Karnataka declared itself a “No Naxalite state” after six militants, who were active in the Malnad region, surrendered before Chief Minister Siddaramaiah earlier this month. The announcement came mere weeks after the encounter of Naxal commander Vikram Gowda.
Published Jan 11, 2025 | 6:09 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 11, 2025 | 6:12 PM
Anti-Naxal Force during a combing operation in Malnad and Coastal area. (supplied)
The Citizens’ Initiative for Peace (CIP) has appealed to the Karnataka government to act swiftly on its promises to rehabilitate former Naxalites who recently left behind armed rebellion in favour of the democratic process.
The statement issued by the Citizen’s Initiative for Peace.
Karnataka declared itself to be a “No Naxalite state” after the surrender of six left-wing extremists on Wednesday, 8 January.
The six Naxalites, who were active in the Malnad region, surrendered before Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at his home office, Krishna. The announcement came mere weeks after the encounter of Naxal commander Vikram Gowda.
In a detailed statement issued on Saturday, 11 January, The CIP, which played a central role in facilitating the transition of six Naxalites to the democratic mainstream, said that the reintegration process is far from complete and warned of potential setbacks if commitments are not honoured.
The organisation stressed that bringing them out of the forests is only the beginning and urged for ensuring their reintegration into society and addressing the root causes of Naxalism.
The CIP urged the media and the government to characterise the Naxalite movement accurately.
“The Naxal Movement is not a nuisance, but an intense response to persistent social injustice,” the statement read. CIP argued that such movements are rooted in deep-seated inequalities and cannot be eradicated without addressing their causes.
“The six Naxalites above have repeatedly clarified that: ‘We have not abandoned the struggle. We are changing the path of the struggle. We will continue to fight for the people till the very end of our lives,’” the statement said.
The group insisted that Karnataka’s approach, which has brought armed struggle to an end in the state, should inspire others. “It is impossible to build walls to block the flood of resistance, and Karnataka has developed a well-thought-out fresh model that is vital in the current context,” CIP added.
The CIP outlined several urgent demands to ensure the success of the reintegration process:
Vikram Gowda was killed in an encounter by Anti Naxal Force at Hebri on 18 November. (supplied)
While the CIP expressed hope that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would honour his assurances, they cautioned against complacency. The group noted that past governments have failed to sustain similar efforts, leaving surrendered Naxalites in legal and social limbo.
To keep the process on track, the CIP announced plans to convene citizen meetings in Bengaluru and other districts. These meetings will aim to mobilise public support and ensure that the government remains accountable.
“If we leave this responsibility on the government alone and keep quiet, none of these will be implemented; the comrades who have landed up in jail with hopes on all of us will never be able to come to the democratic mainstream in the real sense,” the group said.
The CIP noted that while the armed form of Naxalism might have concluded, the underlying problems that led to its origin are still present and unaddressed.
“The talk of ‘end of the Naxal problem’ is very much making the rounds. It is true that due to the present event, the Naxalite armed form of struggle has in a way been concluded in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala states.
“But neither the problems pertaining to this team of Naxalites have ended, nor any of those problems of the lives of the people of Malenadu and other hilly region that the Naxalites have raised have been carefully taken up or resolved,” the group said.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
