Maoist threat

Fielding the Army against Naxals won’t be easy for the government since the force is already hard-pressed and needs more men (news report, “Fielding Army against Naxals won’t be easy for govt”, June 2). It will also be inadvisable.  

If the resources of the Armed Forces are unduly strained and the combatants deployed on extraneous duties of maintaining the law and order in various parts of the country, pray who will secure the borders and guard us against foreign aggression?  

Whose job it is to ensure internal peace in India—civil authorities or military establishment? Why are things allowed to deteriorate to such an extent that the normal political process and administrative machinery becomes ineffective in matters of governance necessitating ever-increasing deployment of the Army?

Wing Commander SC KAPOOR (retd), Noida

II

The article “Maoists need to be defeated” (June 3) by Harsh V Pant, rightly calls the Maoist movement “blatantly illegal”. The stir is not aimed at merely voicing concerns of the socio-economically disadvantaged tribals. Maoists want to destabilise our nation and destroy its democratic fabric. Hence, rising above party-politics our leaders need to get their act together and first of all evolve a multi-pronged national strategy to defeat the Maoists militarily, on a war footing. Development and good governance can follow later on.

The quintessence of anti-insurgency operations entails winning the hearts and minds of the people through a judicious mix of carrot and stick policy. Synergised efforts of the Centre and states alone can thwart this distressing national threat which is already advancing at an alarming pace. The para-military forces for anti-Maoist operations must be carefully selected, fully motivated, thoroughly trained, properly equipped and ably led.

There should be no hesitation in harnessing the rich experience of the Army for training and Air Force for logistic support. Even establishment of proper military cantonments in the Naxal-affected areas should be considered.

GOVIND SINGH KHIMTA, Shimla

Misguided Roy

Arundhati Roy believes that just because she is an internationally recognised author and has a way with words she has the right to romanticise Naxal terror and present their depredations against schools, hospitals, roads and other public amenities as part of just struggle.

How is Naxal terror any different from the terror of the jehadis? Don’t they kill innocent people? Don’t they terrorise innocent tribals? Don’t they make them run for their lives? How does she justify the killing of the innocent passengers of the Gyaneshwari Express?

What right has anyone got to destroy public property? Who doesn’t stand for development of the tribal areas? But is this the way? Why must one lose one’s way in one’s fight against injustice?

RJ KHURANA, Bhopal

Power reforms

In his article “Power reforms in Punjab: Follow Andhra way to cut power theft” (June 7) RK Luna has suggested techno-administrative measures to curb power theft on the lines of Andhra Pradesh. These measures are already in the process of being implemented in Punjab. The real issue that of rampant corruption in power utilities does not find any mention in the analysis by the author.

Take any field of activity of the power utilities, corruption is ruling the roost in so much so that people at the helm of affairs just before the unbundling were busy making a fast buck in granting peak load exemptions, allotting contracts and last but not the least even in matters of postings, transfer and disciplinary cases, etc.

The government has put into place an apparently honest Board of Directors both for Transco and for Powercom. But it seems impossible that the virus of corruption will be removed from the body of the newly created corporations as a strong will coupled with drastic action is required. Power reforms are meaningless unless the work culture is reformed.

The biggest problem with corruption at higher levels is that it results in total slackness in administration as corrupt officers have feet of clay. This results in indiscipline at lower levels. So, the foremost task before new corporations is to tackle this menace.

NAND KUMAR RASTOGI, Ropar