08 April 2025 : Daily Answer Writing

Q1) India’s response to left wing extremism needs to integrate soft approaches like socio-economic policies and dialogue along with hard security measures to address the root causes of Naxalism. Discuss.(15 marks, 250 words)

ANSWER

• Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) has been a persistent challenge in India, stemming from the Naxalbari movement that emerged in the 1960s. According to a recent report from the MHA, there were 77 percent fewer Naxal attacks in the nation between 2009 and 2021. 
• Recently, 29 most wanted Maoists were also killed in Bastar by armed forces. However, Naxals are still active in Chhattisgarh, some districts of Jharkhand, Telangana, Odisha, and Maharashtra. 
• Addressing this issue requires a multi-faceted approach that integrates both hard security measures and soft developmental approaches.

REASONS FOR LEFT WING EXTREMISM

1. Tribal Discontent:
2. The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 has been used to target tribals, who depend on forest produce for their living.
3. Massive displacement of tribal population in the Naxalism-affected states due to development projects, mining operations and other reasons.
4. Poor implementation of Recognition Of Forest Rights Act and eviction of the land ceiling were other reasons.
5. Lack of Livelihood: Such people who do not have any source of living are taken into Naxalism by Maoists. Maoists provide arms and ammunition and money to such people.
6. Governance-related issues:
7. Government measures its success on the basis of the number of violent attacks rather than the development done in the Naxal-affected areas.
8. Absence of strong technical intelligence to fight with Naxalites.
9. Infrastructural problems: For instance, some villages are not yet connected properly with any communication network.
10. No Follow-Up from Administration: It is seen that even after police take hold of a region, the administration fails to provide essential services to the people of that region.
11. Exploitation and oppression of dalits, adivasis and landless people, living in interior areas due to feudal agrarian system and strong interface of caste and class.
12. Total alienation of the population: Due to virtual absence of health care, drinking water, roads, electricity and educational facilities in the interior areas, the people from these regions feel alienated from the Government machinery.
13. Inadequate Police Force, in all the Naxal affected districts: The density of police force per sq km is just about 30 per cent of the average need. Not only this, the training and equipment profile, which goes to create the desired capability and capacity of the security force, is far from satisfactory.
14. Naxalites are able to raise adequate funds for their cadres and other needs. It is estimated that their annual income runs into nearly 14 billion rupees.
15. Support from tribals: the tribal population is the biggest supporter of the Naxal regime and there is only one reason that can be attributed for the same.

INTEGRATION OF HARD AND SOFT APPROACH TO TACKLE LWE:

The above reasons necessitate the integration of hard security and soft approaches to effectively tackle the problem of LWE. In order to holistically address the LWE problem in an effective manner, the Government has formulated a National Policy and Action Plan adopting a multi-pronged strategy in the areas of security, development, ensuring rights & entitlement of local communities, etc.

HARD SECURITY MEASURES:

• Offensive strategy: In 2022, security forces achieved unprecedented success in Operation Octopus, Operation Double Bull, and Operation Chakrabandha in the fight against LWE.
• Government started controlling arms supply to Maoists, Joint Task Forces along inter-State boundaries, Stricter implementation of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to choke funding to LWE groups.
• Providing helicopters for anti-naxal operations, assistance in training of State Police through the Ministry of Defence, the Central Police Organisations and the Bureau of Police Research and Development.
• MHA is supporting the State Governments extensively by way of deployment of CAPF Battalions, provision of helicopters and UAVs and sanction of India Reserve Battalions (IRBs)/ Special India Reserve Battalions (SIRBs).
• Black Panther combat force – A specialized anti-Naxal combat force for Chhattisgarh on the lines of Greyhounds units in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
• Bastariya Battalion – A newly formed battalion of CRPF with more than 534 tribal youth from four highly naxal infested districts of Chhattisgarh along with adequate female representation in sync with the Government’s policy of 33% reservation for women making it the first composite battalion in any of paramilitary forces.
• A process has also been initiated to create a separate vertical in the NIA for investigating important cases relating to Left Wing Extremism (LWE).
• Raising of specialized security agency: Government raised battalions like Bastariya battalion, DRG, CoBRA, Greyhounds who are specialized in naxals counter attacks.
• SAMADHAN doctrine: It is the one-stop solution for the LWE problem. It encompasses the entire strategy of the government from short-term policy to long-term policy formulated at different levels to deal with LWE.

DEVELOPMENTAL AND SOFT APPROACH:

• Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme: This Scheme is being implemented as a sub-scheme of the Umbrella Scheme ‘Modernization of Police Forces’. Under the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme, the Central Government reimburses security related expenditure for LWE affected districts.
• Special Central Assistance (SCA) for most LWE affected districts: The main objective of the Scheme is to fill the critical gaps in Public Infrastructure and Services in most LWE affected districts, which are of emergent nature.
• Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS): Under the scheme funds are provided to States for strengthening the infrastructure related to Security. Under the scheme projects/works worth Rs. 1741 crore have been sanctioned. These sanctioned works include 306 Fortified Police Stations, of which 206 have been constructed.
• Media Plan: Under the scheme activities like Tribal Youth Exchange programmes organised by NYKS, radio jingles, documentaries, pamphlets etc. are being conducted. Rs. 44.61 crore have been released under the scheme since 2017-18.
• Road Requirement Plan-I (RRP-I) for LWE affected areas: This Scheme is being implemented by Ministry of Road Transport & Highways for improving road connectivity in 34 LWE affected districts of 8 States i.e. Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh.
• LWE Mobile Tower Project: To improve mobile connectivity in the LWE areas, the Government on 20.08.2014 approved installation of mobile towers in LWE affected States and 2343 mobile towers have been installed in Phase-I. Under Phase-II of the project 2542 Towers are under installation.
• Aspirational District Programme: The Ministry of Home Affairs has been tasked with the monitoring of Aspirational districts programme in 35 LWE affected districts.
• Skill Development related Schemes: ROSHNI Scheme (Ministry of Rural Development) is a special initiative under Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana which envisages training and placement of rural poor youth from 27 LWE affected districts.
• Constructively engaging youth through education: Seeing the success of the educational hub and a livelihood centre in Dantewada district, the government has now opened up livelihood centres, known as Livelihood Colleges, in all the districts.

WAY FORWARD:

• As per the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India ‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ are state subjects and therefore, it is the primary duty of the State Governments to prevent, detect, register and investigate crime and prosecute the criminals.
• It is a widely accepted principle in Counter-Maoist strategy, the war against Left Wing Extremism can be won by the state police and not central forces. This is because the state police have local knowledge, understand the language, and have local networks that are essential for the generation of intelligence.
• Providing Economical Encouragement to the Tribal Communities: A feasible solution for inclination of the tribal community towards the naxalites can include providing the tribal people with a much higher level of economic and political security as compared to what the naxalites have to offer. The Maoists must be compelled to give up their armed struggle and this can only happen if the tribal people and civil society activists promoting peace are also empowered.
• Strengthening Constitutional and Civil Rights: The government should enhance the effectiveness of legislation and protections related to the constitutional and civil rights of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to safeguard them against exploitation.
• Accessible Land Policies: Measures could be taken to make land-related policies more accessible to vulnerable sections of the agrarian society. This would ensure that beneficial land policies are implemented, improving food and livelihood security and reducing the likelihood of extremism.
• Monitoring Policy Implementation: Continuous monitoring should be undertaken to ensure the proper implementation of policies such as the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) 2005, Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006, and National Rehabilitation & Resettlement Policy 2007. This would help identify any gaps or challenges and allow for timely adjustments.

Read More – 07 April 2025 : Daily Answer Writing