05-29-2013, 10:31 AM
There are two aspects of this barbaric act by the extremist elements that resulted in the killing of top Congress leaders in Bastar region of Chattishgarh. The first is the impunity with which the attack was carried out with such meticulous planning and timing. How has this been possible under the very nose of the State Administration? The second is the larger aspect of why this movement has taken place and why it is gaining in strength and adding new areas of operation.
According to media reports, the attack appears to be well planned and it was carried out by a force of several hundred extremists who were prepositioned for the ambush. It is also reported that they were communicating amongst themselves and their leaders by wireless. They were armed with sophisticated arms like the AK-47 and Insas. The planting of the landmine, positioning of a truck to slow down the convoy and lastly the positioning of the armed insurgents on both side of the road must have taken considerable time. It is most surprising that movement of such large number of armed men and women have remained unnoticed by the local administration. It also indicates that insurgents have considerable support of the ordinary people of the area, are either supporters of the insurgents or keeps silent out of fear.
We have to accept the fact that there must have been massive lapse of local intelligence in the first place. Secondly, the security forces did not take normal precaution to ensure the safety of such a large convoy passing through dense jungle in an insurgent infested area. It is not proper to comment on these technical aspects of physical security of a convoy. I leave the question of security lapse for the various investigative agencies to find out the lapses at various levels. It is hoped that follow up action will be taken to fix responsibility for such breach of security. Secondly the recommendations of the experts to prevent such lapses in the future should be speedily implemented.
The second aspect as to why this insurgency is a very complex issue and its remedy is also equally complex. Over the years, many reasons and arguments have been put forward by experts and no useful purpose will be served by going into the details of each set of arguments and count arguments. The fact remains that it is a product of lack of socio economic development of the affected regions. We have to admit that there has been a collective failure on the part of successive administrations to bring in economic development of the backward areas located in different States of India. The movement must have started with the active support of the have notââ¬â¢s. However, in the recent past it has been observed that in some of the affected areas, the movement has become an instrument of extortion and terror.
In conclusion, I would like to observe that the socio economic development of the affected areas should continue despite the presence of various disruptive elements in the area. At the same time, the efforts of the security apparatus of the nation should continue its task of dealing with the insurgents through the use of force.
According to media reports, the attack appears to be well planned and it was carried out by a force of several hundred extremists who were prepositioned for the ambush. It is also reported that they were communicating amongst themselves and their leaders by wireless. They were armed with sophisticated arms like the AK-47 and Insas. The planting of the landmine, positioning of a truck to slow down the convoy and lastly the positioning of the armed insurgents on both side of the road must have taken considerable time. It is most surprising that movement of such large number of armed men and women have remained unnoticed by the local administration. It also indicates that insurgents have considerable support of the ordinary people of the area, are either supporters of the insurgents or keeps silent out of fear.
We have to accept the fact that there must have been massive lapse of local intelligence in the first place. Secondly, the security forces did not take normal precaution to ensure the safety of such a large convoy passing through dense jungle in an insurgent infested area. It is not proper to comment on these technical aspects of physical security of a convoy. I leave the question of security lapse for the various investigative agencies to find out the lapses at various levels. It is hoped that follow up action will be taken to fix responsibility for such breach of security. Secondly the recommendations of the experts to prevent such lapses in the future should be speedily implemented.
The second aspect as to why this insurgency is a very complex issue and its remedy is also equally complex. Over the years, many reasons and arguments have been put forward by experts and no useful purpose will be served by going into the details of each set of arguments and count arguments. The fact remains that it is a product of lack of socio economic development of the affected regions. We have to admit that there has been a collective failure on the part of successive administrations to bring in economic development of the backward areas located in different States of India. The movement must have started with the active support of the have notââ¬â¢s. However, in the recent past it has been observed that in some of the affected areas, the movement has become an instrument of extortion and terror.
In conclusion, I would like to observe that the socio economic development of the affected areas should continue despite the presence of various disruptive elements in the area. At the same time, the efforts of the security apparatus of the nation should continue its task of dealing with the insurgents through the use of force.