India Finding Inner Peace

Context: The recent encounter of Hizbul Mujahideen (HB) chief Saifullah Mir, reflects the new reality of the state-turned-Union territories, and of internal security, post-abrogation of Article 370.

An overview of Internal Security climate of India after the abrogation of Article 370:

• No major attack: There has been no major terrorist attack in civilian areas in India excluding Kashmir after 2016 such as the attacks in Pathankot and Uri in January and September 2016, respectively.
• Increased role of National Investigation Agency (NIA): which arrested over 17 members of the Islamic State’s Indian offshoot - al-Hind, in December 2019.
  • Al-Hind was reportedly plotting to establish a province, ‘ISIS Daishwilayah’, in the jungles of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala in 2019.
• Steady decline in Naxalism:
  • In Andhra Pradesh, a combination of additional resources and vision from the central government along with local police action and targeted socioeconomic initiatives have helped.
  • In Chhattisgarh, a push by the Centre for road connectivity particularly in Sukma, Bijapur and Jagdalpur districts has helped in restricting Naxalite presence to the state’s southern districts.
  • In Jharkhand, the government’s push for Operation Anaconda in 2011 was successful in removing Naxalite presence followed by 108 rebels surrendering in 2018.
  • In Odisha and Bihar, there is negligible or no presence with violence confined to 30 districts in mostly the tri-junction border areas.
• Revised counter-insurgency strategy: by West Bengal, with a focus on having an elite police team to target rebel leaders and undertaking confidence-building measures.
• Steep decline in militancy in the North East: with incidents reducing by 12% over the past year and violence restricted to a tri-junction area between Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.
  • Agreements between the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), the All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU), Assam’s state government and the Centre are a welcome step.
  • Positive outcomes are expected in engagements with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) NSCN (I-M) in future.
• Special Assistance by the Centre: About 532 companies of central paramilitary forces have been deployed in states, along with an overarching strategic direction.
  • Special Central Assistance (SCA) has been provided to about 35 affected districts.

Conclusion: Left-wing extremism is now in terminal decline, with its ideology having lost an appeal from locals, while the Centre pushes for growth as an antidote.