It is often said that Naxalism and terrorism are two sides of a same coin. As per our political leaders, naxalism is traced to economic and social causes but it has been reduced to an activity, much like terrorism aimed at spreading fear and terror.
But what actually is the reality behind these naxalite movements? Is it India's biggest law and order problem?Is Naxalism a problem or is it the consequence of social and spatial disparity?Why has the government failed to address it and subsequently acknowledged Naxalism as a serious problem for national security?
Thus, this debate needs a better understanding of the sensitive and delicate subject which could be resolved only through fear-free questions and some fair-frank answers.
Naxalism has been branded as a serious problem for national security by various intellectuals and the media.On the other hand, there is another section of society who thinks Naxalism is a social movement against the rampant social exclusions of the have nots. It is the fight of the poor, discriminated and the marginalised Indian masses for social justice and basic rights to natural resources.
The Naxalite movement first came to the forefront in the late 1960s, when Naxalbari became famous for the left-wing revolt that took place in West Bengal. Since then, it is perceived as the greatest threat to law and order within Indian. The movement has now advanced to the hilly and forest regions of around eight different states, with more than 150 districts are believed to be under its direct influence. It is mostly active in the tribal areas spreading from Andhra Pradesh to Bihar and Maharashtra, and also covering parts of Karnataka, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, and Tamil Nadu. Naxal violence has resulted in the death of over 10,000 civilians and displaced 12 million people since 1980s with a significant rise in the number of killings in Naxalism-hit states. Additionally, more than 200 of India’s 640 districts are indirectly under Naxal control.
Naxalism signifies a particular kind of militant and violent armed struggle by the peasants and tribals who accept Marxist-Leninist ideology. Inspite of Naxalism being termed as the biggest problem in Adivasi areas, the social problems are actually much wider in the form of unemployment, poverty and an untold number of socio-economic injustices.
The socio-economic problems are so vast that getting them in control is also a matter of conflict.
India’s development model pursued since Independence led to commercialisation of forest resources, reducing the traditional access to forest produce. Besides destroying their natural environment, mining-based industries and the construction of large dams caused wide-scale migration of the tribals.
Development is, undoubtedly, very necessary in today’s age but the Central and State governments should make sure that it is not done at the cost of citizens. Having said that, the Naxalite movement attempted to achieve equity in the society by means of a mass movement and struggle, and they did achieve it to some extent but at the cost of the economic development of the state. There has been a range of violence which has had no direct consequence on the rights of people but invariably ended up harming masses by way of disruption in the elections, destruction of schools, trains and rail lines, etc.
Thus , in the conflict between the Naxalites and the government, it is the common man of the country who has to suffer. For the people of India, Naxalism is a curse which has created a havoc in their lives.
The total number of Naxal-related violent incidents during the last 6 years was 10,568 where 4,027 people were killed, which roughly translates into 1 person being killed for 2.6 incidents.
Chhattisgarh had the highest number of incidents and casualties followed by Jharkhand. Incidentally, out of 640 districts in India, around 87 districts (13.5%) faced Naxal violence. While 22 of them are in Jharkhand, 15 are in Chhattisgarh.
The central reason for the advancement of Naxalism is the vast exploitation of the poor and the scheduled castes. People, who have been displaced, should be given proper rehabilitation along with police protection. Security, as well as development, has to run hand in hand.
Thus, it is appropriate to say that Naxalite movement which started with the aim to bring the basic rights to the marginalised section of the society and equality and social justice for all, has turned into a curse for the society.
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