- And rising Indian extremism
Maoist or Naxalite insurgency is an ongoing conflict between Maoist groups, known as Naxalites or Naxals, and the Indian government. The conflict, in its present form, began after the 2004 formation of the Communist Party of India (CPI), a rebel group composed of the PWG (People’s War Group) and the MCC (Maoist Communist Centre). The government of India has a two pronged policy to deal with the insurgents. It cracks down on them with brute force as well as conduct negotiations for peace.
In January 2005 talks between the Andhra Pradesh state government and the CPI-Maoists broke down and the rebels accused authorities of not addressing their demands for a written truce, release of prisoners and redistribution of land. The ongoing conflict has taken place over a vast territory (around half of India’s 29 states) with hundreds of people being killed annually in clashes between the CPI-Maoists and the government every year since 2005. The armed wing of the Naxalite–Maoists is called the PLGA (Peoples Liberation Guerrilla Army) and is estimated to have between 6,500 and 9,500 cadres, mostly armed with small arms.
The Naxalites control territory throughout Bihar, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh states and claim to be supported by the poorest of the rural population, especially the Adivasis. According to a study carried out by the newspaper The Times of India, 58pc of people surveyed in the state of Andhra Pradesh, have a positive perception of the guerrilla, against only 19pc against it. The Naxalites have frequently targeted tribal, police and government workers in what they say is a fight for improved land rights and more jobs for neglected agricultural labourers and the poor. The Naxalites claim that they are following a strategy of rural rebellion similar to a protracted people’s war against the government.
It is indeed a cause for concern that rising extremism in India is targeting the minorities, especially the Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and even low caste Hindus the Dalit
It is more worrisome for India as well as international observers that most of the troubled Red Belt as it is known as runs through some of Indian nuclear installations, which face the risk of pilferage of nuclear material by the insurgents. Falling into wrong hands, the nuclear material can be a threat to the region and the world.
Earlier attempts at appeasement of the rebels include the February 2009, Indian central government announcement of a new nationwide initiative, to be called the “Integrated Action Plan” (IAP) for broad, coordinated operations aimed at dealing with the Naxalite problem in all affected states, namely (Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal). This plan included funding for grass-roots economic development projects in Naxalite-affected areas, as well as increased special police funding for better containment and reduction of Naxalite influence.
In August 2010, after the first full year of implementation of the national IAP program, Karnataka was removed from the list of Naxal-affected states. In July 2011, the number of Naxal-affected areas was reduced to (83 districts across nine states. In December 2011, the national government reported that the number of Naxalite related deaths and injuries nationwide had gone down by nearly 50pc from 2010 levels.
The Naxalite–Maoist insurgency gained international media attention after the 2013 Naxal attack in Darbha Valley 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.
On 22-23 April 2018, at least 39 Maoists were killed in an alleged encounter with Indian Security Forces in district Gadchiroli on the north bank of river Indrāvati that divides Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh. The Maoists accepting the loss have vowed to take revenge. Local human rights organisations have raised questions on the authenticity of the Gadchiroli incident mentioning that not a single police personnel has received injuries. They have termed it a planned mass murder and a cold-blooded killing of Maoists. Mass killings of Maoists by Indian security forces are going unnoticed in international media.
On the other hand, rising extremism in India can be gauged from a report titled “Pluralism vs Exclusionism—the Case of Rising Extremism in India”. This report was presented during an international seminar organized by the Institute of Policy Studies on 22 February 2018. The speakers’ including a prominent Indian journalist, Syed Iftikhar Gilani, who delivered a presentation on “Growing Extremism in India: Glimpses and Impressions”. Reportedly, the presentation was not well received in India and Indian Foreign Office Joint Secretary and Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar summoned DNA (Indian based newspaper) editor in-Chief Dwapaian Bose and lodged protest against Iftikhar Gilani’s presentation at IPS.
The salient features of the presentation by the Indian journalist comprised the fact that India is spreading hate based ideology and Hindutva extremism under the present government. Amendments are being undertaken in text books and school syllabi to tarnish Muslim leaders’ image. The central government is also removing traces of Mughal rule in India and Portraying Christians as anti-nationals.
The seminar itself was hard hitting as burning topics were discussed, including ‘Extremism in India: Faces and Dimensions’; ‘Rising Hindutva: The Concept and Genesis’; ‘Growing Extremism in India: Glimpses and Impressions’; ‘Factors Contributing towards Rising Extremism in India’; ‘Indian Politics Rising Hindutva: Facts and Global Dimensions’; and ‘Responses from Within and Outside’.
The participants highlighted the impending threat from Hindutva, which is paving its way by employing the policy of extremism and weakening Pakistan’s economy. Iftikhar Gilani informed that Hindutva has permeated in Indian internal politics, whereby, Muslims are getting the short end of the stick and are facing ethnic cleansing.
It is indeed a cause for concern that rising extremism in India is targeting the minorities, especially the Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and even low caste Hindus the Dalit.
The extremism has reached a new peak under the reign of Narendra Modi, who is a rabid Muslim baiter. During his rule as chief minister of the Indian state of Gujarat, organised riots were orchestrated to massacre over 2000 Muslims in 2002. Although eye witnesses said that the Chief Minister Modi was involved in using state apparatus to aid and abet the rioters and the state police made no efforts to stop the wanton killing yet the law courts absolved Modi of responsibility for choreographing the genocide.
The same Hindu extremist, Narendra Modi is at the helm of affairs in India, where as prime minister, he has given a free rein to Hindu extremists to target and annihilate Muslims and other minorities.