The Red Menace

vina · Post by **vina** » 20 May 2010 13:13

According to The Hindu, the Maoists have hijacked a truck carrying a whopping 16.4 tons of Ammonium Nitrate!. Can you believe it? After Oklahoma bombings , if you try buying Ammonium Nitrate or any fertilizer that can be used in explosives, you could go straight to the slammer !.

Not so in India. We let such kind of dual use stuff about without any care. We let detonators and explosives used for quarrying and mining fall into Maoist hands.

The govt simply has not got it's act together. We are non serious about it. All the while the babus and the politicos in Dilli sit and do "strategy" and "nuanced /graduated" application of "force", the Maoists are going all out and as of now upwards of 100 cops and other civilians have paid with their lives.

This UPA strategy of "police " and NOT "counter insurgency" approach to Naxals, maybe out of a misplaced sense of "ideology" or "political correctness" or whatever it is has resulted in blood being spilled . That is on the UPA's hands . Limited Mandate or whatever that was about. Nothing can wash it off.

It is time, we realized the Maoist for what they are, an insurgent group and fought this as a counter insurgency and not as a "law and order" problem.

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 20 May 2010 18:01

There are fears of electoral backlash, and the interesting thing is that there are groups and people ever active to create such paranoia in the Congress. Be it taking harsh measures against POGWI because fear of IM backlash - real or imagined, or taking harsh measures against the Maoists because of tribal or EJ/IC backlash - real or imagined. Foriegn sympathies from western interests ever ready to only see the human rights only of all forms of jihad - be it Islamist, Ejist, Leftist or ethnic or combinations of all.

There are types of surgical problems that cannot be operated on, until they are "mature" enough. People are making the mistake of thinking that this is only a "Maoist" problem. But it is also a "Congress" paranoia problem, a possible compromised elements of rashtra problem, a media problem, an ideological problem, an academic establishment and intelligentsia problem. The totality of this problem has not matured enough to bring in sharp focus all the other intimately linked and inseparable "aspects".

It will take time for the linkages to become established in the public mind. Only then will it be the time for an effective solution.

Abhi_G · Post by **Abhi_G** » 20 May 2010 18:23

http://www.dailypioneer.com/256954/Maoi ... train.html

Maoists torch diesel tankers, derail train

At least 15 diesel tankers caught fire when suspected Maoists derailed a goods train by blasting the railway track and then set afire one of the tankers in Bihar's Motihari district, a railway official said Thursday.

The Maoists targeted the diesel tankers on the goods train between Jeevdhara and Pipra railway stations in Motihari, about 200 km from here.

"The goods train driver and guard informed us that suspected Maoists set afire an oil tanker. After that fire spread to other tankers," East Central Railway Chief Public Relation Officer Dilip Kumar told IANS over telephone.

"The fire is massive and we will have to wait for the fuel to burn out," he said.

Suppiah · Post by **Suppiah** » 21 May 2010 08:44

http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/21/stories ... 930900.htm

The Naxalites never target common people as we have observed during past several years...It is a different matter that Naxalites used to avenge those who spied for police,” he said. - PTI

Lallu issues certificate of good conduct to Naxals....notice how Hindu reports it without the usual snide remarks, sarcastic comments, contradictory statistic and so on...which would inevitably follow if any BJP leader makes any remark...

So all the track blastings, bus bombings, IED attacks are aimed at uncommon people...

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 21 May 2010 08:54

saw a pic of that burning train in TOI today. wagons charred and lying both sides of the track. looks like the scene after a air attack.

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 21 May 2010 09:16

The net effect of the Maoist campaign will be to destroy the value of Indian industrial and natural-resource assets. At which point they may be bought up by western elites at bargain prices. This is the context in which to view the pro-Maoist stance of Congress High Command. Blackmail regarding Swiss bank accounts, electronic voting machines, control of the press, funding to NGOs, all these are elements of the tool-box.

Our desi politicians are hopelessly out of their class in this struggle.

AjayKK · Post by **AjayKK** » 21 May 2010 14:34

Mining industry funding Naxal movement, says Maharashtra home minister R R Patil

MUMBAI: Maharashtra home minister R R Patil on Thursday claimed that the Naxal movement is being funded by a section of the cash-rich mining industry.

"Several mines are located in Naxal-affected areas. Those involved in the mining business are providing financial muscle to the Naxal movement," he said, adding, "The movement is not playing itself out in jungles alone. It is being backed by "bigshots" living in metro cities."

The minister suggested that the directorate of revenue intelligence (DRI) should find out details like the source of funding of these companies doing work in Naxal-hit areas. He made the statement while talking media persons at his Mantralaya office.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Indi ... 956154.cms

RamaY · Post by **RamaY** » 21 May 2010 20:10

Naxal issue cannot be solved at state-level as the MHA tries to spin it. No single state govt can make a deal with the maoists as it will not result in permanent and complete dissolution of naxal issue. So it has to be addressed holistically at fedaral level.

UPA administration is hopeless in dealing with Naxal problem for India, because they do not represent Indian Interests in this issue. They want the Naxal-problem to maintain their vote-bank (to stop Yindoo consolidation in rural India); and to harass non-UPA state administrations.

Only non-UPA administration at center can address this issue. I truly pray that an alternative administration comes into power in 2014 and address this issue for good, before they are out of power in 2019.

Samay · Post by **Samay** » 21 May 2010 21:05

Here comes the dung-beetle:
Cops shouldn't have used public bus: Arundhati : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 946936.cms

Why dont they just shoot this bi$$%^,,jholawalas seem to be spreading hatred and insecurity against the forces...
There is a law(s) against enemies of the state,had they forgotten it?

Muppalla · Post by **Muppalla** » 21 May 2010 22:23

RamaY wrote:Naxal issue cannot be solved at state-level as the MHA tries to spin it. No single state govt can make a deal with the maoists as it will not result in permanent and complete dissolution of naxal issue. So it has to be addressed holistically at fedaral level.

I had fallen for Chidu's argument that Naxal problem is a state subject. But how will they do when it is not just one state and they are spread across the nation. Utterances like state government have to handle looks like defensive statements. They should repeat that States and center will co-ordinate and clear the mess.

"It is your job and my job is minimal" or "center is not cooperating" etc. gives more morale to the Naxals than doing any good.

Muppalla · Post by **Muppalla** » 21 May 2010 22:24

AjayKK wrote:Mining industry funding Naxal movement, says Maharashtra home minister R R Patil

China is behind Maoists and most of the mining industries exports go to China as raw material. The nexus is very natural.

RamaY · Post by **RamaY** » 22 May 2010 00:24

Muppala garu, that is why INC is most unlikely to solve this issue unless the national political scene returns to pre-1991 levels, which is impossible given BJP's moderate national-level presence.

A turd-front will include leftists in the Govt so they too are unlikely to address this issue.

So only a BJP lead NDA govt OR a national govt consisting of nationalistic elements of all political parties can think of addressing the Naxal issue in the near future. The $M question is will they have enough motivation to resolve this issue that too at multiple levels; Social, Economic, and Law & Order. I like how Gen. Padmanabhan summed it up in his Checkmate-2017 book.

sum · Post by **sum** » 22 May 2010 13:48

Doc treating hurt Maoists leads double life

The doctor leads a parallel life: by day he is a government employee who draws his salary from the Chhattisgarh health services; by night he goes to the aid of injured insurgents and gets paid a “tip” by his Maoists benefactors.

“I hate this double life but have to live it because I have a wife to support. They drop me back and pay me a tip for attending to their injured,” the doctor, who is more a compounder than a degree-holding physician, says in a conspiratorial tone, misery writ large on his face.

He pleads that his identity not be disclosed for he knows full well the nature of retribution: stood up against a wall and shot. The villagers at Bacheli know the doctor lends a helping hand to the Maoists, but they leave him alone, for reporting him to the authorities or to the counter-insurgency special forces could mean days and nights of interrogation, which could sometimes border on the coercive.

Conspiracy of silence

There is a conspiracy of silence in these parts of Bastar, the hotbed of guerrilla activity which has had the paramilitary forces falling back and slowing down operations because of the recent attacks on them.

The doctor avoids eye contact with people and has practically shunned socialising with others in the village, mainly adivasis, who do not enter into any lengthy conversation with him whenever they need medical attention at the PHC.

The inscrutable adivasis, who sometimes get caught in the skirmishes between the Maoists and the security forces, do not betray the raging battles that are fought in the dark depths of the forests and craggy hillocks of Dantewada and Bastar. “I don’t know,” says Kutik, an adivasi from Bacheli.

Others like Basinath from Bastar evade discussing the Maoists, saying “they are in Dantewada, not here”. Jivan Chandra Barak, who earns a livelihood running a small shop that sells groceries and provisions, directs Deccan Herald toward Dantewada.

“They (the Maoists) do not come here,” says Barak and gets busy with his ware. Doctors like the one at the Bacheli PHC are useful for the Maoists in these parts of Chhattisgarh. Anyone who can use an injection syringe and tie a bandage is considered helpful.
Often, such doctors have to extend their services at gunpoint. It is on rare occasions that people enter into any discussion about the Maoists at the dhabas that dot the Raipur-Bastar stretch of National Highway 43.

“There are some diamond mines in Derbhog where there is some human activity by the day. At night it becomes a corridor for the Maoists’ nocturnal movements,” said Anil Kumar of Makri village in Kanker.

While the sight of policemen is as rare as the Maoists, there are moments when the men in khaki venture out to be alongside a small tableau on Maoist atrocities. At one photo exhibition on guerrilla excesses on Friday, a clutch of policemen laze about as strains of patriotic Hindi songs blare out from mikes under the tent.

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 24 May 2010 09:57

Pranab sends out a strong message to Chidambaram : http://news.rediff.com/report/2010/may/ ... mbaram.htm

It seems Sonia is taking matters into her own hands, and also relying more on Pranab rather than MMS. Chidambaram has suffered several attacks from Sonia loyalists.

Here is Siddharth Vardarajan from the Hindu asking Sonia to play the leading role:

As Congress president, a Member of Parliament and head of the UPA, Sonia Gandhi has a legal and political mandate of the kind the RSS never had. But the problem is that she is not being decisive in the exercise of her mandate. Many of the problems the NDA regime ran into sprang from the sangh parivar's assertiveness. In contrast, the UPA's problems arise from Ms Gandhi's failure to lead from the front.

http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/24/stories ... 711000.htm

rkirankr · Post by **rkirankr** » 24 May 2010 15:01

Some red pigs responsible for killing our soldiers captured

Yagnasri · Post by **Yagnasri** » 24 May 2010 17:06

Basically the leftist people in Congress like Ayyar servive being loyalist. The anti naxal actions do not have any great support from Rajamata or the Prince. We can not expect them to say anything remotely anti leftist. They want to have the undisputed claim for being pro poor and MMS and others to take the blame for everything. Some how they think being pro poor is also being pro naxals or atleast advocating the so call two kinds of response to naxals (development/welfare and security) So they and their loyalists continue to play this role and try to discorage or even back stab our forces from time to time. Chindu is cought in this mess.

Suppiah · Post by **Suppiah** » 25 May 2010 18:36

Chindu will argue both ways when it suits itself - anyone questioning Sonia as having extra-constitutional authority will be called 'fascist' and insist that MMS is his own man...now it is Sonia not exercising her god given mandate. They are conveniently forgetting that the so called mandate was not for Sonia, as Congress did not win enough seats to form govt...they barely won more than what PVNR had to pay with his job for after demonised as failure....

Interestingly the 'third group' being peddled as ones trying to represent the underprivileged who need to be given voice is actually filled with the likes of Jairam Ramesh and MSAiyar who cannot get 2 votes standing on their own...and the leadership of this group is supposed to be Rahul who will introduce 'democracy' to the party! That's like asking Kim Jong ill to bring democracy to North Korea..so the agenda of the lefties and their media puppets are very clear - a dynasty that is weak, controlled and manipulated by those without mass base and/or pure chamchas with leftist mindset (Digvijay, JR,MSA etc) is the best bet for the Stalinists to enjoy power without responsibility or people's mandate, through blackmail of the dynasty ala UPA1. ...and the bonus is of course, that India toes Beijing line and becomes an obedient s.Asian servant.

praksam · Post by **praksam** » 28 May 2010 05:43

Trains collide after blast in India, many feared dead

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100527/wl_ ... s_accident

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 28 May 2010 06:06

Narayana Rao wrote:Basically the leftist people in Congress like Ayyar servive being loyalist. The anti naxal actions do not have any great support from Rajamata or the Prince. We can not expect them to say anything remotely anti leftist. They want to have the undisputed claim for being pro poor and MMS and others to take the blame for everything. Some how they think being pro poor is also being pro naxals or atleast advocating the so call two kinds of response to naxals (development/welfare and security) So they and their loyalists continue to play this role and try to discorage or even back stab our forces from time to time. Chindu is cought in this mess.

Support for Maoists by Sonia Gandhi loyalists has nothing to do with being pro-poor.

Indian Maoists have had ties with LTTE and with many other international terrorist organizations. There is definitely evidence of western support to such organizations.

Take a look at http://www.janataparty.org/sonia.html for more info about Sonia's ties to terrorist organizations and foreign intelligence agencies.

The most interesting thing is that certain elements in the BJP have also been consistently protecting Sonia from justice. So the BJP is not necessarily the messiah.

If India has to get out of this mess the zero-th step is to get rid of our "black-box" elections.

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 28 May 2010 06:34

Horrific scenes at the attack site:

'Super de luxe' train

"The blast derailed 13 coaches of the Gyaneswari Express," railway spokesman Soumitra Majumdar told Reuters.

"These coaches then fell on the other track where a goods train rammed into some of them."

Among the 13 carriages of the "super de luxe" express were 10 sleeper coaches and an unreserved coach, sources told The Times of India.

A reporter at the scene, Naresh Jana, said: "I can see at least four passenger coaches completely mangled. I am seeing many bodies crushed under the goods train.

"People are crying. Rescuers are struggling to save the survivors and get the bodies out."

Among the emergency teams sent to the scene were 12 doctors and 20 paramedics from Kharagpur and two doctors from the Kalaikunda airbase in the district, the newspaper reported.

Maoist rebels have in recent months stepped up attacks in response to a government security push to flush them out of their jungle bases.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/10178967.stm

Prem Kumar · Post by **Prem Kumar** » 28 May 2010 07:24

Report from TOI: 'Maoist' blast derails 13 coaches of Express train, 15 dead

This war has come out of the jungles sooner than we predicted. If we dont crush them now, it will be too late.

Btw, the BBC ch&^%iya site has an India map sans Kashmir. I have posted a comment asking them to correct it. Lets see if my comment gets posted.

Is it possible to file a complaint about this to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs? I went to their website but couldnt find a place to provide feedback

Suppiah · Post by **Suppiah** » 28 May 2010 08:42

Steel plant is most welcome...villagers celebrating it...

http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/28/stories ... 141000.htm

Steel plant NOT welcome...villagers and 'intellectuals' are against it...

http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/27/stories ... 001300.htm

So one can assume that agriculture has not 'failed' in Orissa and is delivering prosperity to all its villagers, unlike in Marxist ruled WB...

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 28 May 2010 09:49

Surely you jest!!!

karat must have had a apoplexic fit.

http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news ... ssindia%29

Now, Buddha asks for BJP votes

Express news service
Posted: May 27, 2010 at 0118 hrs IST

Kolkata In a new twist to the ongoing politics prior to the civic polls, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Wednesday asked BJP supporters to vote for the Marxists. Bhattacharjee made this appeal while addressing a public meeting in Bansdroni.

“I appeal to those who support the BJP and vote for that party, do not spoil your vote. Vote for us, I assure you that we will work for the city,” said Bhattacharjee.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 28 May 2010 10:49

imo is a matter of when not if the RR is pulled in to sort this mess out.

rsingh · Post by **rsingh** » 28 May 2010 11:36

Just back from motherland. There is so much chaos everywhere. Corruption and chalta hai attitude. Difference between rich and poor is mind boggling. I really wonder how come we have that less violence in India. We blame everybody for our grievances....Bakistan,China,USA, Canada even Lanka. I think biggest threat to Indian union and Indian democracy are Indian Politicians. Bunch of thugs with no vision. Really I am surprised that we have managed to survive as a country that long. Am really angry.

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 28 May 2010 12:02

Toll climbs to 65: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Indi ... 983218.cms

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 28 May 2010 13:08

Toll now at 120 dead, 160 injured: http://news.rediff.com/slide-show/2010/ ... 0-dead.htm

Gelatine sticks and TNT explosives found on tracks - http://www.ptinews.com/news/673798_Gela ... -on-tracks

Maoist-backed PCPA claims responsibility for derailment - http://news.rediff.com/report/2010/may/ ... ilment.htm

Looks like the worst Maoist carnage to date.

chaanakya · Post by **chaanakya** » 28 May 2010 13:24

Very unfortunate. RIP to those now resting in heaven.
It must be condemned in strongest terms and no pseudo sympathy for f$%king maoist cause etc.
Don't know in what terms kongras will respond. There seems to be paralysis due to analysis.
They forget that inaction is also action , only against common man.

Sachin · Post by **Sachin** » 28 May 2010 13:27

I really dont know what Maoists are thinking when they go ahead with these blasts. Of course we have our own fifth columnists like Arun-dhoti Roy et.al who came up with theories that civilains were travelling with police officers, so they also would have died even though the Maoists targetted the police officers. What will be the new excuse A.Dhoti would come up now? That the engine driver and the guard were "enemy of the people" and the bomb blasts were targetted at them? These blasts may give a short term benefit that people would get scared that Maoists can get away with what ever they want. But in the long run the people would change their mind-sets, thanks to these high handed tacticts and then the state can go for the final kill. The state agencies would atleast have the backing of common people who have seen the atrocities of the Maoists.

Atri · Post by **Atri** » 28 May 2010 13:32

In my understanding, the attacks will decrease (Or at least the media-coverage) when Home minister is changed to a more pliable one. Perhaps, he will have "greater mandate" from PM as opposed to incumbent MHA.

Suppiah · Post by **Suppiah** » 28 May 2010 14:20

If anyone expects rapist goons and their puppets to reform themselves after these killings in their own backyard, they would be disappointed. There would be selective condemnation of leftist violence, in WB ONLY. Elsewhere it is of course, 'human rights'

Abhi_G · Post by **Abhi_G** » 28 May 2010 16:15

Atri wrote:In my understanding, the attacks will decrease (Or at least the media-coverage) when Home minister is changed to a more pliable one. Perhaps, he will have "greater mandate" from PM as opposed to incumbent MHA.

Very correct. The increasing maoist violence and apparent "hands tied" condition of both the Home Minister and the Rail Minister does show something. Check out which regions these ministers come from. More importantly, check out that these two have "minds" of their own, more correctly "capabilities", political, managerial etc. Therefore, the dynasty would NEVER allow any INC/coalition member to grow too big to manage. INC is continuing this dangerous game since pre-independence era. Never allow anybody to grow beyond being loyal courtiers. It is like killing two birds with one stone.

Tanaji · Post by **Tanaji** » 28 May 2010 16:34

http://news.rediff.com/report/2010/may/ ... ilment.htm

After the death toll has risen, PCPA is back tracking and saying we are innocent onlee
Expect Arundhotee Roy types to blame this on GoI

chaanakya · Post by **chaanakya** » 28 May 2010 18:30

http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/train-de ... -28466.php

IAF Kalikunda AFB 30 Km away from accident site rushed to rescue injured , may have saved more than 100 passengers
MI-17 Helicopter rescue operation was conducted in clockwork like precision.

Well done.
Now hopefully home ministry allows purchase of helicopters for Air Ambulance and Rescue during disaster/crisis management and sets up regulatory mechanism for this purpose.

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 28 May 2010 19:07

Folks - it would be easy to predict the trends if you followed my indicators about the need to keep PC and MB under pressure. I did say that Maoist violence that affects MB or PC will increase if they show too much independence. Long ago I warned that if PC did not reign himself in a bit, he will be "pulled" back nicely, and the same goes for MB. Moreover in preparations for WB elections, MB has to be kept under pressure and for this the Maoists will intensify their attacks on both CPI(M) and TMC, but it will never ever go against INC elements that have "central support".

Just keep the tally - Maoists of the recent phase, do not do anything that harms EJs, Islamists or Jihadis, and INC entities close to the centre (at that time period).

Abhi_G · Post by **Abhi_G** » 28 May 2010 19:35

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 984335.cms
Railways may stop night operation in Naxal-hit states

The Railways is mulling to stop night movement of trains in the severely Naxalite-affected areas of the country after 13 bogies of the Mumbai-bound Gyaneshwari Express derailed with five of its bogies getting hit by a goods train traveling from the opposite direction immediately after the incident.

Timeline

Vivek Sahai, member traffic, Railways board, said a red alert had been sounded from midnight of May 28 owing to the Maoist call for a series of "Black Days" and the Railways had taken enough precautions.

“A single light check engine had been run on the track at 11 pm, one-and-a-half hours before the accident and about five trains had run on it thereafter at intervals of 15 to 20 minutes.

A goods train passed the section at 11.37 pm,

Azad Express at 12.03 am,

The Porvandar Express at 12.31 am,

the Howrah-Hatia Express at 12.45 am,

finally followed by the Gyaneshwari Express at 1.16 am,” Sahai said

Each train was in a particular section as railway rules allow movement of only one train between two stations during the night. The speed of all trains running in the night through Maoist-infested areas was no more than 75 km/hr. This shows that the sabotage was carried out within 20 minutes after the train to Hatia left,’’ he added.

Shows quite a bit of sophisticated planning...internal knowledge available?

Conflicting reports have come about the incident with the relief team finding the fish plates missing on the tracks and the engine driver reporting that he had heard a blast just before the accident,” said a member from the Eastern Railway.

RamaY · Post by **RamaY** » 28 May 2010 19:41

I see these incidents with a sense of rage and helplessness. The federal and state govts are playing blame games instead of destroying this menace of naxalism. The buck stops at PMO.

Muppalla · Post by **Muppalla** » 28 May 2010 20:11

Eventhough I am depressed, I have hope that the Red Menace will be countered with the required force by GOI. Most of these incedents actually will make the hawks against Maoists ( MMS, Chidu and Pranab da) stronger in the government. Maoists are doing a mistake in their war against Chidambaram. There are neither pressures from Uncle nor MMS is from China before 1947 and hence no WKK-ism with respect to China. India will fight it out but we will see loss of commoners in the next few years.

All these terrains are not that impossible to fight. IA has fought more worse in Nagaland even during early 60s. India will defeat this internal enemy.

Suppiah · Post by **Suppiah** » 28 May 2010 20:47

This problem has to be tackled at source - arrest all the backers of Maoists like Arundathi Roy, Romila Thapar, SV, NR, Gaddar, Varavara Rao, Ramachandra Guha etc., and give them EXACTLY the same treatment that Maoists give to their political opponents...

Suppiah · Post by **Suppiah** » 28 May 2010 20:51

While we are rightly focussed on the outrage by the 'laal parivar' members, it is also relevant to enquire whether the usual reckless negligence and incompetence of IR played a role - did people die because of derailment or because the good train rammed into derailed coaches? If yes, why was the goods train allowed to pass that stretch?