Assessment of India’s internal security

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in news?
• Left Wing Extremism (LWE) Theatre
• The J&K Theatre
• The Northeast Theatre
• Jihadist terrorism

 

Why in news?

• Internal security has been among the top priorities of the Indian government.
• Since its independence, the country has faced several internal security challenges presented by terrorism, the insurgencies in Left Wing Extremist (LWE) zones and the Northeast, and the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

 

Left Wing Extremism (LWE) Theatre

• In April 2006, then PM Manmohan Singh called Naxalism “the single biggest internal security challenge ever faced” by India.
• Status
  • By 2014, Maoism had either been virtually finished or was on its last legs in states such as West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar and Odisha.
    • Andhra had already pushed them out.
  • Government, after 2014, embarked on what it called “the final push” against the Maoists.
  • This involved intelligence-based operations in core Maoist areas, setting up of camps deep in the jungles etc.
  • This was coupled with the building of roads, setting up of mobile phone towers, and helping state police forces to modernise and to train them to fight the Maoists.
• Statistics
  • The government has reduced the number of LWE-affected districts from 96 in 2010 to just 46 in 2021.
  • According to MHA data, deaths in this period dropped from 1,005 to 147, and violent actions by LWE actors fell from 2,213 to 509.
• Conclusion
  • In the LWE theatre, overall violence has reduced significantly over the past decade.
  • However, Chhattisgarh continues to remain a Maoist stronghold where security forces still suffer casualties.

 

The J&K Theatre

• Steps taken in past nine years
  • Announced Rs 80,000 crore package in 2015
  • Extended an olive branch to dissenting youngsters through an interlocutor
  • Bifurcated the state into two Union Territories and snatched away its special status by abolishing Article 370
• Status
  • With an unprecedented number of security forces in Kashmir, and tough action taken by central agencies such as the NIA, incidents of stone-pelting in the Valley have virtually fallen to zero.
  • Also, the terrorist incidents have witnessed a decline.
• Statistics
  • According to government data, acts of terrorism in J&K have declined by 32% since August 5, 2019 (up to June 6, 2022) as compared to the same period preceding those major decisions.
  • Deaths of security forces have seen a drop of 52%, and those of civilians, 14%.
  • A reduction of 14% has also been recorded in infiltration of terrorists from across the border.
• Spate of killings of civilians
  • A spate of killings of civilians, particularly of Kashmiri Hindus and non-Kashmiri residents of the Valley, has exposed the fragility of Kashmir’s security scenario.
    • More than 50% of all civilians killed in the Valley since August 5, 2019, have been killed in the past eight months.
  • This has coincided with attempts by militants to attack Hindu-dominated areas in Jammu, which saw such attacks last in the early 2000s.
• Continued infiltration
  • The Jammu border also saw frequent infiltration and gunfights with the Army, in which more than a dozen armed forces personnel were killed, even as the attackers remained elusive.
• Conclusion
  • In J&K, the government has succeeded on the public order front.
  • However, the infiltration of foreign terrorists continues, civilians have been targeted, and there is a resurgence of terrorism in Jammu.

 

The Northeast Theatre

• Steps taken
  • The current government made its priorities regarding the Northeast clear in its initial years with the announcement of its “Act East” policy.
  • The government focused on signing peace agreements with insurgent groups and bringing them to the negotiating table.
  • It rolled out a comprehensive surrender and rehabilitation policy for militants.
• Border disputes among states of Northeast
  • In the wake of the Assam-Mizoram border conflict of 2021 in which five Assam Police personnel were killed by Mizoram Police, the government speeded up boundary negotiations between various states in the Northeast.
  • Talks on the Assam-Arunachal boundary, pending since the 1970s, have been concluded.
  • The Assam-Meghalaya boundary dispute has been partially resolved.
• Statistics related to the violent incidents
  • According to the government, there has been a decline of 68% in violent incidents, and a 60% decline in deaths of security forces and civilians in past 9 years.
• Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in NE
  • While Tripura and Meghalaya are now completely free of AFSPA, 60% of Assam’s geographical area is not under the statute.
  • In Manipur, the government has removed AFSPA from 15 police stations of six districts, and in Nagaland it has been removed from 15 police stations of seven districts.
  • In Arunachal, AFSPA is in force in only three districts, and in two police stations of one district.
• Naga Peace Accord
  • The government has failed to ink the most important one: the Naga Peace Accord.
  • Despite announcing it way back in 2015, the government has failed to make any progress.
• Situation in Manipur
  • Manipur continues to burn for over a month now — despite personal intervention by Home Minister Shah.

 

Jihadist terrorism

• Status
  • The major Pak-sponsored group in mainland India, the Indian Mujahideen, had already been annihilated.
  • As the new phenomenon of Islamic State took shape with some young Muslims from India joining the outfit in Syria and Iraq, the government took the approach of prevention over cure.
  • Agencies mounted surveillance on social media activity discussing Islamic State ideology, and counselled potential recruits out of it.
• Steps taken
  • The govt amended the NIA Act and the UAPA to allow the government to designate even individuals as terrorists.
  • It banned the Popular Front of India (PFI).

 

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Q1) What is Left Wing Extremism (LWE)?

Left Wing Extremism (LWE), also known as Naxalism or Maoism, refers to a political ideology and armed insurgency movement that advocates for radical social and economic change through the overthrow of existing governments. LWE groups operate in several countries, but the term is often associated with the specific context of India. In India, LWE refers to the activities of various Maoist-inspired groups that seek to establish a communist state through armed struggle. These groups are primarily active in certain regions characterized by rural poverty, social inequalities, and limited access to government services. The affected states are primarily located in central and eastern India, often referred to as the "Red Corridor."

 

Q2) What is Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA)?

 The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) is an Indian legislation that grants special powers to the armed forces deployed in certain regions to maintain public order and combat insurgency. The act was first enacted in 1958 and has been enforced in specific areas of India, primarily those affected by internal security challenges.

 

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Source: Nine years of Modi govt: A mixed record on internal security