IT has been the policy of the central as well as the state governments that those who had gone on the path of destruction should come back to normal life and take part in national development. Responding to such call, a number of extremists have laid down their arms before the security officials in past years.
In the smallest north-eastern state of Tripura, a large number of extremists returned home in past decades. Surprisingly, maximum of them did not have any sophisticated arms with which they carried out large-scale massacres in the Bengali-dominated villages during the time of their jungle life. But, in every case of surrender, police officials termed the returnee as a hardcore guerrilla?often, guerrilla without gun. Government of India has specific projects and programmes for the youths who came back to normal life and are now abiding by the laws of the land. The Centre has showered money for this purpose on Tripura government to ease militancy in the state.
But, as in other cases, so in the security related matters too, CPM plays a dirty game with even the frustrated poor youths surrendered as the extremists of different armed outfits, such as NLFT, ATTF, BNCT etc. Initially it marks them as either pro or anti-CPM and provides government facilities on the basis of this consideration. Putting this allegation against the party and the government, a top cadre (surrendered) of NLFT said that a dangerous and dirty game is being played with the hapless youths trying to readjust themselves with the society once they fought against. It should be stopped immediately, he stressed. His words were reflected in a recently submitted memorandum to the chief minister by the joint action coordination committee of the surrendered extremists.
The inaction or politically-motivated actions of the government have put a question mark on its goodwill to re-establish the rule of law and purify socio-political environment of the state. Also, there is a possibility of massive corruption in the process of rehabilitation of the surrendered extremists.
