‘The Naxal problem is not just a security issue’

October 7, 2008

Nandini Sundar, professor of sociology, Delhi School of Economics, and historian and writer Ramchandra Guha have filed a petition to stop the Chhattisgarh government from supporting and encouraging the Salwa Judum, a people’s movement to counter the Naxalites.The state government has denied that the Salwa Judum was a state-sponsored movement. The Supreme Court has disapproved arming the Salwa Judum, and the case continues.

According to a report by Human Rights Watch, caught in a deadly tug-of-war between an armed Maoist movement on one side, and the government security forces plus a vigilante group called Salwa Judum on the other, civilians have suffered a host of human rights abuses, including killings, torture, and forced displacement. The violence has destroyed hundreds of villages and uprooted tens of thousands of people from their homes.

The armed movement by Maoist groups spans four decades and 13 states across India. They purport to defend the rights of the poor, especially the landless, Dalits and tribal communities.

Sundar’s book Subalterns and Sovereigns: An Anthropological History of Bastar traces the expansion of the colonial and the post-colonial state in Bastar, central India, between 1854 and 2006. The author’s account of the region is at once the outcome of an intellectual as well as personal encounters with the region and its politics.

Sundar spoke to Rujuta Paradkar about the policy and politics adopted by the government of Chhattisgarh, the Salwa Judum and “the way in which people fall through the cracks of the democratic process”.

source:- rediff

 

 

SC questions Chattisgarh over people’s anti-naxal movement

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New Delhi (PTI): “You cannot give arms to somebody and allow him to kill,” the Supreme Court said on Monday while taking a serious note of a petition alleging that the Chattisgarh government was allegedly arming civilians involved in “Salwa Judum” movement to fight naxals.

“It is a question of law and order. You (state government) cannot give arms to somebody (a civilian) and allow him to kill. You will be an abettor of the offence under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code,” a Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice Aftab Alam said.

The Bench said a neutral agency should inquire and assess whether people had joined Judum camps on their own.

The Court’s remarks came during the hearing of two petitions seeking a direction to the state government to refrain from allegedly supporting and encouraging the “Salwa Judum,” a people’s movement to counter naxalism.

The state government had earlier denied that Judum was a state-sponsored movement and said that action shall be taken if any Judum activist transgresses the confines of the law.

The PILs also alleged that the condition in Judum camps was bad and people involved in the movement should be allowed to go back to the forests in view of the upcoming sowing season.

During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium said he met officials of the Intelligence Bureau officials and concerned ministry on the issue. He said the government has asked the Director, National Institute of Criminology, to probe the ground situation in these camps.

He said if the report does not satisfy the court, the Centre would be open to further suggestions.

Ban Salwa Judum – Moily.

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The Centre has asked for a ban on Salwa Judum – an initiative of arming villagers to fight Naxals in Chhattisgarh.

 

Virtually conceding that the Salwa Judum of Chhattisgarh is a state-sponsored movement to counter Naxalism, a government committee has for the first time said that the anti-Naxal movement has no place in the state.

 

“Salwa Judum has been recommended to be disbanded,” said Moily.

 

Till date both the Centre and state governments have been denying their role in propping up the movement. The Moily Commission, however, has said Naxalism cannot be defeated by counter-insurgency movements such as this.

 

“Salwa Judum will amount to being an extra-constitutional power which you cannot have,” Moily stated.

 

“If there is a constitutional government, it is the duty of that constitutional government to function, not delegate this power.

 

“State Government cannot delegate its powers to an extra-constitutional authority. Law and order is the responsibility of the State,” he explained.

 

Chhattisgarh is the worst affected state in the country with over 12,000 km of Indian territory outside the control of the government. Over 50, 000 tribals have been forced to take refuge in State-protected camps.

 

The Salva Judum is largely a creation of divisive state politics, particularly the opposition Congress and the UPA-backed Moily Commission’s recommendations are sure to come as a slap on the face not just for the Opposition but the ruling BJP as well.