No Indian Appetite For Action

[Windjammer]

NEW DELHI: Home minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday ruled out military operations as an option to tackle the Maoist menace and said it is a matter of "ethical consideration" not to do so.

"Sri Lanka might have used the military to tackle the LTTE but we in India can't do that. We ought not try this in India," he said.

Chidambaram said referring to the Maoist menace as one of the three major internal security threats plaguing the country.

The Home Minister said "we may have the capability but we ought not do it."

Pointing at the terror threats from jihadi forces, he said the idea of cross border terrorism emanating from Pakistan needed to be redefined as the terrorists also took inspiration from the Middle-East.

"It (jihadi terrorism) is not just from across the border in Pakistan but extends beyond to the Middle-East also. We have to redefine what cross-border terrorism means," Chidambaram said at a book release function here.

He said insurgency in the Northeast was the third internal threat but added that it was almost under control.

India had the means to "contain, control and resolve" the insurgency in the Northeastern states and Maoist menace in central India but religious terrorism would never be under control, he said pointing out that there were new dimensions of terror groups such as from Hindu fundamentalist and to a small extent from the Sikh groups.

Chidambaram rules out military operations against Maoists - India - The Times of India

 

[Paksindhi]

They will never going to use Army against Hindu extremists, that army is only for kashmiries and pakistani's and to some extent bangladeshi's.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

hmmmmm.....i vaguely seem to recall one mr. pm singh classifying them (naxals) as the ''single biggest threat'' to indian national security

then you have home minister saying no action will be taken....therefore, i am perplexed. They shot dead 75+ policemen a few weeks back, took their arms and ammunitions.

recent developments

1.)

By 2001, some Naxalites had gained sway over 51 districts, and with the state response mechanism to their movements still weak, that number quadrupled in less than a decade. Naxals now operate in 223 districts, spread out over one-third of India along a vertical belt commonly referred to as the Red Corridor.

India Steps Up Its Fight Against Maoist Naxalite Rebels - TIME


2.) Maoists Target CRPF Vehicle in Chhattisgarh, 8 Jawans Killed

Maoists target CRPF vehicle in Chhattisgarh, 8 jawans killed - India - The Times of India

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

it's already a civil war; they'd rather just slow it down a little bit and keep it contained to areas that were/are/always will be underdeveloped

only thing is, their influence is spreading.


thank God Pakistan is a capitalist country. God bless capitalism.

 

[karan.1970]

@AZ.. The decision is to not use Army but Para military forces.. Not to not use anything..

@PakSindhi.. Yes.. mainly for Pakistanis

 

[Windjammer]

hmmmmm.....i vaguely seem to recall one mr. pm singh classifying them (naxals) as the ''single biggest threat'' to indian national security

then you have home minister saying no action will be taken....therefore, i am perplexed. They shot dead 75+ policemen a few weeks back, took their arms and ammunitions.

recent developments

1.)

India Steps Up Its Fight Against Maoist Naxalite Rebels - TIME


2.) Maoists Target CRPF Vehicle in Chhattisgarh, 8 Jawans Killed

Maoists target CRPF vehicle in Chhattisgarh, 8 jawans killed - India - The Times of India

Buddy, it takes a lot of determination to implement a strategy when you are faced with certain dire circumstances, such lackluster comments by Indian set up translates into a hapless decision of turning the other cheek, thus hoping the problem to go away.
Salute to our forces who despite facing much deadlier threats faced and took the menace head on.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

blame the messenger i see, ey?

 

[gubbi]

Buddy, it takes a lot of determination to implement a strategy when you are faced with certain dire circumstances, such lackluster comments by Indian set up translates into a hapless decision of turning the other cheek, thus hoping the problem to go away.
Salute to our forces who despite facing much deadlier threats faced and took the menace head on.

The HM said that India will NOT resort to using MILITARY, i.e. the Army for enforcing law and order in the Naxal hit states.

Contrary to popular belief on this forum and by many outside, the Naxals are considered as terrorist organization by GoI, but they are NOT SEPERATISTS!! They are NOT demanding "Freedom" for a new state.

Hence in lieu of the above facts, Naxals are the grestest "internal" threat to routine security in India, but NOT an existential threat.

According to the powers vested to the respective state governments, the state governments are responsible for ensuring law and order and security in their territories. However, if the state police force finds the job overwhelming, then, only then, reserve police forces are deployed by the Central Govt. And yes, in this case, the CRPF has been deployed because the local govt in Bengal is dragging its feet going against the Maoists - all for vote bank politics!!

Deploying Military aka the Indian Army to combat internal threat is a very huge decision and may not go down well with the population. The Army has NO role, whatsoever, in combating internal threats, unless they are either of external origin or natural disasters wherein the army steps in, in a humanitarian role.

So Chindu is right in saying that Military will NOT be deployed inside the country's borders. This is a job for the Central Reserve police forces and they should as well do a damn good job, or heads will roll.

 

[Windjammer]

a very imaginative title for the thread! U should be called windtwister!!

So seems looking at book covers is one's prime effort.

 

[deckingraj]

So seems looking at book covers is one's prime effort.

Well if the forum rules say so then yes my dear friend...It is...

Apologies in advance but i have reported this thread because you have broken forum rule by changing the thread title for obvious reasons which is flaming...


Now let me move beyond the book covers and share my opinion...

As per popular belief in this forum Military role in fighting internal problems is very Bad decision...It should be your last option because of various reason...Let me list a few

Collateral Damage - Brute force results in lot of civilians deaths and result in Collateral Damage...This is detrimental to the very program that you are running...

Roles and Responsibilities - Army primary role is to safegaurd borders...You just cannot put them in every nuisance which can be tackled otherwise...This is a big dagger to your troops moral and stress them out...Army should stay in Barracks and any prolonged contact of Army and civilians in combat is not good for either...

Brute Force - Military is known for its brute force and will use fire power to overwhelm the enemy....Using your own firepower on your own people sounds foolish..Doesn't it??

Now care to explain if using Army is such a great idea then what took PA so long to get its act together against TTP??? why they went for a peace deal in SWAT which unfortunately backfired and they paid the price by loosing Buner...why is you military establishment even under current circumstances is more than happy to have a peace deal if TTP promises to abjure violence????


Having said it even our Army chief says that situation is not that bad for India to choose Military option against Maoists...what the heck you mean by No Indian Appetite for Action???

 

[Skeptic]

I appreciate the statement. We do not have to deploy Army against an internal threat. It will continue to stay under home ministry rather than ministry of defence.

As for the large Red font thingie, you might be surprised but a lot of debate has been going on internally regarding non-muslim extremists. They have to be nipped in nascent stages if we do not want the issue to escalate.

 

[Iqbal_Brar]

Indian army was already deployed internally... Punjab 1980s against Sikhs... this policy of neglecting Maoists is just that same decade old policy.. oh well.. maybe this will make local police forces stronger...

 

[Skeptic]

Indian army was already deployed internally... Punjab 1980s against Sikhs... this policy of neglecting Maoists is just that same decade old policy.. oh well.. maybe this will make local police forces stronger...

The action was not entire appreciated, maybe one of the most controversial decisions. Finally the peace was restored by Police force only.

 

[Windjammer]

Well if the forum rules say so then yes my dear friend...It is...

Apologies in advance but i have reported this thread because you have broken forum rule by changing the thread title for obvious reasons which is flaming...


Now let me move beyond the book covers and share my opinion...

As per popular belief in this forum Military role in fighting internal problems is very Bad decision...It should be your last option because of various reason...Let me list a few

Collateral Damage - Brute force results in lot of civilians deaths and result in Collateral Damage...This is detrimental to the very program that you are running...

Roles and Responsibilities - Army primary role is to safegaurd borders...You just cannot put them in every nuisance which can be tackled otherwise...This is a big dagger to your troops moral and stress them out...Army should stay in Barracks and any prolonged contact of Army and civilians in combat is not good for either...

Brute Force - Military is known for its brute force and will use fire power to overwhelm the enemy....Using your own firepower on your own people sounds foolish..Doesn't it??

Now care to explain if using Army is such a great idea then what took PA so long to get its act together against TTP??? why they went for a peace deal in SWAT which unfortunately backfired and they paid the price by loosing Buner...why is you military establishment even under current circumstances is more than happy to have a peace deal if TTP promises to abjure violence????


Having said it even our Army chief says that situation is not that bad for India to choose Military option against Maoists...what the heck you mean by No Indian Appetite for Action???

I will not go into the rules of engagement since each scenario demands a different level of operations. As for the PA action in FATA is concerned, initially the Frontier Constabulary, a Militia force, was sent in, albeit in the opening salvos, the casualties suffered by the FC were nothing of the CRPF magnitude, the threat due to the magnitude of the covert support was deemed to be far superior than the lightly armed FC. Keeping in mind that the TTP or there of are also not an independence seeking movement. The main issue facing the PA was that the culprits had blended in with the local communities in the built up areas, hence the peace deals through local Tribal councils were initiated. However since these deals were not honored by the TTP culprits, the locals also stood up against their one time guests and welcomed the Army operations. In contrast, the Indian authorities face no such dilemma as the Maoist apparently thrive in dense forests away from the population cluster neither are they embedded in other communities. It's not a secret that several other insurgencies inside India are blowing hot and cold, it's probably the apprehension of any action resulting into a snow ball effect which is keeping the Indian authorities on the back foot. As for as the principles of using brute force are concerned, apart from the example of operation Blue Star, even an open society like Britain had to resort to such when dealing with the IRA.

 

[Windjammer]

I appreciate the statement. We do not have to deploy Army against an internal threat. It will continue to stay under home ministry rather than ministry of defence.

No doubt like many armies around the world, IA is a professional force but for whatever reasons, it's having it's fair share of traumas and dilemmas. with out any chest thumping, in recent history i don't recall of any PA trooper turning the gun on him self or his comrades.

As for the large Red font thingie, you might be surprised but a lot of debate has been going on internally regarding non-muslim extremists. They have to be nipped in nascent stages if we do not want the issue to escalate.

Goes without saying that some folks are in such denial that they are incompetent to read between the lines hence you need to expose certain realities to them, however more than the Red lines, my attention was drawn to the expression of looking beyond Pakistan.
Which in it'self is an admittance albeit in a some what digressing manner.