The Union Government has decided rather belatedly to ban the Maoist organization, Communist Party of India --Maoist [CPI (Maoist)] as a terrorist organization. It invoked Section 41 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against the extremist outfit.
The CPI (Maoist) came into existence following the merger of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), the People’s War Group (PWG) and the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC).
The ban came two days after West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee met Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram in the backdrop of violent incidents in Lalgarh and the ongoing operation by the police and the security forces to reclaim the area. Therefore, it cannot be described as sound.
Although the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act is applicable all over India, every state must issue its own notification banning the organisation. Orissa, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu have already declared the CPI (Maoist) an unlawful association. Bihar has declared the MCC and the CPI-ML (PWG) unlawful associations. Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have declared the CPI (Maoist) an unlawful association.
Threat to Internal Security
India is badly surrounded by dangers -- internal as well as external. Although the Government has declared the CPI (Maoist) as a terrorist organization to deal with the Maoists, but one more dangerous announcement has been made across the border. Al-Qaida's Afghanistan Chief Mustafa Abu al-Yazid says that if they can, they will use Pakistan's nuclear weapons in the war against the US. In spite of it, if they have to flee from Afghanistan, under joint military pressure from the US and Pakistan, it is difficult to say where they will set up their camp.
An organization that has become a threat to the internal security must be banned. However, it can never be justified if it has no effect on groups spreading anarchy and violence. It is doubtful if they will be at all disturbed if the CPI (Maoist) is included in the list of banned terrorist organizations.
When this organization has joined hands with others to challenge the Central security forces directly, it ill behooves the Central Government to perform its duty by imposing a ban on the organization. It is difficult to understand why the Government took five long years to remember that the CPI (ML) and the Maoist Communist Centre had merged in 2004 to form the CPI (Maoist). Was it not necessary to ban the organization at that time? Had this step been taken at the right time, it would perhaps never been so powerful! Anyway, this unnecessary action taken on the Maoist organization once again confirms the Central Government's negligence about the forces threatening the country's security.
Leftists Change Colour
How fast the Leftists change colour was seen during the Lalgarh operation. The Left Front Government has been in power in West Bengal for the past three decades. First, it demanded security forces from the Central Government and accused the opposition Trinamool Congress of a nexus with Maoist insurgents.
Besides this, just two days ago, the State Chief Minister said that they could think of imposing a ban on the Maoists. As the moment the Central Government took action, he came out in support of the Maoists. Wrapping his support in the ideological garb he said that the Maoists should be dealt with at the administrative and ideological level. However, there is no place for shame in politics, when it is his Government in power, which has stopped him from doing so?
Future Prospects
The time will only tell how far this ban will be able to weaken the Maoists. However, the West Bengal Government's decision to analyze the legal implications of accepting the ban as compulsory is rather worrying. The West Bengal Home Secretary confirmed that the legal experts were being consulted on this matter. This gives the impression that the West Bengal Government and the Union Government do not see eye to eye on this issue.
The Left Front is right in arguing that such organizations cannot be wiped out by imposing a ban. Yet, it is not in the fitness of things for the state Government to seem to be indifferent to the Central Government's decision. The present developments so far show how the two Governments are reluctant to unite and to agree on this matter. It cannot thus, be said with confidence, in this situation, that the reasons, which have helped the Maoists to strengthen their position, can be removed. It is a fact that poverty and backwardness of the rural and far-flung areas have helped the Maoists a great deal to strengthen their position. If the Government really wants to confront Maoist insurgents, it has to pay attention to the development of these backward regions besides using force.
Let us all take a resolution that no matter what the colour of the threat facing the nation; we will all face it together. It should not make any difference what our ideology is, because until today, no ideology has moved forward taking support of terrorism.
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