February 03, 2021
The standard response has been strong words
The standard response has been strong words and no action.The Naxalites speak
in the name of the tribal poor but in reality have built up crime syndicates out
of their bases in ungoverned spaces across the country. In the circumstances, it
can only be surmised that the welfare agencies of the government, and those in
charge of the spread of infrastructure and building of the social sector, are
anything but present in regions of the country where the Maoists have entrenched
themselves. This is the worst massacre since 2010 when 70 CRPF men were mowed
down. Maoists exploit such notions of development and play on the fears of the
forest people, harnessing them to fight against the State.Evidently, the men in
uniform are not in contact with the forest-dwelling tribal people, on whose
uplift Central and state resources are expended on paper.Around 25 paramilitary
personnel were killed and nearly a dozen sustained serious injuries in the
assault on a "road-opening partyâ€.
The intelligent use of the gun needs to
supplement authentic on-the-ground efforts, not just propagandistic hype, to
push for development — which should mean roads, schools, health, banking and
postal services; not ultra-massive mining projects by major companies made
possible by displacing the tribal people, grabbing their land, cutting down
forest resources and contaminating the water supply of local streams and small
rivers.Over the years, in coordination with the state police, the CRPF — since
the force is posted in the area on a long-term basis — should have spread a
network of local intelligence in the tribal forest villages.The latter appear
opportunistic in the absence of basic human benefits reaching the people.
The
massive attack by some 300-400 Naxalite cadres, reportedly carrying
sophisticated weapons like AK-47 assault rifles, self-loading rifles (SLRs) and
under-the-barrel rocket launchers, on the CRPF in the forests near Burkapal in
the Sukma area of Chhattisgarh on Monday is Conical
twin screw barrel a grim reminder that few effective steps have been taken
to tackle the Naxalite menace in this part of India, where brazen assaults on
Central forces have become routine. This can be suicidal in an area in which
armed Naxal attacks are endemic, and on Monday it was. On March 11 this year, 12
personnel of the CRPF were ambushed in the same area, barely 20 km from
Burkapal. They cannot be tackled only through military means. Its inability to
do so reflects poorly not just on the Central force, which comes from outside,
but also on the state police which has proved to be anything but a reliable
partner, and on their state of coordination.What’s pretty glaring in the present
case is that the road-opening party stepped out to do its job in an intelligence
vacuum
Posted by: rebdtgwim at
02:02 AM
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