IIMA professor Anil Gupta throws light on Naxal issues after visiting Chhattisgarh villages during Shodh Yatra.
Throwing more light on Naxalism and its causes, professor of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) Anil Gupta, said, "Naxalism is not a law and order problem alone." Gupta was speaking after returning from his walk '24th Shodh Yatra' held from May 15 to 21. During the walk he visited around 40 villages of Chhattisgarh where he met and talked to the villagers.
CAUSES OF NAXALISM: Talking about various causes of Naxalism, Gupta said, "There is a severe lack of empathy towards them and it is a shame for the nation to behave this way. They have genuine grounds for becoming Naxalites. We have been neglecting their needs which should be looked into."
Speaking about how even the top ranking police officers fail to understand the issue and how they use their power to suppress and exploit the villagers, Gupta said, "The top ranking police officers including the SPs and DSPs need training and reorientation as they have become highly obsessed with their power. If this kind of misuse is not controlled, the problem will worsen in future."
THE VILLAGERS: Gupta said, "The villagers have an independent vision and dreams. They need to be provided a platform to articulate and fulfill their dreams. Otherwise the Naxals will fill in the gap and all the villagers will become Naxalites."
About the villagers' outlook towards the movement of Naxalites, Gupta said, "I would not say that they are happy about Naxal activities but they are also not unhappy. They think that their grievances are heard through the battle. Some of the villagers feel safer and protected from the exploitation of the police who otherwise often come and harass them using their power."
Gupta said, "There is still time to prevent the Naxal movement
from drawing in all the villagers. Immediate empathy towards the villagers is the answer."
OTHER PLANS FOR CHHATTISGARH: Talking about his plans for Chhattisgarh villages through his NGO called Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institutions (SHRISTI), Gupta said, "We will be revisiting the place to teach them rain water harvesting, probably before this monsoon season. We will also be teaching them to carry out medicinal herbal extractions by themselves. This will help them get a better share of the revenue from the herbal leaves and plants. We would be seeking government help for this."
NEXT SHODH YATRA: SRISTI organises Shodh Yatra many times a year wherein they visit different villages across the country and document traditional knowledge and grassroots innovations. Gupta said, "We are planning to visit Manipur in our next Shodh Yatra around the end of this year."
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