It is extremely unfortunate that >14 CRPF soldiers were gunned down in a major attack by Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district (Dec.2). The manner in which it was carried out shows some amount of planning. The “Red attack” has come as a cruel blow to the Chhattisgarh government, which had only recently declared that the State would soon become “Maoist-free”. The authorities cannot afford to remain complacent. All efforts should be made to flush out the Maoists, come what may.
N.J. Ravi Chander,
Bengaluru
The BJP government should note that the State has only 71 per cent literacy, and its Human Development Index value is at 0.358, one of the lowest for any Indian State when the average is 0.467, and the lowest standard of living in India as per income index is 0.127. The new government appears to be interested in protecting the corporate world. What about a helping hand for the helpless in the form of land, home and an education?
Unnikrishnan Mangalasseri,
Manjeri, Kerala
Fighting the internal enemy has become a real challenge. The CRPF personnel are the unsung heroes, laying down their lives time and again for the nation. But are lessons learnt from tragedies? How about thinking about the massive use of force to overwhelm the enemy?
Balasubramaniam Pavani,
Secunderabad
The State and the Centre are totally clueless on how to contain Maoist violence. Like similar incidents in the past, this time too the authorities concerned will go through the routine of holding inquiries, submitting reports and making recommendations. It should be a matter of great concern that the lives of police and paramilitary personnel lost due to extremist violence perhaps far exceeds those caused by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. Yet, these incidents do not receive the attention they deserve. There is no political vision.
As one who served in the CRPF during the peak of the naxalite movement in West Bengal in the 1970s, I must point out that these personnel continue to operate under tremendous physical and mental stress, putting in long hours of operational duties. The Union Home Minister must take fresh initiatives to put an end to such killings, but not necessarily by the use of brute force as that would only be counter- productive.
S.K. Choudhury,
Bengaluru
