Operation Biswas paying dividends

Sometime back, a journalist from the vernacular Press narrated an incident to buttress his point why naxalites do not have faith in the rule of law, why they take up arms and why they hold their own court (also called Jan Adalat or kangaroo court).

Ranjan Malakar, a school teacher at Manjhar Middle School in Magadh division of Bihar, was accused of molesting a minor girl student. The parents of the girl sought naxalites’ help and demanded justice.

The naxals in the remote area of Gaya organised a kangaroo court. Thirty nine-year-old Malakar was charged with passing lewd comments and indulging in objectionable act with the girl.

One hour after the hearing by a Jan Adalat, the naxals asked the villagers for a verdict. The villagers decided that he should be shamed publicly.

Malakar was mercilessly beaten up in full public view. Later, his head was shaved and he was forced to wear a garland of discarded shoes. As if this was not enough, his face was smeared black and he was paraded half-naked.

The kangaroo court punished the teacher as the police would have never delivered justice to the aggrieved girl’s family,” a self-styled commander of naxalites in Magadh region told the journo who was present at the Jan Adalat.

For majority of the naxalites owing allegiance to the banned outfit CPI (Maoists), power still flows from the barrel of the gun. No wonder they have spurned every effort of the government for a reconciliatory approach and refused to hold dialogue aimed at helping them join the mainstream.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is totally against use of any coercive method against the naxalites, whom he treats as “one of our fellow brethren who have been misguided and lost the path.”

Nitish  initiated Sarkar apke dwar (Government at your doorsteps) programme to redress grievances related to development schemes. Barring a few sporadic incidents, naxals have not struck in a big way for the last two years. In fact, 12 hardcore naxalites surrendered in Rohtas on July 9 last year soon after a no-nonsense IPS officer Manu Maharaj took over the reins as the Rohtas SP.

Carrot and stick

Manu adopted a two-pronged strategy to tackle naxalism, which had spread its tentacles in Kaimur plateau. On the one hand, he launched a massive crackdown against those hiding deep in the jungles.

And on the other, he opted for community policing in his jurisdiction. “In the interiors, the villagers, mostly illiterate, are not aware of the development schemes launched for their welfare. Hence they form an opinion against the government and wage a war, particularly against the police,” Manu told Deccan Herald.

“But, of late, we have organised stage shows to make them aware of their fundamental and democratic rights. We regularly organise health camps for the elderly, children as well as women to instil a sense of confidence in them,” said the SP, who has launched ‘Operation Biswas’ (Operation Confidence). The carrot and stick policy is paying dividends in the district as these beneficiaries, in turn, persuade their ‘misguided kin’ not to join the Maoists’ call for armed rebellion.

“Those who give up arms and join the mainstream are rehabilitated under the Government plan till they get a job,” said Manu, who has escaped bids on his life by the same Maoists whom he is out to reform. To drive home his point, he cited the case of jailed hardcore naxalite and self-styled commander Sudama Oraon, who has expressed his desire to join the mainstream.

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