Naxalite encounter exposes utter ineptness

MANGALORE: Saturday’s night encounter with naxalites at Manjila in Beltangady taluk is just another reminder that straightforward operations are not working for the state police.Going by the versions of police, the district’s first such encounter between police and naxalites has exposed the ineptitude, inadequate knowledge of terrain, inadequate training in guerrilla warfare and inadequate weaponry or lack of ability to use it.Preempting such questions from journalists, ADGP (Internal security) Bipin Gopalkrishna on Sunday went defensive explaining how his department had submitted a proposal to strengthen Anti Naxal Force (ANF) and increase allowances due to them.But most importantly the issues of ill-preparedness and deployment of forces without fortified structures continues to be ignored by the top brass.Without bulletproof vests and sophisticated technology, Saturday’s incident has revealed that ANF personnel will continue to be sitting ducks during such combing operations.At a conference of chief ministers held in New Delhi a year ago, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had advised states to raise commando forces on the pattern of ‘Grey Hounds’ in Andhra Pradesh.Chhattisgarh and Orissa created their own commando training schools while Karnataka and West Bengal chose not to.Member of Kudremukh Wildlife Foundation Ramachandra Bhat from Kuthlur says flushing anti-naxal operations with funds alone will not curb naxalism in the region.The government needs to back non-government organisations (NGOs) striving to promote inclusive growth in the region.It is indeed true that naxalism had been curbed in many parts of the country without a bullet being fired, largely due to the efforts of NGOs.As naxalism thrives among the marginalised and brutally exploited people, the government must improve social infrastructure like providing healthcare facilities.To ensure youth are gainfully employed, forest rights should be enforced and government must ensure equitable distribution of value of natural resources through benefit-sharing provisions.Helping tribals own handloom units under handloom and textile department’s ‘Suvarna vastra policy’ is a silver lining in the dark clouds.