Internal security:Naxalism by danish farooq

This blog shall be divided into three parts

1.introduction

2.causes of naxalism

3.conclusion

Introduction: Naxalism is an issue 8prevalent in India of which few are aware of. Even media is highlighting only terrorism in kashmir.But if we look naxalism is a serious threat than terrorism in kashmir. Naxalism is prevalent in near about thirteen states of India they are named as red corridor (assam, mizoram, tripura, west Bengal, tamilnadu, kerla, chhattisgarh etc.  

  

The roots of Naxalism go back to the 1967 uprising of peasants in Naxalbari, West Bengal’s feudal society. Oppressive feudal lords, also known as Jotedars, owned land and landless peasants and farmers worked on them for little to no reward. Leading up to the uprising, Jotedars tried to manipulate land records to deceive farmers but the tipping point for the Naxalbari uprising was when on March 23 sharecropper, Bigul Kisan, was beaten up by the local Jotedar for ploughing a patch of land.

The next day, inspector Sonam Wangdi was killed with a sea of arrows. On May 25, the struggle intensified and the police, perhaps in an attempt to pacify the situation, allegedly killed nine women and children

In the months that followed, the struggle swept West Bengal and peasants took up firearms and looted Jotedars and used force to occupy land. A similar peasant uprising followed in Srikkakulam of Telengana region of Andhra Pradesh led by C. Pulla Reddy.

naxalism was organized by charu mazumdar and kani sanyal and they formed CPI(M) In 1967

Both the movements found their inspiration in from the success of the Communist Movement in China and Russia.

Causes of naxalism

The Naxal affected areas are tribal dominated districts in the interiors of the states where the administrative architecture and development has not reached. The discontent among the population of these areas is on the matters of rights to lands, forests, mining, development and the caste based discrimination. Naxalism is the outcome of a number of various factors political and economical in nature as discussed below:

Political Factors

• Emergence of the movement coincided with the formation of the first United Front Government in West Bengal (1967) with CPI (M) as its main constituent. The movement thus received increasing official support, attention and press coverage in those times.
• The movement was influenced with the political ideology of Chinese Communist Party and Mao Zedong. They used slogans such as “China’s path is our path; China’s Chairman is our Chairman”. However, this ideological inclination to China faded away later. Today, the Naxalite groups are no more having the same perceptions. However, their commitment to Maoism remains as it was earlier.
• The Naxalbari movement began as an armed peasants uprising. The insensitive nature and apathy of the political system towards tribals remained one of the most important factors that led to such uprisings.
• The most important political factor for rise of Naxalism is the inability of the legitimate political authority in India to provide avenues for structural uplift to the deprived sections of society in the affected states. There are some areas where there is absolutely no civil administration or police.
• The Naxalites operate in a vacuum created by administrative and political institutions, espouse local demands, take advantage of the discontent prevalent among the exploited sections of the population and seeks to offer an alternative system of governance that promises emancipation of these segments from the clutches of the exploiter classes through the barrel of gun.

Economic factors

• Problem of poverty and economic inequality and underdevelopment in the naxal affected regions.
• Skewed distribution of land and economic growth.
• Encroachment of forest lands by and wealth controlled by contractor-politician nexus.
• Entry of mining companies in Tribal lands and forests, posing threat to the livelihood of the tribals.
• Indigenous tribal population deprived of their lands, uprooted from their traditional source of livelihood. Globalization accused to have led many MNCs making inroads in tribal areas owing to their resource richness. The benefits of the resource exploitation are not passed on the tribals.
• Well knitted linkage between the illegal mining industry in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand which results in a lucrative source of earning for the Naxal leadership and cadres.
• The tribal villages have no medial facilities, no schools, low literacy, and high poverty.
• The Naxalite cadre base is formed of tribals, lower castes from India’s poorest communities, form the Naxals’ cadre base. Naxalite movement is supported by the grievances of the tribals and the dalits.

CONCLUSION:When the world was fighting with corona naxalites attack a petrol party of crpf jawans and martyred 17 bravehearts. 

naxalism is a serious threat to internal security of India. It must be dealt seriously.

..... You can reach the author at dfarooqbhat@gmail.com