'Left wing' extremist - my take

Supreme Court just few days ago gave the verdict on Salwa Judum. Supreme court was right. State have a duty towards every citizen and cannot arm one citizen against another. The reactions to it were as usual, predictable. And that is where, in my opinion, needs a new thinking.

  Supreme Court said in their judgement that the naxalism or Maoist problem is not just law and order problem, but is caused by development deficit in the area. While Govt's policy is almost on the same line and many experts have supported it, I am going to say just the opposite. I am going to argue that the problem should be treated as one of the law and order one and Govt should try to avoid linking it to the ideology. Let us see why.

   The leadership of left wing extremist was since earliest time was provided by highly educated urban youth who one day happened to discover the "Real India". These youth leaders and ideologues of left wing extremism, from Charu Majumdar  Nagi Reddy, D. V. Rao , Pulla Reddy , Vinod Mishra to the most recent one Kobad Ghandi had one thing in common. They were all urban educated, sensitive idealists (Charu's father was renowned freedom fighter of the area) and got suddenly attracted towards left wing extremism. The movement took different forms in east and central India and had it's fortunes fluctuating, but it never died down completely because it got new blood and brain every now and then. This is because the ideology never die.

If govt continues to portray the movement as left wing, it will continue to get the support from the urban educated people and the universities will continue to produce the brains for future leadership.While criticizing them, it is important to note that what these urban educated people are supporting is not the mass murderers but ideology, the ideology of egalitarianism, the sensitivity towards the poor. They do not support the killings, by any side, but then, they will certainly take side of poor people against what they feel as a corrupt govt bent on looting these poor.

While media and political parties continue to give due importance to this issue, the fact is that the reactions from political parties are almost always, predictable, along their ideological lines. If they criticise the 'Maoists' for killing people and policemen, they forget to criticise police excess and vice versa. The problem is not solved, but it is then mired into controversies about ideologies and the see saw battle between 'Maoists'  and security establishment continues depending on which ideology helds sway at the Centre.

What we need is 'de-linking'  the "armed extremism in the central India against government machinery" from ideological support.

   Lets stop calling it "left winged" , as practically there is nothing 'left' in their behavior. They abduct people, blasts schools, spread fear in the minds of people, extort money, kill people using landmines and explosives, which, as you know, doesn't only kill people of one ideology only. The abduction of the IAS officer in Odisha who was known to work for poor people with extreme determination is one such example of so called 'left' wing thinking.The recent reports of some type of linkage between Jehadi elements and so called Maoists hardly qualify them for being a left group.

   All they do is with just one objective in their minds.. anti-government thinking.  They will oppose anything and everything government say and do. This shows that they really have a political goal in mind.

    While exposing the so called Maoists , it is also important to criticise government's follies.. Like high handed behavior of security forces, most of which not well trained,  in the area and the disregard for tribal poor. Due credence should be given to legitimate grievances of the local population i.e. tribal. The PESA (Panchayats (Extention to Scheduled Areas) Act) should be implemented in letter and spirit. Tribals should have a greater say in their affairs.

Government have to expose the Maoist from the ideological cover that they have used all these years. This, they can do by championing the cause of tribals, by giving legitimate space for their grievances to be heard. In this process, many people may leave the fold of shoddy organisations and embrace the mainstream. This is important and must be highlighted as it will help more defections in the future. 

Also, by championing the cause and exposing the Maoists as just another miscreants, who don't have anything with the ideology, we can stop the supply of new brains to their organisations.

  If we want to see the end of armed struggle in the immediate future, it is important to deny them any legitimacy or cover of ideology. Otherwise the war will continue forever as ideologies never die.