Naxalite Violence - Articles

When Central Forces started the operation at Lalgarh Police Station on 20 June 2009, the West Bengal Government ruled out any talks with the Maoists. The confrontation between the Maoists in Jhitka village in West Bengal and the Central Forces is still on.

In the struggle between the police and the Maoists (who are mainly involved in guerilla warfare), the majority of villagers in Radhakantopur, Mashaldanga, Malida, Pindrakuli, Jaipur and Nimda left their villages and started moving towards Mindnapore town. Transportation operators, which included mainly buses, stopped their operation from the time the Lalgarh Operation began.

The intellectuals wonder whether the State’s decision to rule out any negotiation with the Maoists will help the cause. The State Government declared that the Trinamool Congress backed the Maoists in West Bengal as Chattradhar Mahato was a member of Trinamool Congress two years back. Although Mamta Banerjee denied all links with him, the Leftists don’t believe it.

Maoist atrocities in the region stem from hunger and non-developmental issues.  C. Mahato in his interview before the Times of India recently said that the People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCPA), had dug wells, built reservoirs and built roads in the area, which the State Government should have done long time back. According to him, the anger that accrued over the years and which led to the Maoists formation was caused by the lack of a forum for redressal of grievances relating to corruption in the Government, lack of basic amenities like water and electricity, non-implementation of developmental schemes, etc.

Most of the atrocities were the results of starvation deaths in the area where both agriculture and industry are at a rudimentary stage. The soil in this part of Midnapore is not as fertile as the other districts like Hoogly, North 24 Parganas, Burdwan, etc.Comrade Manoj. A Maoist leader of Lalgarh narrated his story before Sukumar Mahato, which was published in the Times of India, on 21 June 2009. He said that in spite of more than 32 years of rule of the Left Front Government, during monsoons, the roads and other tracks become muddy and the cattle are pulled through them, by the villagers themselves. After sunset, people live in the dark as there is lack of electricity. After the end of the paddy season, the farmers remain idle as no other crops can be grown due to the nature of the soil.  Villagers also drink yellow water in the area as there is no clean drinking water.

Youngsters who were involved in protests relating to development were forcibly compelled to become Maoists, as they were falsely accused as being members of the People’s War Group (PWG). Police atrocities in West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia had compelled most of the tribal population in joining Maoist Groups. The new generation did not get their grievances redressed, even though they were law abiding citizen.

As a remedy, the Left Front Government has the easiest step of communicating with the Maoists, after the unrest is sorted out by the Central Forces. The State Government has to create confidence in the minds of uneducated tribal population, who don’t have any confidence or trust in the State Government at the moment.  If development did not take place earlier, there is no reason why it cannot take place now.
 
The State Government can speak with the Centre with respect to creating Special Economic Zones in West Midnapore area, which can give a lot of employment to the unemployed youth. Unskilled labourers can be used to contribute in the SEZs which can also encourage investors. A number of private enterprises can be approached to provide electricity in the respective villages where darkness is an issue.

Development of transport by creating more roads and railway tracks can bring development. The unskilled people can be engaged in road building and the state can get involved in private-public partnership just like other states. Even projects in the form of build, operate and transfer can be done in the region just like other states. Foreign companies are inclined towards BOT projects as they don’t have to bother about owning land themselves. Once the projects are over and the invested money is recovered through tolls, they can leave the development schemes and allow the respective Government to maintain it.

Lastly there are lots of forest areas which can be converted into tourist places which can lead to development. Cooperation from the Railway Minister can be sought as she has a mission to turn Digha and North Bengal into tourist zones.