I was waiting for the Maoists’ version of the Sukma attack; they say that their targets were the Koya commanders, and they regret the killing of the civilians. I don’t think it’s enough! The reasons follow:

1 The Maoists intend to present an alternative government in India. In fact, they are already in de-facto control of some parts of India, and the Indian Government is trying to re-claim control (or should we say claim). This attack took place in an area which is under the de-facto control of the Maoists. Now, if the Maoists exercise de-facto control over a certain area, they have a responsibility towards all the people living in an area under their control, irrespective of their support to the Maoists cause. If a situation arises when the Maoists have to let go 1000 enemy personnel to save just one innocent life in the area under their control, they have no choice but to do that because that’s the way the governments protect their citizens. So, I would say the Maoists, at present, are not exercising proper de-facto control over the area where the attack took place.

2. It seems the place where the attack took place is an area where both Indian Government and the Maoists have stakes, and they are fighting with each other to gain decisive control. In such a situation, the rules of the war have to be followed; i.e., every attempt should be made to minimize collateral damage. Herein, I would appreciate Indian Air Force Chief for not using Air Force against the Maoist to avoid collateral damage. In this perspective, the Maoists who rashly killed so many civilians are condemnable: They are irresponsible rebels, who don’t understand the rules yet.

3. The Maoists are misguided ideologues, who are using the deplorable condition of the Tribals to further their hollow ideology. In a recent attack by the Indian government, some of their cadres were killed, and, in retaliation, the Maoists most irresposibily killed some SPOs of the Indian Government, but alongwith many civilians. They used the easiest available strategy/opportunity to take revenge without any long-term goal.

4. The Maoists have become desperate and have started following the ways of the terrorists: They have ceased, or are ceasing, to represent the Tribals. And, if these kinds of incidents increase furthermore, where innocent civilians are killed, it would be a fit case to give free hand to Mr. Chidambaram.

In absence of much knowledge about the Maoists, I am unable to rank the above reasons on their reality quotient.

©2010 Ankur Mutreja