The term naxalites is used for Indian Maoists or communism seeking terrorists. The term came from Naxalbari, an underdeveloped village in West Bengal where the movement is said to have begun. With an ideology which appealed to an intellectual mind and compassionate heart, it lured many a rich and educated youngsters in the organisation, especially in WB (where every man who can just about read and write thinks of himself as someone worthy of a Noble or knighthood, if given a chance). With the young blood pumping rearing to rebel and the spread pf communism around the globe, the ideas were easy to believe too.
All this made the Naxals quite a nuisance back then. But the times were different. From what I understand, police brutalities, although prevelant, did not create a lump in the dog's thorat which keeps a watch on human rights. The political parties and media too were unequivocal in their stand against the Naxalites. This gave the govt. a good support and it dealt with the problem with an iron fist, knocking it down for a good 20 years. The only mistake, perhaps, was that they failed to crush it completely. But a govt. cannot order mass executions.
Times have changed. The movement has changed course. What was an ideology driven movement has now disintegrated in to terrorist outfits who harrass and torture the upper class for their bread and butter. The ideology is pretty much lost with the fall of communism, the learned ones rather had the free market take care of the poor. In spite of all this, the Naxalites are stronger than ever, whether in numbers or affected area.
This should not have happened, in spite of the Chinese money allegedly pouring in. But we are not what we were back then. These days, every action has a multitude of reactions and barring one, all are opposite ones. Suppose the army storms and shoots down a few at a Naxal camp. Apart from the ruling party, it will be criticised by everyone in the assembly. The media will raise a hulabaloo about a milkman who died in the crossfire, pressurising the govt. to take full responsibility and compensating its family. The human rights' people will slogan-shout their lungs out and the Madhur Bhandarkar or Nandita Das will make a film about it portraying Naxals as the Robinhoods and police as the villians.
Add to the mix a govt, which talks more and does a tad less, and you have a rather dangerous situation on hand. Mr. Chidambaram has been reminding us about th threat the Naxalites are to us for sometime now but has not quite achieved a lot. I don't understand why he even needs to declare a war on them. It's a job best done quietly. Just keep going after them and just show us the result. All this talking just seems to have reached those terrorists and might have made them feel that they needed to end a message. I hence think that today's hijack scare had more than a little to do with Chidambaram's statements.
PS: Just to emphasise on my point of hostil reactions to anything govt; there wasn't a single movie made on Naxalism until 1998. Since then, there have been at least 3. Needless to say, all of them take a sympathetic look at them.
Bizzarre Bihanis
Me: Dad, I should gift a note counter. Will give you some rest. (He's in to a business which involves a lot of cash dealings, but not so much cash :( unfortunately )
Dad: You just gift me notes. Lemme worry about the counting.
8 comments:
When you find time, read this book called Red Sun.
I would like a thoughtful person like you to read (and read real books) than listen others speak stuff about Naxalism.
Poor don't real care whether the free market takes care of them or a communist government that controls everything takes care of them. But poor do mind when nobody takes care of them.
IMHO, the issue is not about "crushing" naxalism. The issue is about taking care of the poor and listening to them and succeeding in entrusting faith in them towards the government. Untill that happens, naxalism wil survive.
Bizzare bihani's: LOL!! sometimes i read your posts just for them ;)
@Amrit: You are right in pointing out the real problem here. But what I am trying to emphasise here is that it is not a movement anymore, with the actual cause lost and the unpreviliged only being used and paid for supplies and shelter. In that sense, this is something analogous to the Veerappan-led sandalwood smuggling.
Also, call me selfish but I am more concerned about my own safety than the emancipation of the lower class and hence prefer calling them terrorists than anything that's a little more politically correct.
@Pratyu: People around me have a better sense of humor than what I possess
finally something out of the creepy cricket posts...this a real piece.you are totally right. things and situation have changed. i agree that poverty is an issue and lets face it that it thats its going to be there. but that doesnt mean every poor guy will become terrorist or naxalite...crush the movement first and lets discuss their social issues later.
especially in WB (where every man who can just about read and write thinks of himself as someone worthy of a Noble or knighthood, if given a chance)...lolax!!
@Janwar
Yes you are right. The cause is lost. Those Naxalite leaders who have tasted power, are definitely not going to shed weapons even if government tries its best to do something for the poor.
In such a case, I think the government needs to do the following "in parallel or at least with a marginal time-lag": 1. kill everyone who doesn't surrender and 2. start development in these areas as fast as possible - so that it becomes extremely difficult for the next batch of Naxalite leaders to start off this shit again.
@Amrit: You just put in words what i was thinking. But, as I pointed out, going after them is a lot more complicated now given the mess, political and otherwise.
I just heard that Shibu Soren ( JMM Supremo, tainted ex-minister) advised them to contest elections.
Trivia: Mithun Chakraborty is allegedly a Naxalite who absconded
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