The brutal killing of 25 CRPF personnel has brought left-Wing Extremism (lWE) to national limelight yet again. The nation stirs uneasily in condemnation and contemplation as roadmaps are being chalked to retaliate against Maoist forces. However, any plan devised will remain incomplete without consideration for improvement of quality of life of tribal communities whose lives are caught in the crossfire of conflict.
The Naxalite movement began in 1967 in Naxalbari, a village in northern West Bengal. Today, 106 districts are under the influence of the lWE. Out of these districts, the Dandakaranya region encompassing southern districts of Chhattisgarh and Odisha and some parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are the worst affected. Geographically, dense forests, difficult terrain and sluggish infrastructural development of the region have provided perfect cover for extremist forces for their guerrilla warfare. The social development of the region has had a significant impact in making this area a Maoist stronghold.
The tribal population of India has not enjoyed equitable fruits of the rapid economic development of the country. There is a significant disparity between literacy levels of non-tribals and tribals in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha. Further, drop-out rate from Class I to X stands at 71 per cent among Scheduled Tribes whereas the national average is 49.1 per cent. The drop-out rate is worse for girls compared to boys. These challenges faced by tribal communities exacerbates in southern parts of Chhattisgarh and Odisha. More than 50 per cent population of Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Kandhamal, Nawarangpur and Gajapati districts of Odisha and Bastar region of Chhatisgarh belong to tribal communities. These districts are among the least literate districts of India. Ignorance and consequential lack of employment opportunities exposes the tribal population to exploitation from all sections of the society. The Maoists influence the unemployed youths into picking up weapons and use them as human shields in their war against police and paramilitary forces. Ignorance and economic under-development also coerces tribal communities into providing passive support to the extremists.
Hence, the war against Naxalite forces should involve a concerted war against illiteracy. Tribal youths of the Naxal-infested region should be empowered through quality education so that they can chart the best path of progress for their own communities. Education will enable tribals to understand their rights and the means to participate in the progress of the country without being influenced by forces that take advantage of their ignorance. However, the existing educational framework needs rework as it alienates tribal children from their heritage and culture aggravating the drop-out rate. Here are two examples of educational models that have the power to transform tribal societies.
The Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), Bhubaneswar, is a model residential establishment where holistic education is imparted to 25,000 tribal children belonging multiple tribes of eastern India from class 1 to post-graduation. The institute addresses the basic stumbling blocks that lead to drop-outs by providing quality education, food, healthcare and security to all its students. The institute actively engages students in vocational education and sports for their comprehensive development. The differentiating factor in the success of KISS is the importance given to upholding tribal culture and languages. Imparting education in the primary classes through tribal languages and promotion of tribal art, music and dance creates a familiar environment for students and builds trust amongst tribal communities. In his recent visit to the KISS, Union Cabinet Minister for Home Affairs Rajnath Singh appreciated the role of the institute in providing a platform to enhance the talent and potential of tribal children who come from Naxalite conflict zones. Citing the achievements of students of KISS, he exhorted Maoist forces to let the talent of tribal children residing in the Red corridor to bloom. If the model and spirit of KISS is replicated across Government ashram schools and other private institutions, educated tribal youths will be the torch bearers of progress and peace in their communities.
In addition to the residential model, existing Government schools in tribal regions must be empowered through mobile technology and data connectivity. The technological advancement of India must be leveraged to provide massive open online courses (MOOC) in remote areas through mobile phones. These courses must be customized to the local language and environment so that learning is contextual and the interest of students is maintained. This will help in imparting quality education irrespective of geographical challenges and decrease drop-out rates.
As we search for solution to the Naxal menace, it is important to remember that we are a country that preached non-violence to the world and believed in the might of pen over sword. Community policing and tireless efforts of organizations like KISS have led to drastic reduction of lWE violence and related deaths in Odisha in the last five years. It is time to imbibe humanitarian spirit and empower tribal communities through quality education to tackle the threat of lWE.
(Contact no: 9559754564, anuragdash.ad@gmail.com)