Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

On Salwa Judum

The Supreme Court’s disapproval of the Chhattisgarh government constituting the Salwa Judum and arming it has reinforced the undesirability of such concepts in a democracy. Since its creation, many people, including human rights activists, have been opposing Salwa Judum. The Administrative Reforms Commission’s recommendation to disband it should be viewed in this context.

A democratic government should not arm the people, whatever its objectives. It is the primary duty of a state to provide security to its citizens. Naxalism should be tackled by beefing up security, not by arming the people.

Amit Sinha,

New Delhi

The Court’s observation highlights the extreme danger of a government arming private citizens to counter violence from some groups. The atrocities committed by the naxalites and similar groups cannot be condoned. But the government should tackle the menace with conventional policing and programmes of social change.

Arming citizens against naxalites will lead to multiple groups fighting among themselves to create their own fiefdoms. The loss of control by a democratic government will lead to the subversion of democracy, resulting in a civil war situation.

S. Ravi Kumar,

Secunderabad Whatever the intended objective of setting up the Salwa Judum, it seems to have failed. In fact, it turned counter-productive. The movement displaced several tribals from their habitations and made them enemies of Maoists. The weapons given to the activists were widely misused. The urgent need of the hour is to dismantle the Salwa Judum. Utmost care must be taken in disarming the activists and providing them security.

Naveen Marrapu,

Hyderabad

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