It is a hopeless battle being fought for an outdated ideology that has been discarded even in the land of its origin, but the followers of Maoism continue with their bloody cause. In the process, they deny large sections of the people the benefits of whatever progress the nation is making. As it is, the populations whose interests they claim to be representing, the tribals and forest dwellers, are lagging behind in even the basic facilities that much of India today takes for granted.
Unfortunately, city-dwelling ‘intellectuals’ and opportunistic politicians feel no shame in encouraging the violence perpetrated by Maoists, Naxalites, et al, to further their own vested interests. It provides political space for anti-Indian agencies to function in various ways – such as providing arms and ammunition, as well as sanctuary and training in neighbouring countries. It has been going on for decades now and while, occasionally, these extremists manage to strike a severe blow – as they did on Monday in Chhattisgarh – end game is near.
All the same, merely defeating the Maoists in the field of battle is not enough. Just as the Khalistan inspired terrorism was defeated in Punjab but its malignant ideology continues to be nurtured in foreign lands, the Maoist ideology is promoted in various guises at some universities and intellectual circles. As such, it also needs to be countered at this level by keeping young impressionable minds from being brainwashed. This requires not stand-offs between agitating student groups – though that too has its role – but through effective arguments and hard data. It has to be exposed as a psychological disease that afflicts persons unable to make an impact otherwise in life, who have to compensate for it through make-believe heroism. Their intellectual jugglery provides justification for violence at the grassroots level. Art and cinema should also get involved in countering this nihilistic belief system.
There is no doubt that the underprivileged folk they claim to be representing do need economic and social justice, but the solutions are very different from those being prescribed by the so-called sympathisers. It has to be done scientifically in the light of modern knowledge and processes. Mistakes can happen but these can and should be corrected democratically. Violence and close-mindedness of any kind is not the answer.
