RED STORM RISING

RED STORM RISING

The slow but continuous rise of Ultra Leftist-Naxalite movement in India’s hinterland bodes ill for the country’s largely peaceful democratic traditions.

In the last few months certain states of India mainly Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand, west Bengal, Bihar, Madhya-Pradesh, Orrisa, Andra-Pradesh etc have seen an exponential rise in the aggressions of Ultra Leftist Marxist Maoist movement chiefly led by Naxalism. These attacks have targeted both the civilians and police forces and have gradually reached to a near alarming level. So much so that a prominent expert in the Ministry of Defence has apprehended the possibility of a Naxalite takeover of the Indian nation by the year 2050.

Naxalisms, like all ultra Marxist militant movements is strongly anti-capitalist and anti rich. The Naxalite movement is a broad umbrella for the numerous leftist terrorist organizations. The Maoist of Bihar and Jharkhand are their closest ideological siblings. This movement dreams to establish a communist state in India.

Though the movement has been in existence for at least last 3-4 decades, but what is worrying the establishment is the substantial increase in its support base over a short period of time. The most committed and loyal supporters of Naxalism obviously are the impoverished, exploited and helpless tribals, this is the reason why it is so strong in the Chota Nagpur and it’s surrounding regions now lexiconed as the red corridor.

India, the land of poverty and misery, will obviously have lot of scope for Ultra Leftism. This movement basically in cashes the frustrations of the common people with their lives in general, which is directed as a seething anger and hostility towards the Indian nation state.

THE RISE OF THE ULTRA LEFT

India is a vast vast country, where by world standards at least 70-75% of the population lives in some or the other form of economic deprivation. Though economic growth and development have accelerated over the last two decades, but it has hardly reached the vast multitude of the common masses. Like the proselytizing religions of Christianity and Islam, Ultra Left extremism also promises a dream to its follower. Albeit an economic dream, the vision of classless society, a world where there no rich and poor, all are equal and there is no exploitation.

Some may argue that Communism has failed worldwide as a political system and economic philosophy, thus Naxalism would always remain on the fringes of Indian society and never be able to occupy the centre stage. But this premise seems to be unlikely, the movement is gaining ground at a very fast pace, particularly among the disadvantaged communities and vulnerable sections of society. Modern history is replete with examples where nations have been won over by ideological groups which were, strictly speaking in a numerical minority.

And there is a strong possibility as the movement gains momentum and strength it may as well gain the sympathies and the moral support of the cultured classes (Bhadra Jan). Though it all sounds like speculation at the moment but it would be in the best interest of the Indian nation state to curb this threat in its nascent stage, if not given proper attention and its growth checked this extremist movement could prove disruptive and potentially disastrous for the country’s cherished and envied peaceful democratic traditions.

The Government must use all tactics (Sam- Dam- Dand- Bhed) to win this war of righteousness. This could include more and better police presence and vigil in remote rural areas, large scale financial aids to the people living in the areas infested with this ill in the form of development of infrastructure, propagating and educating the masses about the real face of the terrorist and so on. It has to be a policy mix which includes both, bridging the economic gap between the haves and the have nots on the one hand and severely punishing the violent culprits on the other.

Finally it is hoped and believed that India, the valiant fighter, will survive this threat as well, and emerge stronger, more matured and evolved than before.

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