Context: The recent Tekulguda tragedy reveals strategic failures in India’s internal security management.
Major Internal Security (IS) challenges faced by India
A proxy war and terrorism in Kashmir.
Sub-national separatist movements in the Northeast.
Naxal-Maoist insurgency (aka LWE) in the Red Corridor: Major causes of this insurgency are- Poor governance, lack of development in the tribal belt and an oppressive/exploitative hierarchy of the state and society.
Severity of Naxal-Maoist insurgency
Around 15,000 lives being lost due to Maoist/Naxal violence over the last three decades.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh described it as the most serious security threat to India.
Strategic failures in India’s internal security management.
Lack of meaningful policy review of the challenge: Despite India having high-octane intelligence specialists like M K Narayanan and A K Doval.
Failure to restructure the leadership of the central police forces: This was the recommended by Kargil Review Committee (KRC) report tabled in parliament in 1999.
Officers lack the skill-set to “command”: Many of the senior police officers (IPS cadre) who are parachuted into the central police forces at senior ranks have little or no platoon/battalion experience.
Poor leadership was reflected in the recent Tekulguda incident:
Large force of 2,000 security personnel was trapped and attacked.
Police and para-military personnel panicked and fled – leaving their dead and wounded behind.
Failures of intelligence: Evident in the Tekulguda incident, wherein local intelligence failed to predict the fire-power deployed by the Maoist cadres.
Lack of intent from the political leadership: Resulting in a lack of capacity building to address India’s complex internal security challenge.