Ashish_Ben
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The government says there is no 'war' against Naxals - yet it's preparing for one. However, Operation Green Hunt is a disaster in the making. Why? Because the government has so far failed to identify the root of the Naxal problem - namely itself.
As with numbers - P. Chidambaram has his way with words too. "We do not wage war against our own people," said the enlightened Home Minister; this even after it became evident that the Naxals were on a warpath against the Union of India, their orgy of mass killings and beheadings continuing unabated. But away from the preying microphones, the minister wasn't exactly walking the talk; on the contrary, he was busy charting out the largest military operation against the Naxals ever undertaken by any government.
True that Chidambaram's ambitious plan of a virtual blitzkrieg against the Naxals was pruned down by the CCS - but even in its abridged form, it's a mobilization of massive proportions. Sample this - New Delhi is sending 27,000 troops to the Naxal-hit areas, six (or more) Mi-17 choppers will provide air support (with special forces guards on board), a special forces school and a brigade HQ to be set up in Chhattisgarh (add to this, the local state forces and specialized anti-Naxal forces who will join in). The Home Minister might not want to admit it - but the 'war' it's denying is set to break out in November.
The first theatre of action is likely to be Gadchiroli in Maharashtra and Kanker in Chhattisgarh. Forces will try to push the Maoists into 'Abuj Marh' (literally 'unknown jungle' in the local dialect) area of Chhattisgarh, an old Maoist stronghold, and it's here that Naxals are trained to this day. It's here where the decisive battle may be fought. Now all this sounds great on paper - but the only problem is that - the forces don't know who they are supposed to be fighting against. Since the distinction between a Maoist and a tribal is vague - the job of dealing with them becomes all the more challenging. So it brings us to three questions that must be answered by the government, before any more blood is spilt.
Honestly the answer is a big NO. Call me a Naxal sympathizer, but like me, if you ever face the brutal wrath of the local police in heartland India - your world view will witness a paradigm shift within seconds. I was in West Bengal last July - covering the offensive launched by the state administration to counter the Naxals in Lalgarh. It was here, during one of the shoots that my cameraperson and I were chased down a road in Midnapore district by the West Bengal police and hit with sticks.
Our crime??? We had dared to shoot the police breaking down doors and hauling up village youngsters for 'questioning'. (What happens in these 'questionings' I don't need to tell you) When journalists could be treated like dogs by the police - I began to grasp the plight of the local villagers who don't have a voice - or redressal system of any sort. The moral of the story is very simple - between the two evils of Naxalism and Police, the tribals choose the former. At least Naxals don't rape, maim and kill without reason.
source : Ashish BenarJee - India Today Group , Blog
As with numbers - P. Chidambaram has his way with words too. "We do not wage war against our own people," said the enlightened Home Minister; this even after it became evident that the Naxals were on a warpath against the Union of India, their orgy of mass killings and beheadings continuing unabated. But away from the preying microphones, the minister wasn't exactly walking the talk; on the contrary, he was busy charting out the largest military operation against the Naxals ever undertaken by any government.
True that Chidambaram's ambitious plan of a virtual blitzkrieg against the Naxals was pruned down by the CCS - but even in its abridged form, it's a mobilization of massive proportions. Sample this - New Delhi is sending 27,000 troops to the Naxal-hit areas, six (or more) Mi-17 choppers will provide air support (with special forces guards on board), a special forces school and a brigade HQ to be set up in Chhattisgarh (add to this, the local state forces and specialized anti-Naxal forces who will join in). The Home Minister might not want to admit it - but the 'war' it's denying is set to break out in November.
The first theatre of action is likely to be Gadchiroli in Maharashtra and Kanker in Chhattisgarh. Forces will try to push the Maoists into 'Abuj Marh' (literally 'unknown jungle' in the local dialect) area of Chhattisgarh, an old Maoist stronghold, and it's here that Naxals are trained to this day. It's here where the decisive battle may be fought. Now all this sounds great on paper - but the only problem is that - the forces don't know who they are supposed to be fighting against. Since the distinction between a Maoist and a tribal is vague - the job of dealing with them becomes all the more challenging. So it brings us to three questions that must be answered by the government, before any more blood is spilt.
Honestly the answer is a big NO. Call me a Naxal sympathizer, but like me, if you ever face the brutal wrath of the local police in heartland India - your world view will witness a paradigm shift within seconds. I was in West Bengal last July - covering the offensive launched by the state administration to counter the Naxals in Lalgarh. It was here, during one of the shoots that my cameraperson and I were chased down a road in Midnapore district by the West Bengal police and hit with sticks.
Our crime??? We had dared to shoot the police breaking down doors and hauling up village youngsters for 'questioning'. (What happens in these 'questionings' I don't need to tell you) When journalists could be treated like dogs by the police - I began to grasp the plight of the local villagers who don't have a voice - or redressal system of any sort. The moral of the story is very simple - between the two evils of Naxalism and Police, the tribals choose the former. At least Naxals don't rape, maim and kill without reason.
source : Ashish BenarJee - India Today Group , Blog
