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Nasty Naxals
25th May, 2013, would probably go down as one of the bloodiest day in the history of Chhattisgarh. 27 persons mostly from the Congress party having their ‘Parivarthan Yaatra’ wooing tribals for the ensuing elections were butchered at point blank range. Details of how they were killed may not be relevant. But it was barbaric by any standard.
Kuldip Nayar, an eminent senior journalist tells “Liberal friends tell me – ‘understand naxals do not condemn them’. But for me the people who killed those 27 in Chhattisgarh and those two Nigerians who beheaded a British soldier some days ago in London, in full public view, are no different. They both are terrorists. One is from the Left and the other from the Right.”
What Nayar said is certainly not far from truth. Over the years, naxal movement has grown crueller and their attacks have been dastardly, bereft of any logic.
Going back to the evolution of Naxal movement which has a history of some 46 years, it is replete with bloodshed and mayhem. It was on May 24, 1967, a tribal youth was killed by the goons of the local landlords in Naxalbari village in Darjiling district of West Bengal. The youth was killed to usurp his family land despite the legal ownership of the land by the family. One violent action led to another equally bloody reaction. And for all the 46 years that followed, it has been the same story. Only difference was, the epicenter of Naxalism did not remain confined to Naxalbari only. It travelled all over India as a response to the growing divide between the ruler and the ruled, with some of the states of North East and Central India being badly affected.
Over the years thousands were killed, by Naxals with some by police and security forces. Most of the dead were from security forces and general public with many getting caught in the crossfire. It was unprecedented. Naxalism although inspired by Left political movement, it is now a mere violent struggle bereft of any ideology. Like Kuldip Nayar says, ‘as an ideology, Naxalism has lost its content and purpose’.
There have been outpouring of considered opinions and articulated thoughts since many years by intellectuals and ideologues, both to condemn and to sing paeans of this violent group, who are wedded to the culture of gun and snipers. While, naxalites have been hitting at state apparatus, such as police, security forces, and infrastructure such as railways, schools, roads, besides killing so-called informers, suspected group of civil society members who ostensibly help governments, the recent attack on the motorcade of politicians was the first major operation against the political class. This was not only daring but also diabolic. As expected there were flurry of response in the print media.
Ramachandra Guha tells “Their worship of violence is extreme. They are a grave threat to democracy and democratic values”. According to Kuldip Nayar “While they cry hoarse in the name of democracy, they kill at will and convey a mentality of dictatorship and do not in any way help the egalitarian thesis they claim to expound. Their massacres and acts of oppression suggest only terrorism.”
But then, these naxals are not just violent they are diabolic too. In an attempt to get even with Indian state these Naxals have even sympathized with Jehadi outfits of Islamic militants. Late Koteshwar Rao (or Kishenji as he was known) had even openly commented in support of the Islamic Jehadis in an interview. He had reportedly said “We feel that the Islamic upsurge should not be opposed as it is basically anti-US and anti-imperial in nature. We therefore want it to grow”. When pointed out that these terrorists caused the death of hundreds of innocents in Mumbai, this diabolic Kishenji had reportedly reacted “We do not support the way they attacked the Victoria station, where most of the victims were Muslims”. As if, had victims have been non-Muslims, it would not have mattered to Naxals. Not only this, Kishenji had even joined hands with anti-national outfits like ULFA, NSCN & PLA “because our enemy is common”. This shows their opportunistic mindset in taking on the Indian state. This clearly exposes that their concern is not genuine for the welfare of tribals or the marginalized section of our society.
Yes, over the years, Naxals had changed their gear for worse, keeping in tandem the actions of state in giving mining licenses to private industrialists without the concurrence of local elected bodies, who are close to villagers in their understanding of the issues concerning the development of villages. Private industry, in its divide and rule policy, supported by the state, encouraged militia, from among the same villagers, to protect their interest. Mahendra Karma, who was killed on 25th May, was a product of such Industry/State partnership. Salwa Judum, the vigilante group, of which Karma was the leader, promoted by the active participation of both, the state for legitimacy and industry for funding, took on the growing clout of Naxals. Due to the support of the government, which provided them guns, it went around the countryside with impunity, in search of suspected naxalites. According to Ramachandra Guha “In a series of shocking incidents, they burnt homes (sometime entire villages) raped women and looted granaries of those adivasis who refused to join them”.
Mind you, Mahendra Karma is a Congress man, and Chhattisgarh has a BJP ruled government. It is well known that in politics there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies only permanent interest. Surely there was huge stake for both the state and Karma to join hands to take on Naxalites. This combination worked well for the state. But alienated the villagers affected by the violence of both Naxals and the Salwa Judum.
While, it is true that at present, Naxal menace, as a serious problem exist mainly in Chhattisgarh, the issue has been a simmering discontent in many parts of the country. As Kuldip Nayar puts it “The Naxalites will continue to proliferate when disparities are blatant and the state oppression unrelenting.”
Like in Chhattisgarh, the governments, whether union or state have never been fair in dealing with naxal issue. Naxal menace, as it is seen to-day is indeed a very serious issue. But what about the approach of public authority in dealing with them? The ostrich like attitude of successive governments has put paid to any breakthrough in this seeming impasse. Similar is the case with naxals. So it is violence leading to more violence. Both are wrong. But somehow, despite well meaning noises by the government’s interlocutors, nothing concrete has happened that has influenced the course of events. Unfortunately, after he called it the ‘biggest internal security threat' years ago, in his 1st term, Dr Manmohan Singh has done precious little to follow up on his words with concrete action on the ground.
Of course, the state is a greater force, and if any one challenges its authority, it can comeback with greater ferocity. But Indian state has not yet tried to use its army or air force to track down these naxal groups. Should the government decide to use it, that will be the beginning of the end of naxals for sure. Naxals simply shall have no chance against Indian army. Unfortunately, those who are leading the naxal movements have failed to see the point. They didn’t come to talk to the government in Delhi when invited. So what are they upto?
Naxalism was started to help & fight for adivasis, tribals and marginalized. They have done nothing so far to help those for whose cause they are fighting. Without the state help they cannot do anything. So joining the state effort is the only way out. By their armed struggle, they have conveyed something. They need to be carried forward. But violence is simply not the way forward. Before the state is left with no choice, naxal groups have to, perforce, offer unconditional talks.
Of course despite having pushed to the wall, the state too do not have many choices except within the ambit of constitutional governance and adherence to the application of rule of law. State has to recognise that it was only due to the lopsided socio-economic policies over the decades that Naxalism remained sustained.
Hope before time runs out for both, better sense dawn on the hardcore leadership of Naxals and to the unimaginative state leadership to usher a new dawn. We have had too much of violence which truly speaking achieved almost nothing.
IPL - Indian Plundering League
For right or wrong reasons, cricket and cricketers always make news in this cricket crazy country. The high-strung gentlemen’s game has neither remained gentle nor it remained for men only. Like all human activity, cricket too is no exception to the corruption.
The recent arrest of 3 cricketers have exposed the deep routed malaise in the underbelly of India’s richest sport. Yes, where there is honey bees shall always hover around it. No other sports in India commanded the noise of money jingle, like cricket. Everybody involved with organized cricket made money and very very big money at that. Organisers, administrators, players and even ad. agencies all have reaped the riches from this Indian madness called cricket.
Realising the money potential of cricket tournaments, Lalit Modi, the original brain and the architect, designed IPL or the Indian Premier League. For the last six years this tournament has been going on. It generated lots of money to all stake holders, provided entertainment to cricket crazy Indians and so also in those countries, like West Indies, Australia, England, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, South Africa, from where the players participated in this form of cricket.
Quite frankly, this is not cricket at all, in the true sense of the game. It is a commercial venture where cricket is used as a form of entertainment, of course with the skill of players on display. According to The Hindu, “it’s a packaged dumbed down entertainment as sport with the sole aim of making money”. That puts it rather succinctly.
Since players, were getting anywhere from Rs: 25 lakhs to few crores to over a $ million with all paid for some 6 weeks tournament, it was very clear that there is real huge money. That it attracted industrial money bags like Mukesh Ambani’s family, to that of India Cement and Sahara and of course the playboy of Indian industries, Vijaya Mallya and others, it confirmed the possibility of making a killing out of this commercial angle of the game of cricket.
Since, big sharks were making big money, the smaller fries didn’t want to lag behind and tried the illegal means. Betting may not be illegal in all parts of the world but in India it is legally not allowed and hence if caught indulging in, it attracts criminal provisions of law and therefore all those involved in the betting etc are being questioned, detained or even imprisoned, depending on the scale and seriousness of the acts of commission.
Coming down on players, Jagmohan Dalmiya, a demigod of Indian cricket, a former BCCI and ICC president, has reportedly stated that “the mobile telephones of players should be impounded before they enter the dressing rooms and also ask them to furnish their bank a/cs and other telephone numbers. Also cheer leaders, after match parties and owners’ entry to the dug outs should be banned from both the IPL as well as the upcoming Champions League.
But then why blame players only? asks the high priest of the yesteryears of Indian cricket, Inderjit Singh Bindra, a former president of BCCI.
“The administrators, facing serious charges of conflict of interests, have no moral right to set standards for players and ask only them to be above board. Besides Board’s working should be totally transparent. Its balance sheet and constitution should be put on its website and there should be constant interaction with cricket loving public and accept tangible and worthwhile suggestions from them” was his considered stand.
It is not just IS Bindra who is opposed to the ways of functioning of BCCI, even C.P.Joshi, a Union Minister, so also the president of Rajasthan Cricket Association, concurs with IS Bindra. Reportedly he is very forthright in demanding procedures to cleanse the administration and that it should start at the very top, if it has to be honestly carried out.
Thus, it is very clear that the rot is at the top and it only travelled down by the natural law of finding its level.
Evil of fixing has been there in cricket since many years now. Action and acceptance by Hanse Cronje long ago is only a tip of the iceberg. What he got then must have been peanuts to what is being played with now. He died little too early, rather very unhappily, anguished at what he did. Then you have our very own, Mohd Azaruddin, Manoj Prabhakar and few others, who have been banned from taking part in any form of cricket or cricket event. Mohd. Azaruddin not only never regretted what he did, he even denied any wrong doing, he even tried to play his minority card unsuccessfully. Political parties trying to cash on communal politics rehabilitated him. But then this is India, all things happen. And media too has its own agenda, what to hype and what to let die.
Quoting the proceedings of the 8th June meeting of BCCI, IS Bindra blogs in his personal website. He hits rather hard. Accusing BCCI Joint Secretary Anurag Thakur of blatant fudging, he writes “media release issued by him does not reflect what actually transpired at the meeting and it was a command performance to cover up and perpetrate board’s illegalities and improprieties.”
Coming to IS Bindra’s charge of administrators’ conflict of interest, he was mainly targeting the incumbent BCCI president N. Srinivasan. It is very well known that, besides being president of BCCI, he also owned the Chennai Super King (CSK), a franchisee taking part in the IPL tournament.
Also known is the fact that MS Dhoni, the Indian captain is the captain of CSK. Having MSD with CSK, commanded better premium at the market place. Besides when there was a furore for the replacement of MSD as Indian captain for poor performance with the bat, he took upon himself to defend MSD. CSK has been a money spinner. According to accounts manager of CSK, last year it made Rs 150 crores, and at 20% higher, this year the revenue for CSK reportedly crossed Rs: 180 crores.
Thus, that IPL is truly a Plundering League is without doubt. However by hindsight, it has to be accepted that, it has its positive spin offs. For six weeks a great many people are productively employed with good or very good pay cheques. In its own way, it has its multiplier effect. So also, it provides opportunity for so many talented cricketers, which no other form of cricket can. Some 200 players take part in the tournament. Hence, while IPL should be continued, its public image needs surgical intervention. First and foremost, as IS Bindra says, its entire operation should be uploaded on its website for public consumption without any vested interest or secrecy. Cheer leaders may be banned or pruned. Late night general parties should be severely restricted. This is the place where unwanted schemers come in to enjoy and then to encash their contacts. Should this happen the acronym IPL will truly mean Indian Premier League!
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