K.S. Jacob's article “Land rights and the wronged people” (May 21) analyses the true issues behind the Maoist insurgency. While the government should deal with those taking up arms against it with a strong hand, winning back the confidence of the tribal people will be the key to establishing peace in the long run. Incidents such as forced disappearances of tribals do not help.
G.R. Gokul,
Palakkad
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The architect of our Constitution, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, foresaw these evils and rightly included the Fifth Schedule (guarantee to indigenous people on the right over the land they live in) in our Constitution. But its implementation has evaded us. The destitution of the tribal people can be changed and the menace of naxalism ended, provided the constitutional rights of all are allowed to prevail.
K.A. Gunasekaran,
Salem
