There is a conflict going on between the Maoist groups (known as Naxalites or Naxals) and the Indian government for some time now. This conflict began in 2004 with the formation of the “CPI-Maoists” (a rebel group). The armed wing of the Naxalite Maoists is called the PLGA (Peoples Liberation Guerrilla Army). In 2005, talks between the Andhra Pradesh government and the CPI-Maoists dropped down and the rebels accused the government for not considering their demands like release of prisoners and redistribution of land and more.
The Naxalite Maoist insurgency gained media attention internationally after the 2013 Naxal attack in Darbha valley, which resulted in the deaths of around 24 Indian National Congress leaders, including the former state minister Mahendra Karma and the Chhattisgarh Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel. This completely shook the political system.
The killing of 15 central and state police officers in Chhattisgarh recently is the latest addition to the gruesome loss owing to India’s anti-Maoist counter insurgency. The Maoists are not only targeting the nation’s security forces but are going after innocent civilians as well.
For quite some time now, we have been hearing the Indian government talking of Naxalism and Maoism in serious terms, even labeled them as the greatest threat for the nation. Yet the efforts to fight it have not been up to the mark. It is high time for the government to act. Our police force, the center and the state government need to change their attitude towards this horrendous issue.
Both central and state government need to give special packages to CRPF and Police of Naxal affected states to improve military technology by giving advance arms and ammunition to counter such attacks of Maoists. Soldiers must be specialized in handling Maoists activity. More intelligence services must be set up in Naxal affected states. State government should employ intelligence forces to help pass warning signals to our military forces.
In addition to this, the state Governments should also continue dialogues with the Maoists and bring about change in their attitude and approach towards the establishment. The eye for eye policy is not the answer for this knotty issue.
The politicization of such killings must stop. State government must initiate dialogues through human activists (those who support Maoists) and centre must help States to handle armed Maoists who are threatening our internal security. All this needs to be done in a way, which does not offend them any further.
