Bastar is a district in
the state of Chhattisgarh is in news for wrong reasons ! Jagdalpur is the district headquarters. Bastar
is bounded by Narayanpur District, Kondagaon District, Nabarangpur and Koraput Districts of Odisha
State, and by Dantewada and Sukma. The district possesses a unique blend of
tribal and Odia culture. Bastar and Dantewada districts were formerly part of
the princely state of Bastar. Bastar was founded in the early 14th century, by
Annama Deva, the brother of Kakatiya King Pratapa Rudra Deva of Warangal in
Telangana. After India achieved independence in 1947, the princely states of
Bastar and Kanker acceded to the Government of India, and were merged to form
Bastar district of Madhya Pradesh. The district, was one
of the largest in India when formed.
Maoism, is failed
principle perhaps but violent one at that. The philosophical difference between Maoism
and traditional Marxism–Leninism is that the peasantry are the revolutionary
vanguard in pre-industrial societies rather than the proletariat. This updating
and adaptation of Marxism–Leninism to Chinese conditions in which revolutionary
praxis is primary and ideological orthodoxy is secondary represents urban
Marxism–Leninism adapted to pre-industrial China.
COBRA (backronym for
COmmando Battalion for Resolute Action) is a special operation unit of the
Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) proficient in guerrilla tactics and jungle
warfare. Originally established to counter the Naxalite problem, CoBRA is
deployed to address insurgent groups engaging in asymmetrical warfare.
The Nation was shocked and
saddened to read that as many as 22 bodies of soldiers were found from the site
of the gunfight that broke out between security forces and Maoists in
Chhattisgarh's Bastar region on Saturday. While 32 soldiers were injured, 1 was
reported missing. Bijapur's superintendent of police Kamalochan Kashyap
confirmed the toll. Since the 2010
Chintalnar massacre, the Dantewada-Sukma-Bijapur axis has claimed the lives of
more than 175 security force personnel, besides several civilians. While the
Chintalnar encounter saw 76 CRPF men killed, the latest encounter in Bijapur
Saturday led to the death of 22 security personnel.
A look at the data on
Maoist violence in Chhattisgarh shows that most attacks and casualties have
happened between March and July. Sources say this is because the CPI (Maoist)
usually launches its tactical counter-offensive campaign between February and
the end of June. This campaign involves aggressive military operations against
security forces before the monsoons—that make movement difficult—hit the
region. The key concern is that security forces are still struggling in this
region, known as Bastar, despite the campaign against the Left-wing extremists
starting around 15 years ago.
A host of
factors—remoteness, jungle terrain, absence of administration and lack of
political will—have been blamed for the slow progress there. Sources
in the security establishment say the eradication of the movement in
neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Odisha has led to a concentration of cadre and
leaders in the Bastar region—which provides easy movement for the rebels across
borders because of its proximity to other states. Most, however, point to
absence of roads, communication and proper administration as the main reason
for Maoists continuing to hold the area. Some also point to the Chhattisgarh
police having been “reluctant” over the years to take the lead in the fight.
The good news is : Rakeshwar Singh
Manhas, a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) commando who went missing during
a deadly encounter in Chhattisgarh last week, was released after five days in
Maoist captivity.
“Bastar has some good news
for the nation,” a police source said. Manhas was released in the presence of
social worker Dharampal Saini and Gondwana Samaj chief Gelam Boraiya — they
were in talks with Maoists for the jawan’s safe return — and hundreds of villagers, according to the
source. An 11-member team that went to bring Manhas back also featured seven
local journalists. Sources said Manhas was brought to a camp in Tarrem — the
area where the encounter took place. A CRPF official said Manhas will undergo
health checkups and that he did not have any “apparent injury”. The jawan was
admitted to Basaguda field hospital for medical examination. Chief minister
Bhupesh Baghel congratulated the team that brought Manhas back.
It is time that Governments
acted tough and eradicate completely the menace of Naxals.
8.4.2021.
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