Latest news with #Naxalism
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
What is Maharashtra's new security Bill?
The story so far: The Maharashtra Legislature passed the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill or a 'Bill to provide for effective prevention of certain unlawful activities of Left Wing Extremist organisations or similar organisations', during the recent monsoon session of the Maharashtra Assembly. The Bill has been termed as 'oppressive, ambiguous and open to misuse' by opposition leaders. What is the Bill? The Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill was brought in to counter 'urban Naxalism', as per the government of Maharashtra. The Bill states that, 'the menace of Naxalism is not only limited to remote areas of the Naxal affected States but its presence is increasing in the urban areas also through the Naxal frontal organisations. The spread of active frontal organisations of the Naxal groups gives constant and effective support in terms of logistics and safe refuge to their armed cadres. The seized literature of Naxals shows 'safe houses' and 'urban dens' of the Maoist network in the cities of the State of Maharashtra.' The Maharashtra government claims that the State has become a safe haven for 'urban Naxal' organisations. It has said that over 60 such organisations exist in Maharashtra, and that current laws are ineffective against them. However, civil rights activists say that the State government has not yet made public the list of these organisations, despite repeated requests. They have alleged that the Bill has been brought about to control left-wing organisations and civil rights activists who had rallied against the BJP in the 2024 Parliamentary elections. What about other States? Maharashtra is the fifth State after Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha to enact a Public Security Act 'for more effective prevention of unlawful activities of such organisations.' The government has claimed that the other States have banned 48 frontal organisations under similar laws. But civil rights activists contend that the Public Security Acts in other States were brought in before the promulgation of more stringent pieces of legislation like the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. They said that the Maharashtra government itself has claimed to have curbed left-wing armed extremists to only two districts of the State, with the help of currently existing laws, thus questioning the need for such a stringent Act at this time. When was the Bill introduced? The Bill was first introduced by the earlier Mahayuti government at the fag end of the monsoon session of Maharashtra Assembly in 2024. The State elections were held thereafter, and the BJP came back to power along with its allies with a thumping majority. The new government revived the Bill and introduced it during the winter session of the Maharashtra Assembly on December 20, 2024. A day later, a joint committee of members from both the Houses was formed to scrutinise the Bill. The committee received over 12,500 suggestions and objections but made only three amendments to the draft Bill. The activists have called the three changes 'minor'. After being cleared by the joint committee, the Bill was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on July 10. Only the Communist Party of India (Marxist) opposed the Bill. Other opposition parties raised objections, but did not oppose the Bill, which was passed by a majority by a voice vote. Two delegations have since met the Governor requesting him to not sign the Bill and send it back to the Legislature instead. What are the objections to the Bill? The opposition has said that the Bill empowers the government to declare organisations 'illegal' without due process; allows suppression of facts in 'public interest'; allows the government to extend ban on an organisation without any limit on the duration; has the potential to criminalise regular opposition under an ambiguous definition of 'illegal activity'; excludes lower courts from jurisdiction, effectively closing off easy judicial remedies; provides full protection to State officials acting in 'good faith'; and creates grounds for ideologically motivated action against opposition groups, activists and movements. The government has said that democratic and peaceful protests as well as journalists will not come under the Bill's ambit, but the ambiguity in the Bill has given rise to fear that it might be used against farmers' organisations, students' groups, and civil rights groups under the label of 'threat to public order'. For example, Section 2(f) of the Bill criminalises speech (spoken or written), signs, gestures or visual representations which 'tend to interfere' with public order or 'cause concern'. The opposition has said that such a provision allows authorities to criminalise expression, assembly, criticism, ridicule and association merely by indicating that they pose a potential threat. There is no requirement of actual violence, immediate harm or intent. What next? The Bill will become a law once the Governor gives his assent to it. It has been passed by both the Houses and has been sent to him. Meanwhile, civil rights activists and political parties have said they will continue to protest against the Bill and will approach the court against it.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
New Maharashtra Law Criminalises Expression, Expands State Power
Published : Jul 28, 2025 15:35 IST - 6 MINS READ The Maharashtra government has introduced a new law to deal with what it calls 'urban Maoists'. What is striking—and somewhat ironic—is that the same political party and government that insist so loudly on promoting Hindi, that are committed to the 'Hindi-fication' and 'nationalisation' of everything, have not been able to find a Hindi equivalent for the word 'urban' in the absurd term 'urban Maoist'. Perhaps 'shahari' or 'nagariya' do not carry the same ominous weight. The phrase 'urban Maoist' has a certain spectral ring to it: it signals danger, an enemy within. Such language serves a very specific purpose: it helps the BJP to frighten and confuse its voters. Alongside 'urban Maoist', we also hear the term 'urban Naxal'. But who exactly is a Naxal? Who is a Maoist? These terms are rarely, if ever, defined. They are categories designed for vagueness—elastic enough to fit anyone who dares dissent. Just a few days ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of speaking the language of 'urban Naxals', claiming that those who declare war on the Indian state cannot possibly understand the Constitution. If the leader of India's principal opposition party can be branded an 'urban Naxal', then anyone can. This category is so ill-defined that it gives the state the power to arrest or punish anyone simply by invoking the label. Also Read | Can courts protect free speech while designing its boundaries? Maoism bogeyman According to the Maharashtra government, Maoism is such a grave threat that existing laws are no longer sufficient to combat it. Even draconian laws such as the UAPA and the MCOCA are, it seems, inadequate. A reading of the new law's draft reveals that it punishes not just actions, but intentions too. And who will discern these 'Maoist intentions'? That is left to the will of the police. It will be enough for a police officer to say that they have smelt 'Maoist intent' in a person's words. Under this law, not only actual acts but even suggestive expressions can be considered 'unlawful activity'. A cartoon, or a painting, or a poem, or a story, let alone slogans or speeches, can be deemed subversive. All it takes is for the police to claim that these forms of expression may disrupt public order, spread hatred against the state, incite disobedience of governmental institutions, or instil fear among the public. The scope is vast enough that nearly any film, article, or artwork could be declared an 'urban Naxal' act. For instance, Shyam Benegal's Ankur or Satyajit Ray's Hirak Rajar Deshe could easily be labelled Maoist. Anything that the BJP government dislikes can now be designated as 'urban Naxalism' or 'urban Maoism'. And this is not hypothetical. Artists from the Kabir Kala Manch have spent years behind bars after their songs were deemed acts of 'urban Naxalism'. A few days ago, the Uttarakhand government filed a case against Garhwali folk singer Pawan Semwal for a song that asks the government: 'How much more of our mountains will you consume? You've turned them into dens of gambling, liquor, unemployment, and corruption.' Before him, singer Neha Singh Rathore faced sedition charges, while satirical video creator Madri Kakoti (famous on social media as 'Dr Medusa') was booked under sedition and other charges in April. This new law drives another nail into the coffin of Indian democracy by criminalising expression itself. Its goal is clear: to silence all dissenting voices within society. It is, in effect, a conspiracy to dismantle civil society altogether. Activists like Medha Patkar have repeatedly been branded anti-national. Opposition to big dams is framed as opposition to development, and then as opposition to the state itself. By this logic, Medha Patkar or Vandana Shiva can be called 'urban Naxals'. We have heard BJP leaders claiming that human rights is an alien concept and that those advocating it are, in fact, misleading people from the true path of duty towards the nation. Attack on free speech But what exactly counts as 'anti-state'? Is it permissible to criticise the Prime Minister? We used to believe that India was different or better than many countries because it allowed space for criticism of power. That belief rested on the active presence of civil society and the assurance that its voice would be heard. Yet, over the past 11 years, we have seen repeated assaults on members of civil society. In his first year in office, the Prime Minister warned the higher judiciary against being influenced by 'five-star activists'. Then, in 2021, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval declared that fourth-generation warfare would be conducted within the country, with civil society the frontier of the war. Wars, Doval said, have ceased to become an effective instrument for achieving political or military objectives. 'But it is civil society that can be subverted, suborned, divided, manipulated to hurt the interests of a nation. You are there to see that they stand fully protected.' For Doval, civil society is the enemy that has to be policed and disciplined. What Doval wanted was to remove the protection that civil society enjoyed. And that is exactly what the Maharashtra government's new law seeks to do. If one understands this context, the Maharashtra government's intent becomes crystal clear. Protecting democracy Democracy is not sustained by elections and political parties alone. True democracy lives in the belief that even a solitary citizen has the right to critique power. It is the grass-roots organisations working in the areas of land rights, water shortages, or factory pollution that keep democracy alive—not political parties and elections alone. For instance, movements against, say, a Coca-Cola plant that sucks water out of the ground, or against an increase in anti-Muslim violence, have been led not by major political outfits but by small civil society groups. The agitation in Niyamgiri Hills that led to the halt on bauxite mining was led by civil society organisations. The BJP government would like to neutralise all such organisations. What is truly alarming is that this ordinance was passed effortlessly in the Legislative Assembly. The Congress and its allies did not even mount an opposition. Only a single MLA, from the CPI(M), raised a voice against it. The opposition parties did try to correct the mistake in the Legislative Council later, where they staged a walkout. Also Read | Are India's liberal think tanks in trouble? The opposition's silence in the Maharashtra Assembly reveals a larger delusion that all political parties are part of—that democracy can be saved simply by participating in elections. The BJP, meanwhile, wants democracy to be reduced to just that—elections. And how fair even those elections are, we can judge from the recent actions of the Election Commission of India (ECI) in Bihar. Again, if not for civil society organisations, concerned individuals, and media houses, the dangers of the special intensive revision (SIR) done by the ECI in Bihar would not have become public knowledge. For elections to be meaningful, democratic consciousness must survive in society. The people should have the confidence and assurance that they can express themselves freely and fearlessly. Maharashtra's new law seeks to extinguish this democratic consciousness. Apoorvanand teaches Hindi at Delhi University and writes literary and cultural criticism.
Hans India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
CRPF's 87th anniv celebrated
Bhadrachalam: The 87th anniversary of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was celebrated with patriotic zeal and enthusiasm at the 212 Battalion Headquarters in Yetapaka on Sunday. The event showcased the force's dedication to duty, community engagement, and its crucial role in maintaining internal security. The celebrations commenced with a tribute to the martyrs by the officers and jawans of the battalion, honouring those who laid down their lives in the line of duty. Commandant Deepak Kumar Srivastava paid respects at the Quarter Guard and later addressed the gathering. In his speech, he highlighted the significant achievements of the CRPF in recent years, particularly in the fight against Left-Wing Extremism in Chhattisgarh. He expressed confidence that complete eradication of Naxalism in the region would be achieved by March 2026. To mark the occasion, sweets were distributed among the troops, followed by a vibrant display of sports and cultural activities. Jawans and officers from all company locations, such as Gowraram, Paidagudem, Kistaram, Palodi, Potkapalli, and Dubbamarka actively participated. Adding to the celebrations, a cycle rally was organized in Kistaram and Dubbamarka. The rally drew enthusiastic participation not only from CRPF personnel but also from local villagers.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
CRPF personnel made a mark by their duty, courage, says PM on Raising Day
NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi on Sunday complimented the CRPF for playing a vital role in the national security apparatus, especially in challenging aspects relating to internal security. Wishing CRPF personnel on the force's 87th Raising Day, Prime Minister Modi on X said, "CRPF personnel have made a mark for their duty, courage and steadfast commitment in the most testing of situations." Home minister Amit Shah, in a message to CRPF on X, said, "Your selfless sacrifice has been the backbone of our nation's security and your unwavering courage to end Naxalism is truly commendable". Home secretary Govind Mohan, while addressing CRPF Raising Day celebrations here, assured the force of the ministry of home affairs' commitment to arming it with modern weapons and latest technology to meet the increasing security challenges India faces. The secretary emphasised that the MHA would deploy technology to minimise the risk of injury in risky operations. "In the coming days, we will have drones that can see through thick foliage in the mountains etc, weapons that can be fired from a safe range and technology to remotely detect and defuse IEDs," he said. Personnel who lose a limb in operations would be retained in the force, possibly in an alternative role, and limb replacement facilitated wherever there is scope, he said at the event with CRPF DG G P Singh by his side. Mohan underlined that the MHA was working with CRPF to ensure that personnel, particularly women, have access to all basic facilities in camps set up in operational areas. tnn
United News of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- United News of India
Shah greets CRPF personnel on Raising Day; Calls them backbone of India's security
New Delhi, July 27 (UNI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah today greeted the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel on their Raising Day and called them the "backbone of the nation's security." In a post on X, Shah praised the CRPF personnel for standing tall against every adversity with fearless resolve. "Heartfelt greetings to all CRPF personnel on their Raising Day. Your selfless sacrifice has been the backbone of our nation's security, and your unwavering courage to end Naxalism is truly commendable," Shah said. Praising their valour, Shah further said, "Time and again, you've stood fearlessly on the frontlines, standing tall against every adversity with fearless resolve." "A proud salute to the martyrs of @crpfindia, your legacy of valour continues to inspire the nation," he added. UNI RBE ARN
