Maoists Strike Again Arun Jaitley (Leader of Opposition, Rajya Sabha)

The Maoists have struck again. Several policemen belonging to the CRPF and the Chhattisgarh Police have lost their life. They have been martyred for the cause of protecting India.
Maoist threat continues to be a serious problem confronting India. A large number of districts in the Tribal heartland of central India are under Maoist control and influence. These are areas of Maoist dominance. The average citizen in these areas is oppressed. The writ of the District Administration runs very little. It is the Maoists who collect taxes. They have paid volunteers in every village. They are heavily armed. The Maoists are not misguided ideologues. They are not social reformers. Maoism is not a poverty eradication scheme. It is an ideological movement which is intended to overthrow India’s parliamentary democracy and replace it with an ideological dictatorship. Within the Maoists scheme of ideas there will be no democracy, no freedom, no right to life and liberty, no rule of law, no free speech. People will be subjected to the kind of tyranny which ideological dictatorship world-over has seen.
How does one counter Maoism? Do we follow a theory put forward by some bleeding hearts that economic progress of Maoist regions alone will eliminate the threat of Maoism. This is not even a half truth. For any government to enter the areas of Maoists influence, restoration of peace is a condition precedent. The landmines have to be eliminated. The arms in control of the private armies have to be flushed out. Extortionism of the average citizens has to end. How will a District Administration or the PWD contractors enter these areas and start developmental activities such as building schools, colleges, hospitals, Panchayat Bhawans etc.
The source of arms and ammunition in these areas has to be smashed. The Maoists are depending on arms either smuggled from across the border or looted from the police armories. The Maoists believe that the enemy’s armoury is the Maoists’ armoury. The enemy in this case is the state or the police.
How long will India continue to sacrifice ordinary citizens and security personnel at the hands of this violence? How long will we allow them to hold up developmental agenda in these regions? Can we allow them to further destroy buildings and assets which are created for the benefit of the tribal population? We must be clear that the first right to national resources must belong to the tribals. We must alienate the tribals from the Maoists. The battle against Maoism can never be half a battle. The full might of the Indian State must confront them.