Lawless in Lalgarh. Blaming the Centre or the state is pointless

While expressing his satisfaction over an “eventful but peaceful year”, Union Home Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram admitted his disappointment at the situation in Lalgarh in West Bengal. The situation, he said on Thursday, was “pretty depressing” and admitted that even the presence of a strong contingent of central para-military forces in the area had failed to restore normalcy. Lalgarh first came to limelight a year ago following a landmine blast triggered by the Maoists and targeted at the West Bengal Chief Minister and the then Union Minister for Steel, Ramvilas Paswan, who were traveling together. The police crackdown that followed alienated the local people and within a few weeks, the Maoists forced the state government to retreat and the police to abandon their posts in the area. Emboldened, the Maoists encouraged local people to revolt and take law into their own hands. Local strongmen owing allegiance to the ruling Left Front were killed, their houses burnt and CPM offices vandalised. The CPM retaliated in kind and soon violence spun out of control, giving the Maoists a free run and prompting them to declare Lalgarh a “liberated zone”.

Central para-military forces with 6000 men were dispatched in June last year to assist the state police to enforce the writ of the state. But six months later, the situation actually appears to have worsened. There has been no end to violence. Police stations have been attacked, policemen kidnapped, para-military forces ambushed and people continue to be killed in the area. The state government is unable to control the situation, and as late as last month the government submitted before the High Court that it was unable to find civil contractors willing to work in Lalgarh. Even the forest rangers have been found seeking protection from the Maoists.
Lalgarh has exposed the weaknesses of the entire political and administrative system and the longer it remains adrift, the administration is bound to look more vulnerable. Tougher and more coordinated measures , and not a blame-game, are required to put an end to lawlessness and bring the culprits to book irrespective of their identity or ideological affinity. 

Source: The Tribune, Chandigarh, India.

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