03-26-2006, 05:21 AM
<b>UPA fumbles on policy as Maoists run amok</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The upswing in Maoist activity is reflected in last year's statistics that show a remarkable increase in the number of attacks by Left extremists as well as in casualties. The casualty of policemen alone has gone up by 53 per cent, while civilian casualty has increased by 11 per cent.
<b>In 2005, there were 1,594 Maoist attacks, in which 516 civilians and 153 policemen were killed. Security forces were able to down 223 Maoists.
The previous year, there were 1,533 Maoist attacks; 466 civilians and 100 policemen were killed. The Maoists suffered a loss of 87 cadre who were killed.</b>
During 2002 and 2003, when the NDA was in power and had adopted a tough line against Maoists, the figures were lower. For instance, in 2002, there were 1,465 Maoist attacks resulting in the deaths of 382 civilians and 100 policemen. The Maoists suffered a high casualty with 141 cadre being killed in these attacks or encounters.
<b>In 2003, civilian casualty increased to 410 and security forces lost 105 personnel in 1,597 attacks and encounters. But, by then the NDA's no-nonsense approach towards fighting the Maoists had begun to pay dividends: As many as 216 Maoists were killed in 2003.</b>
That figure was to drop to a mere 87 in 2004, the year when the Congress Government in Andhra Pradesh declared a truce and provided an opportunity to Left extremists to regroup and emerge as a united Maoist force.
The Union Government now concedes that 76 districts across Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Maharashtra, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal are "badly affected by Maoist violence". That's euphemism for what's common knowledge: The writ of the Maoists, and not the civil administration, runs in these districts.
"What has made the problem worse is the confused political response of the UPA regime. While the Ministry of Home Affairs is charged with combating the murderous cadre of Communist Party of India (Maoist), certain other Ministries and key officials of the UPA Government are engaged in dialogue with the top leadership of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist)," the official points out
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<b>In 2005, there were 1,594 Maoist attacks, in which 516 civilians and 153 policemen were killed. Security forces were able to down 223 Maoists.
The previous year, there were 1,533 Maoist attacks; 466 civilians and 100 policemen were killed. The Maoists suffered a loss of 87 cadre who were killed.</b>
During 2002 and 2003, when the NDA was in power and had adopted a tough line against Maoists, the figures were lower. For instance, in 2002, there were 1,465 Maoist attacks resulting in the deaths of 382 civilians and 100 policemen. The Maoists suffered a high casualty with 141 cadre being killed in these attacks or encounters.
<b>In 2003, civilian casualty increased to 410 and security forces lost 105 personnel in 1,597 attacks and encounters. But, by then the NDA's no-nonsense approach towards fighting the Maoists had begun to pay dividends: As many as 216 Maoists were killed in 2003.</b>
That figure was to drop to a mere 87 in 2004, the year when the Congress Government in Andhra Pradesh declared a truce and provided an opportunity to Left extremists to regroup and emerge as a united Maoist force.
The Union Government now concedes that 76 districts across Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Maharashtra, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal are "badly affected by Maoist violence". That's euphemism for what's common knowledge: The writ of the Maoists, and not the civil administration, runs in these districts.
"What has made the problem worse is the confused political response of the UPA regime. While the Ministry of Home Affairs is charged with combating the murderous cadre of Communist Party of India (Maoist), certain other Ministries and key officials of the UPA Government are engaged in dialogue with the top leadership of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist)," the official points out
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