Change of tack? Passengers left unharmed
The train hijack and treatment of passengers pointed to a possible shift in the Maoist modus operandi with the hijackers making a conspicuous effort not to torment passsengers.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: Faced with an aggressive government campaign attacking them and their sympathisers for the indiscriminate killing that has become the hallmark of their strategy, Maoists seemed to be engaged in a re-think on using wanton violence in the ���class struggle��� . The train hijack and treatment of passengers pointed to a possible shift in the Maoist modus operandi with the hijackers making a conspicuous effort not to torment passsengers.
As witness accounts poured in after the hijack crisis ended, Rajdhani Express passengers spoke about how they were left unharmed and how the hijackers were only interested in sending a message to the political establishment . Indications of a possible change in stance comes at a time when the Centre has been aggressively attacking intelligentsia, supporters and human rights activists for espousing the Maoist cause, branding them as mere terrorists who had no ideological backing behind them.
In fact, a day earlier, the ministry of home affairs had condemned an attack on four CISF jawans in Chhattisgarh. It had questioned the motive behind attacking a police force that was protecting state-run corporation NMDC. The statement noted that NMDC was engaged in development of minerals, provided employment , promoted economic activity and undertook many welfare activities in the area as part of its corporate social responsibility .
This was the second major attack on CISF which, incidentally , is not engaged in any counternaxal operations and is deployed to guard PSUs operating in Maoistinfested areas. Earlier in April, a group of Maoists had attacked the Nalco bauxite mines in Koraput, Orissa, killing 10 CISF personnel guarding the facility. Similarly, the beheading of inspector Francis Induwar in Ranchi had created a furore deepening the impression that naxal violence was targeting the common man.
The Centre���s offensive against Maoists across Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Andhra and Orissa has seen rights activists invading seminar halls and media with stories of repression and police brutality . The state has retaliated by highlighting that Naxals have been killing innocent tribals, beheading cops and blasting away symbols of development like two schools that were attacked in Jharkhand���s Giridih district on Tuesday.
As witness accounts poured in after the hijack crisis ended, Rajdhani Express passengers spoke about how they were left unharmed and how the hijackers were only interested in sending a message to the political establishment . Indications of a possible change in stance comes at a time when the Centre has been aggressively attacking intelligentsia, supporters and human rights activists for espousing the Maoist cause, branding them as mere terrorists who had no ideological backing behind them.
In fact, a day earlier, the ministry of home affairs had condemned an attack on four CISF jawans in Chhattisgarh. It had questioned the motive behind attacking a police force that was protecting state-run corporation NMDC. The statement noted that NMDC was engaged in development of minerals, provided employment , promoted economic activity and undertook many welfare activities in the area as part of its corporate social responsibility .
This was the second major attack on CISF which, incidentally , is not engaged in any counternaxal operations and is deployed to guard PSUs operating in Maoistinfested areas. Earlier in April, a group of Maoists had attacked the Nalco bauxite mines in Koraput, Orissa, killing 10 CISF personnel guarding the facility. Similarly, the beheading of inspector Francis Induwar in Ranchi had created a furore deepening the impression that naxal violence was targeting the common man.
The Centre���s offensive against Maoists across Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Andhra and Orissa has seen rights activists invading seminar halls and media with stories of repression and police brutality . The state has retaliated by highlighting that Naxals have been killing innocent tribals, beheading cops and blasting away symbols of development like two schools that were attacked in Jharkhand���s Giridih district on Tuesday.
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