The attack by Maoists on a security camp at Silda in West Bengal that killed over 24 jawans is a clear indication of the magnitude of the danger posed by Naxalism in the country. The Silda attack has brought to the fore many disturbing facts. All the security personnel were not trained on standard operating procedure (SOP) as dictated by the Centre. And the rifles and firearms were not within the reach of the jawans when the attack was unleashed by the Maoists.
The growing Naxalism is nothing but the result of the successive failures of states and the Centre to strengthen the country’s security system. First and foremost, urgent steps should be taken to plug the loopholes in the security system.
To begin with, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India found that funds made available by the Centre for police modernisation between 2000 and 2004 had been seriously under-utilised. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the Centre to keep tabs on funds provided for the police force.
Also, it is to be noted that India still lags behind western democracies in terms of security infrastructure. In this context, the government should take effective steps to employ the latest cutting-edge technologies to strengthen the security vigil.
P Senthil Saravana Durai, Hyderabad
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