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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Development can go for a toss in Chhattisgarh on intensification of military campaign against Naxals -M Rajshekhar

Development can go for a toss in Chhattisgarh on intensification of military campaign against Naxals -M Rajshekhar

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published Published on May 29, 2013   modified Modified on May 29, 2013
-The Economic Times


DANTEWADA: With both the Congress and BJP advocating an intensification of the military campaign against the Naxals, and the UPA government at the Centre even committing more troops to Chhattisgarh, local development in the state could become a casualty in the crossfire. "An outside force is less capable of discriminating between Naxals and villagers," says Vishwa Ranjan, former director general police, Chhattisgarh.

Such an intensification will result in greater harassment of local tribals, while retarding the government's attempts to fast-track development in this part of Chhattisgarh affected by left - wing terror. "Developmental work will suffer," says Samir Garg, who oversees the State Health Resource Centre, an advisory body to the state's health department. "People will be less willing to travel to these areas on work."

Government services barely permeate here. For example, according to an official in the Dantewada collectorate, the district of Bijapur had just one chemistry teacher for 3,000-4,000 science students of Class 11 and 12 till two years ago, maybe two now. Skewed ratios are also seen among medical staff and block development officers.

Pointing to the kidnapping of collectors Alex Paul Menon and Vineel Krishna, and some subengineers, and the recent firings at government vehicles, another senior official in the Dantewada administration says: "Naxals are targeting the entire administration."

According to Ranjan, there was little consensus till now on how to combat Naxalism. While UPA was pushing for a crackdown, the state BJP kept insisting that Naxalism had been sizably reined in. The state Congress was a divided house. While Mahendra Karma and Nand Kumar Patel, who were among the 30 killed in the Saturday attack, advocated an armed response, Ajit Jogi wanted negotiations. Judging by initial statements, adds Ranjan, parties are now switching to a more strident rhetoric.

Till Saturday, BJP CM Raman Singh was pointing at the decline in casualties - last year saw the lowest number of deaths due to Naxal violence in the last five years - as proof that his government had them on a tight leash. Preparing for elections, he has been visiting every constituency in the state as part of his Vikas Yatra.

This attack has given Congress, which is doing a Parivartan Yatra, a weapon to use against BJP. Jogi said the state government did not give the Congress leaders any security. In the face of these accusations, BJP might choose to push harder on the Naxals.

Another variable here is electoral turnout. One reason, says Ranjan, why BJP has been winning from Bastar is because voter turnout is low in its overwhelming rural parts - the Naxal give calls to boycott elections, which the villagers have to obey. Since their writ doesn't run as well in the urban areas, which are largely pro-BJP, the party romps home.


The Economic Times, 29 May, 2013, http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/development-can-go-for-a-toss-in-chhattisgarh-on-intensification-of-military-campaign-against-naxals/arti


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