[Reader-list] [YSC] Re: "A silent hunt for dissent"

[Rakesh Iyer]

Dear Malik jee

Since you have asked for action against Maoists, here's my suggestion, which
is vague, yet it is something which can be discussed:

1) Maoism is not a law and order problem. It's a problem created due to the
inaction and wrong ideologist connections of the Indian state, which has
been elitist. The Indian state has defined terrorism as anything which
attacks the existence of the state, rather than the peaceful existence of
the people it governs.

This is something I totally disagree with. The first step would be to
realize by those governing us that they are elitist, which they may be
either consciously or unconsciously. What is required is to come out of this
situation, and try to understand how the poor, particularly those in the
Maoist-affected areas actually live, as also in those areas where the Naxals
are not there currently, but can be attacked in later future.

2) The second is to bring about reforms in administrative structure, which
includes administration, judiciary and police. Committees and commissions
have been formed again and again and again, are they simply meant to waste
public money? Certainly not. Let us get the administrative structure working
and working well. Most of the people belonging or working in this structure
belong to the middle class, which I presume most of us belong to. Let's get
our actions straight first. Why be corrupt and inefficient at all in the
first place, and why accept it? Let us make it work.

3) The third is about what to do with Maoists. Yes, if you kill someone, you
should be caught. But is the police really equipped to deal with Maoists? If
that were so, would any operation Greenhunt be actually required? Certainly
not. Therefore, train the police, and equip them. And here, it not only
means about training them so as to ensure they are able to fight Maoism, but
more importantly, to win over the confidence of those who are caught in the
crossfire. This requires even making the police realize about its civil
responsibilities. And such a training is required throughout the country,
and not just in Maoism-affected areas.

4) The elitist tinge within the media and the state should be constantly
rebuked. The state is for the people, not the reverse. So also the media.
Power-mongering and projections of superpower are all the state and the
higher elites are concerned with. That's not what the citizens vote the
Indian govt. vote for. When a tribal in India votes, it's for some
possibility of development to take place, not for some defence project to be
sanctioned or some nuclear test to be carried out. If it's so necessary to
carry out nuclear tests, ask Reliance and Tatas to contribute money and
space towards this.

5) Most important one: If you want to solve the issues in Naxal-dominated
areas, do two things:

i) Call an unconditional talk with the Maoists. Remember what Krishna said,
even when Draupadi reminded him of how her pride and honor was almost torn
to shreds by the act of Dusshasana, "War is always the last option. Peace
should always be tried first.'

When Indian culture itself says that we should strive for peace first, why
not try it? If not anything, it at least gives us time to bide and prepare a
better strategy as opposed to Greenhunt, and most importantly, also makes
the intentions of the Maoists clear. We can make details of the meeting
public as well for transparency and winning people to our side.

ii) Prepare a civil administration of a different kind through training, as
also of the paramilitary forces and police to be deployed and used in such
areas, equipped with skills of different kinds, as opposed to those being
given now. They should be effective in winning the tribals over to our side,
(meaning not the state side in the current scenario, but of the side of
non-violence, which if the state follows, then it's the state side).

iii) Bring about improvements in administrative capabilities and ensure
better solutions, change the perspectives of looking, overhaul the entire
IAS exam and perspective system and hence ensure better results.

This is a long haul, and if we are sincere to solve Maoism, let it reflect
in our initiatives. This is seriously lacking as of now. And if we think
Naxalism can be solved by sending paramilitary forces, it won't. Infact,
realizing that it could be a battle which they may never win, they will do
what till now is only being seen in villages, but later in cities. What will
we do then? Deploy NSG guards on each street of India to ensure no terror
attacks? Will India be the same as Kashmir is now?

Rakesh