State exists as machinery which brings about positive changes in the life of its citizens. Most of the time this duty of state is not fulfilled properly because either there is lack of resources or the policy formulation is faulty. As the demands of all groups of citizens are not addressed adequately it leads to a situation of discontent among the citizens. This discontent of citizens is either with the agencies of state like government, bureaucracy or judiciary or is with the state itself. Whenever there is discontent with the agencies of the state, people opt for the option of agitations which are comparatively peaceful and are focused on forcing the state to change its policies or reorganize the structure of agencies of the state. The bandhs, dharnas or the strikes are the techniques used to show discontent towards government policies and governmental agencies.
Sometimes the discontent is not with the policies or agencies of the state, but on the contrary, a group of people consider the state itself as a failure and try to establish a new state either through popular consensus or through use of sheer force. Such groups or individuals are in favour of extensive use of violence to dismantle state agencies and re-establish a new state with some different basis. One such stream of citizens in this world community is the Marxist. They criticize the very basic notion of state as an institution because it is based on the principle of violence and suppression. To make individual capable of attaining most appropriate level of development they advocate for a stateless society attained through the means of Revolution (which could be violent if necessary). Mao, who used the principles of Marxism to develop his own thesis of revolution, is most prominent figure for most of communists of 20th century. Using the technique of Guerrilla warfare Mao took over the power in China from Chyang Kai-shek and created a new people’s republic in China on communist lines. After 1950s most of the leftist groups who supported violence as the only means of establishing communist state felt proud to be called as Maoist.
The Communist Party of India in 1948 utilized the prevailing poverty to organize a movement against the state authority. By July 1948, 2,500 villages in the south were organized into 'communes' as part of a peasant movement which came to be known as Telangana Struggle. Simultaneously the famous Andhra Thesis for the first time demanded that 'Indian revolution' follow the Chinese path of protracted people's war. In June 1948, a leftist ideological document 'Andhra Letter' laid down a revolutionary strategy based on Mao Tse-tung’s New Democracy. By the year 1964 CPM (Communist Party of India, Marxist) split from CPI and decided to participate in elections, postponing armed struggle over revolutionary policies to a day when revolutionary situation prevailed in the country. The decade of 1960s was very eventful. Charu Majumdar was actively advocating the need of a revolution through his various articles, which were later on known as 'Historic Eight Documents' and formed the basis of Naxalite movement in India. In the year 1967 CPM formed a coalition government in West Bengal with the support of Bangla Congress. This was seen as betrayal from ideology by the young cadres. The rebel cadres led by Charu Majumdar launch a peasants' uprising at Naxalbari in Darjeeling district of West Bengal after a tribal youth, who had a judicial order to plough his land, was attacked by "goons" of local landlords on March 2nd, 1967. Tribals retaliated and started forcefully capturing back their lands. The CPI (M)-led United Front government cracked down on the uprising and in 72 days of the "rebellion" a police sub-inspector and nine tribals were killed. The Congress government at the Centre supported the crackdown. The incident echoed throughout India and Naxalism was born.
From just one state in 1967, Naxal violence is now hitting 11 states in India. The rebels in these states are trying there level best to destroy the state machinery in the region with the use of brutal force. The Naxalites are problem for India’s internal security because to destabilize the state machinery and law and order of the region they target offices and families of the government employees. And most drastic truth is that not less than about 60% of the victims of such violence are common innocent citizens.
Until a few years from now, it was maintained by all groups of thinkers (be it rightist, leftist or centrist) that Naxalism (the indigenous name for Maoism) is result of well planned efforts of the extreme leftist who want to bring about Communist rule through violence. And should be simply seen as an effort to destabilize the authority of the state thus Naxalism is nothing else but a challenge to the internal security of Indian State. But most of the studies made about violent movements show that these kinds of movements spread because of existence of factors like acute poverty, severe disparities in living standards, lack of economic and livelihood opportunities and being treated as offenders and even criminals when they exercise their traditional rights. Concerned about the growth of Naxalism as a violent movement most of the social scientists started studying Naxalism in a different manner. If we see the major Naxalism hit areas it is the part of country with huge tribal population who are less concerned with Commune state. Major concern for them is that they should be given chances to enter in the main stream of growth and progress of our country. They should get proper education, medication and corruption free governance which is still a dream to be realized in several areas of that region. And Naxalism was seen as a problem spreading due to the lacunae in the implementation as well as policy formation of governmental machinery.
Today most popular thesis behind the spread of Naxal violence establishes that Naxalism aroused and sustained only because the state failed to reach the neediest ones. If those people are given their due justice and proper care then they may leave the path of violence and peace could be attained. This theory gained momentum after July 2006, when Planning Commission set up a 16 member expert group headed by D. Bandhopadhyay, Chairman of Council for Social Development, to study the causes of Naxalism.
The government opted for the policies of Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization after 1991. All economic reforms since 1991 are centred on single concern and that is reduction of role of state and shift from welfare state to minimal state. It has been maintained that after 1991, government expenditure on public welfare has reduced and open market policies, SEZ etc have led to a situation in which the people of backward areas are remaining backward where as people in developed areas are growing with a faster speed than ever. The main concern of governmental policies after 1991 are, not the poor or the middle class but the propertied rich people, the capitalists and industrialists only. This theory holds fast because of the reason that it is not a coincidence that Naxal infested states have large tribal populations with poor infrastructure. Corruption, displacement due to large scale projects, inability to avail of benefits from mining of mineral resources, and exploitation by local officials add to increased resentment and increased reception to Naxal propaganda.
Question here is simple and that is what can be done in order to make sure that this big problem fails to flourish and grow in Indian state. Unlike jihad, Naxalism is a totally indigenous phenomenon motivated by domestic grievances and a domestic political agenda. Keeping in view that Naxalism is not merely a law & order problem, the policy of the Govt. is to address this menace simultaneously on political security, development and public perception management fronts in a holistic manner.
A few remedies could be proposed for such a big crisis
1. Socio-economic issues:
The State Governments will need to accord a higher priority in their annual plans to ensure faster socio- economic development of the naxal affected areas. The focus areas should be to distribute land to the landless poor as part of the speedy implementation of the land reforms, ensure development of physical infrastructure like roads, communication, power etc. and provide employment opportunities to the youth in these areas.
2. Employment Opportunities
In order to wean away the potential youth from the path to militancy or Naxalism, employment opportunities has to be created in the naxal areas.
3. Modernization of State Police
Adequate funds must be spent by the States and Centre to modernize their police forces in terms of modern weaponry, latest communication equipment, mobility and other infrastructure to cater the threat posed by left extremists.
4. Strengthen intelligence set-up
Maoist terrorism cannot be effectively countered without modernising and strengthening our rural policing and the rural presence of the intelligence agencies. Govt. has to pursue effective and sustained intelligence driven police action against Naxalites.
5. Rehabilitation
To bring Naxalites back to the main stream of the society, effective surrender and rehabilitation policy has to be encouraged, which ensures a safe and honoured entry of Naxalites in the socio-economic structure of our country. The rehabilitation should be competent enough to make them feel proud for opting the path of peace and their faith in democracy should be rewritten with their participation.
6. Effective monitoring mechanism
The Central Government has to accords a very high priority to review and monitor the naxal situation and the measures being taken by the states on both security and development fronts to control it. Naxalism being an inter–state problem, the states will adopt a collective approach and pursue a coordinated response to counter it.
Conclusion:
Naxalism grows only when government fails to develop a framework for inclusive growth. So curbing Naxalism is possible only if state as an actor ensures its effective presence among the life of people who are lagging behind in the journey of growth and progress. Presence of state in true sense means corruption free governance with a scheme for development of the poorest and the neediest; so that grievances are addressed before they breed unrest and disloyalty towards state system and democracy. And with a system competent enough to yield growth, progress, development and well-being for those who were excluded from the mainstream; Naxalism or any such kind of violent agitation against State could be curbed comfortably.
