[Reader-list] Reg: Your views on Naxalism

[Rakesh Iyer]

Hi

http://janatantra.com/2010/04/08/mukesh-kumar-singh-on-naxal-attack/

This is the link of an article you had written which got posted on a reader
list I am a member of.

First of all, being a journalist, did you even go once into the lands where
these Naxalites operate to know why tribals are joining Naxalism. Did you
try to find out what their views are and whether talks are a possibility or
not? Whose responsibility is it in society to find out why is this
happening? Aren't you as media persons responsible to portray this harsh
truth in the society to the people? Why is this not being out in the open?
Why is every tribal being portrayed as a Naxalite?

Secondly, you have openly asked for armed forces to intervene. This is what
America did in Afghanistan and Iraq. In Iraq, 5 lakh civilians were killed.
The count is not yet out for Afghanistan. Most of these were not terrorists,
but innocent civilians in both nations. If these people become terrorists,
who is responsible for this? And contrary to what you believe, out of every
100 people being killed in both nations, 5-6 may be terrorists but the rest
are indeed civilians who are innocent. The same will happen with Naxals as
well. They will not wait for your air power to be used upon them.

Moreover, you are asking Indians to kill fellow citizens and bomb them
assuming all of them are your enemies. This is not the case. A naxal doesn't
wear a uniform, nor does he live in one specified territory. He is here,
there and everywhere. He may be in cities, in forests and other places as
well. If places you bomb are evacuated by Naxalites and then you simply bomb
them, only innocents will be killed. The Naxals would simply spread to other
regions and carry their operations as before.

How many areas will you bomb like this? Entire India? And if they enter
Reliance and Tata plants then? Bomb that too? What about the Indian
Parliament? And remember the Parliament is no longer secure specially after
the 13 December 2001 attack.

So which foolish strategy are you talking about?

As for the army, the army only believes in attack and not in defense. The
only way it can do so is by killing all people in such areas. Why should
innocents die for it? How would you feel if I were a police officer and I
would arrest you in the name of being a Naxal supporter without you actually
being one?

Fight the Naxals. Yes. That is important. But it's more important to use
your brains while fighting. Otherwise you will only suffer further defeats
and losses.

Rakesh