20 July 2024 – The Hindu

How To Deal With Left Wing Extremism in India

• The results of the recent Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh were heavily influenced by tribal votes. Since winning the support of the large tribal population—which accounted for 34% of the state’s total votes—often influences the formation of the regional government, political parties deliberately took this into account.
• Maoist insurgency is currently plaguing Chhattisgarh’s tribal areas, especially in Bastar, with tribals acting as the movement’s main source of support. These Maoist strongholds are designated as Schedule Five zones. Maoist demands for boycotts have frequently made elections in these areas more violent. The polls this year reflected the persistent difficulties caused by the Maoist insurgency in these areas, and they followed a similar pattern.

Left Wing Extremism: What Is It?

About:

• Radical left-wing movements and left-wing terrorism are other names for left-wing extremism, which is the term for political ideas and organisations that support revolutionary tactics in order to bring about substantial social and political change.
• To achieve their goals, LWE groups may target governmental organisations, law enforcement units, or private property.
• An insurrection in Naxalbari, West Bengal, in 1967 served as the impetus for the LWE movement in India.
• Existence of LWE in India: In 10 states and 90 districts, varied degrees of LWE are reported by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, and West Bengal are the states in question.
• The states that are most affected include Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Bihar, as these are the ones where LWE gangs are heavily present and frequently target both civilians and security personnel.

What Motivates Extremist Left-Wing?

• Inequitable Development: With high rates of poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, hunger, and social marginalisation, many of the LWE-affected districts are among the least developed in the nation.
• The LWE groups take advantage of the complaints of the underprivileged segments in society, particularly the tribes, who have had their land, forests, and mineral rights taken away from them by both public and private entities.
• Governance Deficit: Ineffective administration, governance, and service delivery plague the LWE-affected areas. The LWE organisations fill the void left by the frequently absent, shoddy, or weak state institutions.
• In addition, the LWE organisations utilise violence and intimidation to sabotage democratic procedures including panchayats, elections, and development plans.
• Ideological Appeal: The LWE organisations promote a radical ideology that opposes parliamentary democracy and calls for armed revolution, claiming to speak for the interests of the exploited and oppressed classes.
• The Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong’s teachings and the Communist Party of India’s (Marxist-Leninist) 1967 Naxalbari revolt serve as sources of inspiration for them.
• Additionally, a few LWE groups are connected to other radical and separatist movements both domestically and internationally.
• Cultural Displacement and Globalisation: The effects of globalisation, such as shifting cultural norms, can make people feel disoriented and alienated.
• Those who feel marginalised by these international influences may find a sense of identity and purpose in left-wing extremist movements.

What actions has the government taken?

Security Procedures:

• Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) Deployment: To conduct counterinsurgency operations and bolster police presence, the government has deployed CAPFs, such as the CRPF, BSF, and ITBP, in areas impacted by LWE.
• Boosting State Police: States are given financial and logistical help by the federal government to update their law enforcement agencies, enhance intelligence collection, and provide counterinsurgency training to their staff.
• Creation of specialised units: To conduct focused operations against Naxalite commanders and camps, specialised units such as Cobra Commandos and Greyhounds have been established.

Initiatives for Development:

• Integrated Development Projects: To address basic needs like healthcare and education in LWE-affected areas, as well as to improve infrastructure, the government has launched a number of programmes, such as the Pradhan Mantri Gramme Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and the Integrated Tribal Development Programme (ITDP).
• Programmes for skill development: To help young people in LWE-affected areas become employed and less vulnerable to Naxalite recruitment, the government offers skill development training.
• Promotion of sustainable livelihoods: Through forest-based activities and rural employment initiatives, programmes like MGNREGA and Van Dhan Vikas Kendras seek to provide tribal populations with sustainable living options.

Protecting Rights and Privileges:

• Land rights: The government is acting to resolve the problem of tribal communities’ land alienation, which is a primary source of Naxalite complaints.
• Forest rights: Through community forest management, the Forest Rights Act, 2006 seeks to empower tribal communities by acknowledging their traditional rights over forest resources.
• Grievance redressal mechanisms: To address local community concerns and guarantee the protection of their rights, the government has set up grievance redressal processes.

Additional Measures:

• Civic Action Programme (CAP): The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) receive funding allocations to implement a range of Civic Action Programmes in areas impacted by LWE.
• Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy: As part of the rehabilitation package, higher-ranking LWE cadres will receive an immediate grant of Rs. 2.5 lakh, while middle- and lower-ranking LWE cadres will receive Rs. 1.5 lakh. Both amounts will be kept in their names as fixed deposits, which they may withdraw after three years provided they behave well.
• In addition, they receive training in a skill or career of their choice and receive a monthly stipend of Rs. 4,000 for a period of three years.
• Samadhan Doctrine: There isn’t a magic bullet that can solve the LWE issue. At different levels, short-, medium-, and long-term plans must be developed for this.

Therefore, “SAMADHAN” represents:

• S: Astute Guidance
• A: Aggressive Manoeuvre
• M: Incentives and Instruction
• A: Applyable Knowledge
• D – Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Key Result Areas (KRAs) Based on Dashboards
• H – Making Use of Technology
• A-Action schedule for every theatre
• N: Inability to obtain financing
• SMART Police: An acronym for Strategic Management & Alternative Response Tactics, SMART Police describes how law enforcement uses data-driven strategies.
• By informing decision-making and resource allocation using data from a variety of sources—including social media, public feedback, crime statistics, and more—SMART Police seeks to enhance the effectiveness and quality of policing.
• In addition to police dispatch, SMART Police offers telephone reporting units, internet reports, and false alarm reduction as alternatives.

What effect have these measures had thus far?

• The violence associated with left-wing extremism has significantly decreased during the past eight years, as has the geographic reach of LWE.
• In comparison to 2013, there has been a decrease in events in 2022. There were 413 violent events committed by radical left-wingers in 2022–2023.
• Compared to 2013, the number of deaths linked to left-wing extremism has decreased by 75% (397 to 98) in 2022.
• Compared to 2021, the resulting deaths and injuries to security forces decreased by 33% and 68%, respectively, in 2022.

What more is the government supposed to do?

PESA Act’s Effective Implementation:

• Make sure that the provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA) are applied correctly and completely. This involves releasing precise policy guidelines to enable gramme sabhas in line with the Act’s intentions.
• Work to bring the Act into compliance with the historical and customary tribal way of life, and address the implementation inadequacies that have allowed the Maoists to take advantage of the situation.

Empowerment and Representation of Tribes:

• Encourage tribal leadership in a proactive manner by giving them a voice. Increasing representation in local political and governance systems can help achieve this.
• Recognise and respond to the goals of indigenous groups, making sure that programmes and policies are tailored to their particular requirements and viewpoints.

Programmes for Development:

• Implement focused development initiatives that tackle the socioeconomic problems indigenous people experience. This could involve the creation of jobs, healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
• Make sure that local communities are included in decision-making processes for development efforts.

Propaganda against the Maoists:

• Develop communication plans to refute Maoist propaganda and highlight the discrepancy between their words and deeds. Draw attention to situations where the Maoists’ goals conflict with the well-being of the local populace.
• Work together to disseminate factual information and refute false information by collaborating with influencers, local media, and community leaders.

Conflict resolution and negotiation:

• Look up ways to have civil discussions with the Maoist groups’ moderate factions. To develop long-lasting remedies, pinpoint and deal with the underlying causes of their dissatisfaction.
• Incorporate reputable local leaders, civil society organisations, and impartial mediators into peacebuilding initiatives.

Protection of Human Rights:

• Make sure that human rights are protected, especially in areas where there is conflict. The rule of law should guide any security measures implemented, and efforts should be made to reduce civilian casualties and collateral damage.

Long-range Strategic Planning:

• Create a thorough, long-term plan with an emphasis on inclusive government, social justice, and sustainable development. The goal of this strategy is to deal with the fundamental problems that fuel the insurgency.

Way Forward:

• The administration is putting plans into action to combat left-wing extremism. The Union Home Ministry claims that left-wing extremism in India is nearing the end of its existence and would be completely eliminated in the next two years. The deployment of central forces against Maoists, the simplification of development initiatives, and the establishment of security camps in areas where administrative penetration has proven difficult are among the top government priorities.