Unethical Practices by India Inc. in Red Zones

The Naxal problem is one of the most critical internal security and democratic threats that India is facing today besides the problems in the North East and Kashmir. It is has become common for Indian people to read news about the struggle between Indian security forces and Maoists. The Maoists strike and security forces respond. When Indian security forces starts search operations they are brutally killed by the Maoists and again one more operations by security forces. This cycle of attack and counter attack is continuing for many decades. And all over there is only blood and tears in the eyes of people for whom both the security forces and Naxalites claim to be fighting for. 


The continuous struggle between the security forces and the Maoists has worsened the situation in the Naxal zones. The Indian government has failed on every count in these areas. Neither the governments (central and state) have been able to control and balance the Maoists; nor has they been able to strike any peace deals. Because of these, the life and business has been impacted adversely in these areas of Naxal or Red zones. 



Though the security conditions in these areas are well known but a different trend is emerging in these areas. Even after such security threats, the corporate are busy in planning investments in these areas of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and Bengal. It is very much surprising that these corporate don’t seem to be worried and concerned about the security conditions and neither they are crying about the same security threats that they had been crying about earlier although they have huge investments at stakes. Many corporate have signed MoU with various state governments and departments. Both signing parties know that there are huge security problems and risks. There is huge uncertainty as and when these projects will be completed. But everyone seems to be happy. 



It is true that these areas are mineral rich zones and offer huge opportunities to these corporate to expand their businesses and governments to extract huge taxes in various forms. These two parties know that they cannot exploit the business opportunities in these mineral rich regions without mending the law and sometimes misusing it. This is happening everywhere from Chhattisgarh to Jharkhand to Orissa to Bengal. Government machineries and private resources are coming together to have a slice of the opportunity with help these so called ideologues named Maoists. 



Over the time, these so called ideologues, Maoists have turned into goons and indulged in creating wealth for their organization’s survival than serving the cause of downtrodden. They say that they are struggling for a better life for these downtrodden people but the reality is very different. They want them to remain backward to maintain their support base in these forest and hilly areas. They say they are opposed to any corporate investments in the lands of the tribal’s but it is happening. There are reports that these Maoists organizations are taking money from these corporate as tax to let these corporate to continue their businesses. Some of the biggest corporate are said to have paid the said taxes to Maoists according to some news reports. 



Government machinery and companies are threatening the common man living there and grabbing the lands for mines and for that purpose they paying some bribe to these Maoists as well. The Maoists are collecting these monies in the name of protecting the tribal, only to displace them to some other places by misguiding or threatening or bribing. These so called caretakers of tribal and big CSR boasting corporate and so called people’s governments have come together by keeping all the differences on side-line to loot these areas. I am not against development in these areas. I do support development. But the way these trios are trying to loot people is worrying. The results of these transactions would not be development but exploitation of mineral resources. Development for these tribal people is development of social infrastructure and soft skills which hardly take place as the factories and mines will be developed in some specific areas where people from all across India would be working and enjoying the facilities developed by these corporate. So the largest beneficiaries would be the corporate but the tribal people. Yes a portion of all these will permeate to tribal people but that would be so little that it would never be qualified to be termed as development. Besides, anyhow it is promoting unethical and sometimes illegal practices which would have long term consequences for the whole society and nation at large. 



Also the Maoists have changed their heart and they are not supporting development in these areas by agreeing to these. They still are completely against to any development in these areas or any intervention of the government. They are helping these corporate to establish business in these areas just to make huge money and turn new generation against the government by accusing the government for all the problems that the tribal populace would be facing after being displaced from their homes or whatever. This is serving dual cause for the Maoists. One, they are collecting huge money every month from the corporate to fund their operations. Two, they are preparing ground for the recruitments of fresh and young blood into their organizations. 



Corporate are hardly hesitant but willingly paying to corrupt government officials and Maoists to run their business and to kill some innocent people (tribal and security personnel). Instead of making them aware about what changes will come to their life if an industrial plant is put there, they are just eliminating these people for smooth drive. And government is supporting and strengthening these by providing machinery. These big corporate should stop these unethical practices otherwise they have to pay today or tomorrow.

No comments:

Post a Comment