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| Naxal menace needs rigorous response | | | Sushil Vakil
The daring trainjacking by Maoists at Jharagam in West Begal has once again, highlighted the extent and scope of Naxals spreading terror scare. More than three hundred Naxal activists including supporters wielding guns, sticks and iron rods blocked and attacked the Delhi bound Rajdhani Express by placing huge wooden blocks on the track. Fortunately, no harm was done to any passenger or crew member. No doubt, the attackers held the two train drivers hostage but let them off without any damage, as they didn't intend to hurt anyone but to convey to the administration that they can go to any extent to achieve their goal.
As a matter of fact, this was the first Maoist attack in which neither any life was lost nor any blood shed. Maoist insurgency has penetrated deep into Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and some parts of Maharashtra. So far thousands of policemen have lost their lives in violent clashes in insurgency-dominated regions. The Maoist cadres have eliminated thousands of innocent people and policemen on duty. By indulging in senseless brutality Maoists have aptly demonstrated that for them violence is an end in itself. According to a Home Ministry data at least 2,671 people - including civilians, security personnel and rebels - have been killed in incidents related to Maoist violence in India since 2006.
Maoists are no different from jihadi terrorists — they are used by their top leaders in the name of struggle against social and economic deprivation. Like Taliban, Naxals have also proved with their sinister terror campaigns that their aid and support is being provided by some foreign hand and their prime agenda is to weaken India from within. With their nefarious cannibalization continuing unrestrained, they have simply necessitated the need of counteracting against them with full blow. Their recent spate of attacks in different parts of the country has necessitated the need to face them straight out.
There is no doubt that Maoist rebels are day by day becoming most cruel, senseless and anti-state. With every attack, they necessitate the need to wipe them out as soon as possible. Nothing is going to get back on track without a concerted and dedicated effort on the part of government functionaries, which is clearly absent. The government should chalk out a cohesive plan to eradicate the Maoist menace before it is too late. The state must get ready to put them down ruthlessly if only to save innocent lives in the villages and towns held as naxal domains.
No doubt, glaring inequalities exist in our society. But that does not give a group the right to declare war against a nation. While rights activists lament police excesses, they are silent on the loss of hundreds of civilian lives. Violent struggle can achieve little unless it has the support of the masses. Maoists do not enjoy that support. Their struggle is doomed to fail.
Had the Maoists resorted to the democratic way of fighting for the rights of those they claim to represent, they could have been fought politically. But they have failed to follow democratic principles in the world’s largest demo- cracy. Many corridors are slipping from the government’s control, which is evident from the frequent change in its stand on controlling the menace. The government should view naxalism as a socio-economic problem. It is for the leaders of CPI (Maoist) to prevail upon their cadres, whom they claim to represent, to lay down arms and bring them to the negotiating table. In this regard, people should also play their role as community mobilization and participation is equally important for deterring the evil designs of terrorists.
With the huge para- military force pressed into service to combat the Maoists, it is clear that the situation is really bad in many States. We should stop glorifying Maoists who are nothing but a band of terrorists. The fact that some of their leaders want to wage a war against the state shows that they are flush with arms and funds. Government needs to choke their supply route as effectively as possible. There is no alternative but to intensify the fight against them as they have become a law unto themselves.
No government can tolerate armed gangs roaming the countryside and dictating terms for talks. Maoists should give up violence and accept the government’s invitation for a dialogue. Moreover, the naxals also need to realise that LTTE chief V. Prabakaran too did not heed the call of the Sri Lankan authorities for a dialogue and we all know the result. They do also need to learn that violence and extremism have never won or promoted a cause, however just. As rightly said by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently left-wing extremism posed the greatest internal security threat for India. With Naxalism proving to be India's biggest internal security challenge, the problem needs to be addressed at the earliest.
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