Use the carrot and stick policy against Maoists
The recent encounter of some two dozen Maoists by security forces in Malkangiri district on the Andhra-Odisha border highlights the remnants of ‘red terror' prevalent in parts of the country. The joint operation conducted by police forces of both the States has thwarted a re-grouping plan of the dreaded insurgents. This operation has come as a major success for the security forces as Malkangiri happens to be the main transit route for Maoists in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Chhattisgarh. left-wing extremism poses the gravest internal security threat to the country. It derives core support for its resistance movement from the tribals and the lower classes (often against their wishes) in the so-called red corridor across the country.
This corridor epitomises socio-economic deprivation and exploitation at its worst. Ironically, since independence, both, the Union Government and relevant State regimes have not been able to deliver basic services such as education, health, water, sanitation, employment and, most importantly, human development, to the locals. Despite being rich in natural resources, locals have remained at the end of the development ladder. This has become a key point for the Maoists to attract many of these disadvantaged sections in their fight against the State. Though the strength of the Maoists has dwindled in these areas in the recent past, due to surrender of hundreds, it still needs to be checked on a regular basis. Blind repression or capitulation to lawlessness cannot be the only strategy to contain Maoist insurgency. The Government must realise and accept common opportunities for development within society. This will help grassroots Government agencies to better deliver the benefits to the needy. Failure to do so in the past has driven many young, educated and unemployed to the Maoist camp.
Violence of any kind can never build a better society. If this problem persists, it would become intractable for both the Government and the society, to handle. Bringing fresh recruits and lower level cadres to the mainstream may gradually help the Government isolate hardcore elements of the insurgents. Indeed, the ones who do not cooperate or are unwilling to fall in line, will need to be dealt with force. But the bottom line is clear — poverty, lop-sided development and relative deprivation of some sections of people in the society should no more allowed to be used by the Maoists to attract innocent civilians.
Maoists are simply blocking developmental projects and efforts made by various insurgency-infested States to uplift their disadvantaged lot. These insurgents have remained a regressive force. In the garb of protecting and fighting for the rights of the tribals and the underprivileged, they exploit their resources in turn. As they still run parallel governance systems in remote parts of some of the States, it provides them a platform to instill faith among the locals. However, massive counter-insurgency operations by both the regular and special security forces of these States have significantly reduced the aggression of the insurgents. Nevertheless, the latest strike on the militants should not make the security forces complacent about the former's counter-attack plans or attempts at re-grouping. Both the carrot and the stick must be applied.