The Home Minister has been calling for some tough action towards the Naxals and one does feel it is warranted. The Lalgarh case is taken as an example for the kind of action needed - flush out the extremists by force and hold the area for some time. However some basic things also need to be looked at.
First of all, the Naxalite movement started out against the unjust land holding situation in the country and had its origins in a sound reason. Now the government needs to see if this issue has been addressed. The actions of the Naxalites can't be justified per se, but if the basic reason for their agitation is addressed one can hope that some kind of sense will prevail. A second issue is the question of funding. Where exactly are the Naxalites getting the money to do whatever they are doing? Some of the avenues could be kidnapping ransom and protection money. Thus this is another area that can be addressed. You can surround an enemy fort, but a very important action that is needed is to cut off the enemy's food supply. The weakened enemy HAS to surrender to avoid death from starvation.
What the government wants to address right now seem to be the symptoms not the cause of the disease. The local population is already fed up with Naxal violence. In Gadhchiroli where Naxals had surrounded a police station and killed a number of policemen a number of casualties were members of the weaker sections of the society, the very people the Naxals claim to represent. Public disenchantment is also evident from organizations like the Salwa Judum. Now the government needs to address the basic reasons for Naxalism to have arisen and the sources of financing to curb this menace.
First of all, the Naxalite movement started out against the unjust land holding situation in the country and had its origins in a sound reason. Now the government needs to see if this issue has been addressed. The actions of the Naxalites can't be justified per se, but if the basic reason for their agitation is addressed one can hope that some kind of sense will prevail. A second issue is the question of funding. Where exactly are the Naxalites getting the money to do whatever they are doing? Some of the avenues could be kidnapping ransom and protection money. Thus this is another area that can be addressed. You can surround an enemy fort, but a very important action that is needed is to cut off the enemy's food supply. The weakened enemy HAS to surrender to avoid death from starvation.
What the government wants to address right now seem to be the symptoms not the cause of the disease. The local population is already fed up with Naxal violence. In Gadhchiroli where Naxals had surrounded a police station and killed a number of policemen a number of casualties were members of the weaker sections of the society, the very people the Naxals claim to represent. Public disenchantment is also evident from organizations like the Salwa Judum. Now the government needs to address the basic reasons for Naxalism to have arisen and the sources of financing to curb this menace.
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