Do not confuse the Naxalite violence that we are currently witnessing with popular discontent over land alienation. There is little doubt that the government has not been fair to tribals whose land has been taken over for industry since, in most cases, the compensation has been inadequate and little or no rehabilitation work has accompanied the land takeover.
But the Naxal violence is different — it is not the violence of disaffected land-losers, it is the violence of highly trained and armed people, and is no different from any terror groups anywhere in the world. To that extent, the government must treat Naxals in exactly the same manner it does other terrorist groups. The winning-over-hearts strategy is important, but in itself will do nothing to stop the Naxalite violence. That has to be tackled first.
Ajay Singh, New Delhi
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