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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

Gadchiroli SP declares Maoist menace ‘almost over’

Mumbai: In a resounding statement signalling a historic shift, Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police (SP) Neelotpal has declared the district, once the dark heart of the ‘Red Corridor,’ is on the verge of becoming completely free of the Naxal menace. The SP expressed absolute confidence in the complete eradication of the banned CPI (Maoist) presence, noting that the remaining cadres have dwindled to a mere handful. “There has been a sea change in the situation,” SP Neelotpal stated,...

Gadchiroli SP declares Maoist menace ‘almost over’

Mumbai: In a resounding statement signalling a historic shift, Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police (SP) Neelotpal has declared the district, once the dark heart of the ‘Red Corridor,’ is on the verge of becoming completely free of the Naxal menace. The SP expressed absolute confidence in the complete eradication of the banned CPI (Maoist) presence, noting that the remaining cadres have dwindled to a mere handful. “There has been a sea change in the situation,” SP Neelotpal stated, highlighting the dramatic turnaround. He revealed that from approximately 100 Maoist cadres on record in January 2024, the number has plummeted to barely 10 individuals whose movements are now confined to a very small pocket of the Bhamragad sub-division in South Gadchiroli, near the Chhattisgarh border. “North Gadchiroli is now free of Maoism. The Maoists have to surrender and join the mainstream or face police action... there is no other option.” The SP attributes this success to a meticulously executed multi-pronged strategy encompassing intensified anti-Maoist operations, a robust Civic Action Programme, and the effective utilisation of Maharashtra’s attractive surrender-cum-rehabilitation policy. The Gadchiroli Police, especially the elite C-60 commandos, have achieved significant operational milestones. In the last three years alone, they have neutralised 43 hardcore Maoists and achieved a 100 per cent success rate in operations without police casualties for nearly five years. SP Neelotpal highlighted that the security forces have aggressively moved to close the “security vacuum,” which was once an estimated 3,000 square kilometres of unpoliced territory used by Maoists for training and transit. The establishment of eight new police camps/Forward Operating Bases (FoBs) since January 2023, including in the remote Abujhmad foothills, has been crucial in securing these areas permanently. Winning Hearts, Minds The Civic Action Programme has been deemed a “game changer” by the SP. Through schemes like ‘Police Dadalora Khidaki’ and ‘Project Udaan’, the police have transformed remote outposts into service delivery centres, providing essential government services and employment opportunities. This sustained outreach has successfully countered Maoist propaganda and, most critically, resulted in zero Maoist recruitment from Gadchiroli for the last few years. Surrender Wave The state’s progressive rehabilitation policy has seen a massive influx of surrenders. “One sentiment is common among all the surrendered cadres: that the movement has ended, it has lost public support, and without public support, no movement can sustain,” the SP noted. The surrender of key figures, notably that of Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias ‘Bhupathi,’ a CPI (Maoist) Politburo member, and his wife Sangeeta, was a “landmark development” that triggered a surrender wave. Since June 2024, over 126 Maoists have surrendered. The rehabilitation program offers land, housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, and employment. Surrendered cadres are receiving skill training and are successfully transitioning into normal life, with around 70 already employed in the local Lloyds plant. A District Reborn The transformation of Gadchiroli is now moving beyond security concerns. With the decline of extremism, the district is rapidly moving towards development and normalcy. The implementation of development schemes, round-the-clock electricity, water supply, mobile towers, and new infrastructure like roads and bridges is being given top priority. He concludes that the police’s focus is now shifting from an anti-Maoist offensive to routine law-and-order policing, addressing new challenges like industrialisation, theft, and traffic management. With the Maoist movement in “complete disarray” and major strongholds like the Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh (MMC) Special Zone collapsing, the SP is highly optimistic. Gadchiroli is not just getting rid of the Naxal menace; it is embracing its future as a developing, peaceful district, well on track to meet the central government’s goal of eradicating Naxalism by March 31, 2026.

Linguistic Cornerstone

Updated: Oct 22, 2024

The Union Cabinet made a notable decision by awarding classical language status to Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Pali, and Prakrit. Marathi’s elevation comes just ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections, a politically savvy gesture, while the timing of Bengali’s recognition coincides with Durga Puja, West Bengal’s biggest festival.

While this step in acknowledging the rich literary traditions that have flourished in the subcontinent is commendable, the significance of Sanskrit as the bedrock of Indian classical languages must not be overlooked, nor should it be relegated in this race to recognise regional pride. India has now officially recognized eleven classical languages, but while each of these has its own literary and cultural importance, Sanskrit remains unparalleled in its historical, intellectual and unifying influence.

The indiscriminate elevation of regional languages to ‘classical’ status risks diminishing Sanskrit’s unique role as their source. This could even fuel an anti-Sanskrit sentiment, as seen in Tamil Nadu, where promotion of regional languages has sidelined Sanskrit.

To appreciate Sanskrit’s vital place in not just India’s cultural heritage but the world’s, one must look back to the 18th century when British philologist Sir William Jones discovered the startling resemblance between Sanskrit and classical European languages like Greek and Latin. His declaration in 1786 that Sanskrit was a common root of many Indo-European languages forever altered the study of India’s antiquity.

Sanskrit has long been a vehicle of civilisational discourse, being the language in which the Vedas were composed. It is the scriptural language of Buddhism and Jainism, whose texts travelled as far as Southeast Asia and Central Asia, shaping cultures beyond India’s borders. From Panini to Kalidas, Indian litterateurs have considered Sanskrit the crown jewel of their intellectual tradition.

It is undeniable that languages like Marathi, Bengali, and Odia have their own rich histories, producing luminaries like Tukaram, Tagore, and Sarala Das. But to elevate these languages without reaffirming the primacy of Sanskrit risks losing sight of the broader legacy that binds them together. Sanskrit is the foundational language from which many of these languages borrow not only words but entire conceptual frameworks.

While the Modi government has introduced measures to integrate Sanskrit into education, these lack a comprehensive strategy to restore the language’s prominence. Political sensitivities may play a role, as Sanskrit is often, though mistakenly, viewed as a Brahminical language, entangled in caste dynamics.

At a time when India’s cultural politics are more inward-looking than ever, with an emphasis on vernacular pride, Sanskrit’s universality must be upheld. It is, after all, the thread that runs through the fabric of India’s civilisational history, connecting north and south, past and present, regional and national.

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