War Against Maoists In India

[Guest]

Good analysis of
Politics of entitlement and Naxalism

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Salwa Judum translates to “Peace March” in Bastar district of MP. A large group of adivasis (tribals) in Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh got frustrated by the Communist Party of India (Maoist) and naxal menace. The government is largely absent in these areas and the naxals have a free run, <b>the naxals banned the tribals from conducting their weekly barter melas, which form the cornerstone of their culture</b>. In a brave act, they decided to take up arms and protect themselves from these Naxals in April 2005. It is important that they took up arms only as a defensive measure.  The state government also supported them. The lack of criminal ruthlessness, training and weaponry in the Salwa Judum activists made them no match for the dreaded Maoists. Anyway this part of India (13 heartland states / about 20-25% of the area) is messed up beyond belief. Entire villages are being moved into “relief camps”, to escape Naxal reprisals. Over 50,000 tribals from 700 villages no longer live at home, they live in these relief camps in the heart of India.

Interesting fact : At 39,000 sq km, the Bastar district is larger than Israel , larger than Kerala, larger than Belgium !!

Interesting fact 2: Bastar district has a “unsurveyed, unexplored” forest jungle called Abuj Mand. The forest zone is 10,000 SQ KM with a population of just 20,000. I did not know about this at all until I read this article.

Interesting fact 2: The Dantewada district has an area of 10,000 Sq Km (1/4 the size of Kerala) but has a population of just 700,000. Over 78% of then are Scheduled Tribes
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