MAOISTS GOING BERSERK AGAIN

Maoists have struck again. This time at Narainpur in Chattisgarh killing 26 CRPF jawans and greviously injuring 27 others. The death toll as per reports is likely to go up. This time they struck on the eve of the 2 day bandh declared by them and the hapless jawans while they were supervising the vulnerable areas before the bandh was coming into force. As I had written elsewhere our jawans are saddled with many handicaps, both personal and job related. Personal in the sense that they are poorly paid and not provided with required leave to spend at least some moments of relaxation with their families - parents, siblings, wives and children. To work under stressful circumstances add a lot to their woes. On the other hand at the job front lack of proper training, modern and sophisticated weapons burden them a lot. Whether any arrangements from the part of govt. are on course, no idea actually.
It is high time Maoists did a soul-searching exercise, an introspection on their part for proceeding along the path of violence particularly targeting CRPF jawans and gunning them down in cold-blood. Whether such violence and ruthless killings of the CRPF jawans would solve the problems of the tribals for whom they have entered the arena. Following in the foot-steps of hard-core terrorists will bring them a tarnished image ultimately. Those who sympathised with their objectives once have slowly started looking at them with suspicions and apprehensions. The way all look at the terrorists- hatred, fear and consternation - may look up to the Maoists also if they go on with this bloody game.
Maoists unfortunately, surprisingly and embarrasingly seem to be not aware of the people across our nation living below poverty line who find it difficult to make both ends meet. Homeless a number of them, hunger haunts them, poverty shadows them, even safe drinking water and sanitation facilities lacking and are forced to slog it out under the scorching sun day in and day out to make a living but all they aspire for are a peaceful life free from fear and violence. They don't think in terms of taking up arms and go on a killing spree resisting the law enforcers and might of the governments, both at Centre and the States . They are very much certain about the consequences that follow in the event of such an uprising. This doesn't meant that they are bound to suffer all indignities, discriminations and the feelings of a neglected lot. Angry they are, protests they must but engaging in ruthless violence, killing the 'so-called class enemies' won't solve their problems facing them. Are the CRPF jawans 'class-enemies' or agents of the 'class-enemies'? The jawans do their duties to earn a living under dangerous circumstances facing all kinds of hardships in tough terrains of the jungles.
In this context I am forced to refer to the recent steep hike in fuel prices, petrol,diesel, kerosene and gas, thus raising the inflation rate. The ones already burdened with sky-high prices of essential commodities and food items are going to be more and more disappointed and disillusioned. Furthermore handing over the right to determine the future prices of the fuels to markets is to put it mildly, something disgusting and deplorable.
Calling the handing over of the right to determine the prices to a market mechanism a sensible step and a laudable decision, so to speak, has also many takers in our land. In a world where there are two sides holding opposite views to justify the beating up of one's mother by her own son or daughter, such comments are not even shocking or alarming. Such economic pundits are a curse of a nation. Having undergone higher studies in elite institutions in the nation and institutions abroad, these 'so-called' 'erudite' scholars seem to lose simple common sense that we common people are blessed with. Quoting economic jargons and rhetorical flourishes whether they are relevant or irrelevant are nothing but a show business.
A well-known economist Prime Minister while at abroad speaking at Economic summits proclaims at the top of his voice the need for emerging nations to reduce exports and find ways for developing infrastructure facilities thus creating a conducive atmosphere for creating more demands raising the purchasing power of the people, upon his return to his homeland keeps mum on the question of mounting prices of essential commodities and food-items, their scarcity which people find it quite difficult to pull on each day as the days progress. Prices are shooting up day by day with no perceptible change in the standard of living.
On the widespread demand for the extradition of former Union Carbide Co. Chairman, Dr.Singh was reported to have kept a vow of silence. Anyhow it is quite a great relief to us that he deemed it fit to demand the extradition of Anderson 'the great' breaking his vow of silence over the latter.
The fluid situation into which our country find itself caught in the web of difficult circumstances for the last decades or so, let us wait for a new dawn if not in the near future at least in the distant future.