What is objective of LW extremists?
- their objective is the violent overthrow of the Indian state
- their basic ideology is a complete rejection of parliamentary democracy
how to tackle them?
- we need a two-track approach–one that deals with the leadership of the Naxals, who wish to overthrow the Indian state and the other, which focuses on the concerns of the people they pretend/claim to serve
what are the current flaws?
- affirmative action programmes like reservations have had a very marginal impact on the welfare of the central and eastern Indian tribal communities.
- Govyt has identified 60 naxalism affected districts for integrated action plan program
- Under this 25 cr is given to each district for undertaking local developmental works like school, water, roads etc
- However the “block” and not the district should be the basic unit for identification
- for instance, Guntur in Andhra Pradesh and Raipur in Chattisgarh, are not part of this 60 but there are certain blocks which are badly affected
characteristics of naxalism affected regions?
- substantial population of tribal communities
- significant area under good quality forest cove
- rich in minerals
- remote from the seat of power and have large administrative units.
- tri-junction areas of different states.
- key tri-junction areas are
- Chattisgarh-Maharashtra-Andhra Pradesh,
- Orissa-Chattisgarh-Andhra Pradesh,
- Orissa-Jharkhand-Chattisgarh,
- Orissa-West Bengal-Jharkhand
What is the way forward?
- challenge is to quickly improve infrastructure—roads and bridges more specifically—that enables basic developmental activities to be carried out
- there is no alternative to the Central government stepping in for financing and executing these tri-junction infrastructure works
- transform administration in tribal areas so as not only to give people a sense of participation and involvement but, more fundamentally, to preserve and protect their dignity”
- Empowering the tribals, who are essentially victims, by giving access to basics, by giving them what is theirs by right and by securing their livelihoods is an absolute undiluted must
- interventions to ensure the speedy settlement of land-related disputes to be high priority in the LWE-affected districts
- more humane policy of land acquisition with focus on effective rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) is the need of the hour
- it is the singular failure of successive governments both in states and governments to protect the dignity and the Constitutional rights of the poor and the disadvantaged that has created a fertile breeding ground for violence and given the Naxals space to speak the language of social welfare
- We need to work concertedly to restore people’s faith in the administration to be fair and just, to be prompt and caring, to be prepared to redress the injustices of the past, and to be both responsible and responsive in future
IAS Zone 