Strategy to curb the Leftwing Extremism

Context

Recently, the Union Home Minister stated that the government has adopted an offensive strategy to curb the Leftwing Extremism.

About the Leftwing Extremism

• It commenced with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) led revolt movement in 1967 in the Naxalbari place of ​​West Bengal.
• Often referred to as ‘Naxal’, this group believes in political doctrine derived from the lessons of Chinese political leader Mao Zedong.
• The LWE organization has affected numerous states in India, which include Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala.
  • The severity of the hassle varies from country to united states.

Challenges related to LWE in India

• Socio-financial factors: Unemployment, poverty, land conflicts, displacement, crisis migration, negative communication and food insecurity are commonplace socio-financial troubles in regions tormented by LWE suffering from some of them
• Security Risk: LWE poses a serious protection chance, ensuing in violence and demise.
  • By 2022, for the first time in 40 years, there might be fewer than 100 civilian and protection pressure deaths.
• Barriers to Development Development: LWEs regularly oppose development schemes which include the development of roads and set up of mobile towers, which avert development in the affected areas as a whole.
• Legal and institutional demanding situations: The government faces demanding situations in implementing legal and institutional challenges to combat LWE.
  • For instance, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are working intently with country organizations to crack down on funding for left-wing extremism
• Psychological Challenges: The LWEs’ ideology of the usage of violence as a means of seizing kingdom power is against the development of the country and a prosperous destiny
  • This has caused violence in parts of India. It commenced with the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led riot movement in 1967 inside the Naxalbari place of ​​West Bengal.
  • Often referred to as ‘Naxal’, this group believes in political doctrine derived from the teachings of Chinese political chief Mao Zedong.
  • The LWE group has affected numerous states in India, together with Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala
  • The severity of the hassle varies from country to country.

Government’s initiatives

• Legal and Institutional Framework: The government has amended the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act, 1967, National Investigation Agency Act 2008 etc. To bolster the criminal and institutional framework for preventing terrorism.
• National Policy and Action Framework (2015): Envisages a multi-pronged technique to make certain security-associated measures, participatory development, rights and entitlements of communities.
• Security measures: Central government supports LWE which affected state governments through Central Armed Police Force battalions, training, funding for modernization of state police, system & weapons, shared intelligence and secured police stations could be raised.
• Improvement Projects: Actions with core capabilities to widen get access to, improve telecommunications, talents and financial inclusion.
• Road network: During the closing 08 years, 9356 kms of roads had been built for LWE affected areas at a cost of Rs.710718 crores under two specific schemes.
• Connectivity: The first phase of the cellular tower mission to design telecom connectivity has seen the installation of 2,343 mobile towers, which can be upgraded to 4G.
• Financial Inclusion: To integrate the communities in those regions into the financial system, 1,258 bank branches, 1,348 ATMs, 22,202 bank correspondents and 4,903 new post places of work in 90 districts have been made operational in 30 LWE-affected districts primarily in the remaining 8 years
• Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme, and Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS): Under the SRE Scheme, Rs 71285 crore was released to the Left Front affected states in the last 4 years.
  • Funds issued under SRE have extended by approximately 124% in the remaining 9 years.
• Quality of education: In phrases of excellence of coaching in the LWE affected districts, 245 constitution schools have been approved in 90 LWE affected districts, 121 of which are functional.
• Tribal Youth Exchange Scheme: Under this, 22,000 adolescents had been taken on trips in most important developed areas of the country, spending Rs 26.5 crore to date.
  • It attempts to expose these youth to technological advancements so that they can be unfastened from the effect of leftist extremism.
• Data collection and sharing: Strengthen usable records collection and sharing mechanisms. The state police ought to be modernized to address Naxal attacks.

Conclusion

• Although the government’s efforts have appreciably decreased LWE-associated violence, the hassle remains a assignment for India’s internal security
• A complete approach that integrates security coverage with socio-financial improvement policies is wanted to cope with this issue.
• The Ministry of Internal Affairs has ensured public participation in the efforts of security companies by similarly emphasizing the progress of applications for the welfare of the bad and militancy-affected areas.

Source: The Hindu

UPSC Mains Practice Question

Q.What are the determinants of left-wing extremism in Eastern part of India? What strategy should the Government of India, civil administration and security forces adopt to counter the threat in the affected areas? (2020)

Q.The persisting drives of the government for development of large industries in backward areas have resulted in isolating the tribal population and the farmers who face multiple displacements. With Malkangiri and Naxalbari foci, discuss the corrective strategies needed to win the Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) doctrine that affected citizens back into the mainstream of social and economic growth. (2015)

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