policies and casual approach of the people who are supposed to protect the life, liberty and property of the citizens of the country. Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil said in September 2004, ?They (Naxalites) are our children. They are angry and we have to show them the right path with affection. We have the forces to deal with violence but that is not the only approach.?
But, Mr Patil, how much more ?affection? these ?children? deserve? You and your party'sChief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, in Andhra Pradesh declared a ceasefire and called them for talks, but the ?children? used the period of ceasefire to recoup themselves and strike with renewed vigour.
It was primarily because Patil believes the Naxalites to be ?our children? that his Ministry earlier rejected requests from Naxal-affected states in the past for air-power during operations. The Union Home Ministry maintains that, as a newspaper reported, helicopters should be used ?mainly to transport people injured in attacks or speed up movement of police personnel during an operation.?
It is shocking to know how the Naxalites have succeeded over the decades in convincing our politicians that they sincerely want to get assimilated into the mainstream. On a number of occasions, the leaders of the world'sbiggest democracy have been duped by the most vicious enemies of democracy, the Naxalites who are blind followers of Mao'svicious ideology. What is equally deplorable is the cynicism shown by some leaders of mainstream parties in their dealings with Naxalites. There are reports, for instance, that the Congress had an understanding with them in the 2004 elections, which benefited it both in the state as well as general elections.
It is not that the futility of Patil'sour-children policy has never been noticed in the quarters that matter. It seemed that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh wanted to dump this sentimentalist policy way back in April 2005. That time, he said in a speech that the Naxalites constituted ?an even greater threat to India than militancy in Jammu and Kashmir and the North-east.? Further, ?the challenge of terrorism must be faced squarely and resolutely by all shades of political opinion. There can be no political compromise with terror. No inch conceded. No compassion shown… There are no good terrorists and bad terrorists. There is no cause, root or branch that can ever justify the killing of innocent people. No democratic government can tolerate the use of violence against innocent people and against the functionaries of a duly established democratic government…?
The speech gave the impression that the Prime Minister had rejected the ?root-cause theory? of terrorism, which is so ardently promoted by Leftists and liberals. According to this theory, terrorism happens not because of the evilness of some rabid and indoctrinated band of activists but because of poverty and injustice. The theory is absurd, as there is a mountain of empirical evidence suggesting the contrary: the 18 Islamic militants that perpetrated September 11 were neither poor Muslims nor avenging Palestinians who wanted to teach Israel'sally a lesson; closer home, Kashmir is a relatively better-off state and is still rife with terrorist activity; Punjab has always been among the most prosperous states in the country, and yet it experienced militancy for more than a decade. There are many more examples that debunk the pet theory of professional radicals and their liberal followers.
The logical consequences of Manmohan Singh'srepudiation of the root-cause theory should have been a tough stand against Naxalites and other terrorists. No negotiations, no ?political solutions,? no carrots. Only a big stick. Nothing of the sort happened; after acknowledging and stating truth, the UPA Government once against got stuck into the rut of bringing the ?misguided youth into the mainstream.?
This is what Singh said at a Conference of senior police officers of the country on November 23, 2006: ?There is? a need for faster development of Naxalite-affected areas, and for a responsive, transparent and sensitive administrative machinery. We need a greater focus on employment generation, on land reforms, on redistribution of land, better education and health facilities, backed up by firm police action wherever needed.?
That is, back to square one, for this was an exposition of the odious root-cause theory. The UPA Government continues to delude itself that Naxalite and other violent movements are because of the lack of development, that more focus ?on employment generation, on land reforms, on redistribution of land, better education and health facilities? would result into the demise of the Naxalite movement.
Unless the Manmohan Singh, Patil and others responsible for internal security bury the root-cause theory and work accordingly, the menace of Naxalism will continue to grow.
(The author works with The Political and Business Daily.)
