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Much against the wishes of the Centre, the anti-Naxal operations in Jharkhand have virtually fizzled out. The ultras have, however, made the most of this situation, they have abetted in the sentiment of hatred against the security forces in the garb of a pro-tribal outlook.
Whether it is the issue of setting up a field firing range in Netarhat region since the days of united Bihar (prior to carving out a separate Jharkhand State), opposition to the makeshift police camps in school buildings in Naxal-infested areas or the alleged killing of innocent tribals in the name of anti-Naxal operations, the ultra-Left outfits have cashed in on tribal sentiments to retain their strongholds in Jharkhand. The result is the proposal for setting up a field firing range at Netarhat by the Indian Army has been almost abandoned, school buildings have been rendered unprotected, allowing Maoists to use them as their hideouts and operations against Naxals have been withheld after stiff opposition from tribal and pro-tribal forces.
If tribal forces have conspired to oppose the establishment of the field firing range by making them believe that about 245 villages would be uprooted and 2.35 lakh tribal population would be displaced for the purpose, the Maoists used pro-tribal activists — including those belonging to the PUCL — to appeal in the apex court against forces camping in school buildings. Even pro-tribal senior officials in the State police have asked the State Government to reprimand Central forces involved in the operations to kill innocent tribals in the name of anti-Naxal movement.
Indeed, Netarhat, where the Army had proposed to develop its field firing range way back in 1991, is no longer an enchanting place for tourists from across the country to experience the captivating beauty of sunrise and sunset in particular. The entire area is in complete hold of Maoists. The school buildings that were vacated by the security forces at the behest of the Supreme Court — to ensure pursuance of education among rural masses — have been captured by the Maoists for their own purposes. One of Asia’s most dense forests, Saranda, that is claimed to have been liberated from Maoists recently is likely to be retrieved by ultras for want of follow-up operations. Operations have been stopped in the area following the Statewide outcry over the alleged killing of innocent tribals during the recent Anaconda anti-Naxal operations in the Saranda forests.
Zonal IG of Ranchi range Rezi Dungdung vindicated the claim about killing of innocent tribals by the Central forces in his recent missive to the Government. Subsequently, State Home Secretary JB Tubid is said to have apprised the Centre of the anti-tribal move by the Central forces in the garb of recent anti-Naxal operations in Saranda area.
Encouraged by the implicit endorsement by two senior officials, groups that were evidently used to oppose initiatives to ensure peace and amity in the State in the past, such as the pilot project for Netarhat field firing range and using school buildings as police camps, have again swung into action to mobilise tribal sentiments in the name of protecting the interests of the downtrodden. Consequently, the issue pertaining to the killing of innocent tribals by Central forces rocked the State Assembly during the recent session and tribal leaders belonging to different political parties registered their protest against the forces involved in anti-Naxal operations by holding rallies across the State.
Their protests, however, assumed greater significance in the light of the fact that it was organised on the eve of the visit of Union Home Secretary RK Singh to the State on September 22. Singh was supposed to visit the State to take stock of the situation that is politically surcharged over the most contentious issue of tribal atrocities by the forces. But he preferred to defer his visit presumably to ward off the threat of possible humiliation. A Central team from the Human Rights Commission is, however, set to visit the State to review the situation.
The pertinent question that is being asked is: What did the State gain from implicating its own forces? If security personnel are alleged to have killed innocent tribals, the savage Naxal attacks have also claimed lives of scores of civilians and policemen as well. As per the official dossier of the Ministry of Home Affairs, from January to July this year, in 281 incidents of Naxal attacks in Jharkhand, 71 civilians and 17 security personnel have been killed.
The Government machinery and constitutional bodies are not only meant to protect the interests of the common people, but the onus is on them to safeguard interests of the forces too that have been combating insurgency in hazardous conditions.
By lending their voice to a pro-tribal stir implicitly, senior officials in the State have, in fact, succumbed to a well-hatched conspiracy by the ultras, primarily designed to carry out a proxy war against the Government machinery. To top it all, contrary to the situation in Jharkhand that prompted the suspension of the pilot project for field firing range at Netarhat, the neighbouring State of Chhattisgarh is trying to create a fear psychosis among Maoists by allowing the Army to develop its base over a chunk of about 700 acres of land in the State. As such, inept handling of the situation by the Centre and the State is supposed to have provided enough leeway to the Maoists to rule the roost in Jharkhand.
Whether it is the issue of setting up a field firing range in Netarhat region since the days of united Bihar (prior to carving out a separate Jharkhand State), opposition to the makeshift police camps in school buildings in Naxal-infested areas or the alleged killing of innocent tribals in the name of anti-Naxal operations, the ultra-Left outfits have cashed in on tribal sentiments to retain their strongholds in Jharkhand. The result is the proposal for setting up a field firing range at Netarhat by the Indian Army has been almost abandoned, school buildings have been rendered unprotected, allowing Maoists to use them as their hideouts and operations against Naxals have been withheld after stiff opposition from tribal and pro-tribal forces.
If tribal forces have conspired to oppose the establishment of the field firing range by making them believe that about 245 villages would be uprooted and 2.35 lakh tribal population would be displaced for the purpose, the Maoists used pro-tribal activists — including those belonging to the PUCL — to appeal in the apex court against forces camping in school buildings. Even pro-tribal senior officials in the State police have asked the State Government to reprimand Central forces involved in the operations to kill innocent tribals in the name of anti-Naxal movement.
Indeed, Netarhat, where the Army had proposed to develop its field firing range way back in 1991, is no longer an enchanting place for tourists from across the country to experience the captivating beauty of sunrise and sunset in particular. The entire area is in complete hold of Maoists. The school buildings that were vacated by the security forces at the behest of the Supreme Court — to ensure pursuance of education among rural masses — have been captured by the Maoists for their own purposes. One of Asia’s most dense forests, Saranda, that is claimed to have been liberated from Maoists recently is likely to be retrieved by ultras for want of follow-up operations. Operations have been stopped in the area following the Statewide outcry over the alleged killing of innocent tribals during the recent Anaconda anti-Naxal operations in the Saranda forests.
Zonal IG of Ranchi range Rezi Dungdung vindicated the claim about killing of innocent tribals by the Central forces in his recent missive to the Government. Subsequently, State Home Secretary JB Tubid is said to have apprised the Centre of the anti-tribal move by the Central forces in the garb of recent anti-Naxal operations in Saranda area.
Encouraged by the implicit endorsement by two senior officials, groups that were evidently used to oppose initiatives to ensure peace and amity in the State in the past, such as the pilot project for Netarhat field firing range and using school buildings as police camps, have again swung into action to mobilise tribal sentiments in the name of protecting the interests of the downtrodden. Consequently, the issue pertaining to the killing of innocent tribals by Central forces rocked the State Assembly during the recent session and tribal leaders belonging to different political parties registered their protest against the forces involved in anti-Naxal operations by holding rallies across the State.
Their protests, however, assumed greater significance in the light of the fact that it was organised on the eve of the visit of Union Home Secretary RK Singh to the State on September 22. Singh was supposed to visit the State to take stock of the situation that is politically surcharged over the most contentious issue of tribal atrocities by the forces. But he preferred to defer his visit presumably to ward off the threat of possible humiliation. A Central team from the Human Rights Commission is, however, set to visit the State to review the situation.
The pertinent question that is being asked is: What did the State gain from implicating its own forces? If security personnel are alleged to have killed innocent tribals, the savage Naxal attacks have also claimed lives of scores of civilians and policemen as well. As per the official dossier of the Ministry of Home Affairs, from January to July this year, in 281 incidents of Naxal attacks in Jharkhand, 71 civilians and 17 security personnel have been killed.
The Government machinery and constitutional bodies are not only meant to protect the interests of the common people, but the onus is on them to safeguard interests of the forces too that have been combating insurgency in hazardous conditions.
By lending their voice to a pro-tribal stir implicitly, senior officials in the State have, in fact, succumbed to a well-hatched conspiracy by the ultras, primarily designed to carry out a proxy war against the Government machinery. To top it all, contrary to the situation in Jharkhand that prompted the suspension of the pilot project for field firing range at Netarhat, the neighbouring State of Chhattisgarh is trying to create a fear psychosis among Maoists by allowing the Army to develop its base over a chunk of about 700 acres of land in the State. As such, inept handling of the situation by the Centre and the State is supposed to have provided enough leeway to the Maoists to rule the roost in Jharkhand.
