It is truly shocking and beyond words to express the tragic loss of four more Naga boys at the hands of the ‘invincible’ naxalites. And what is astonishing is that within the space of twenty days, altogether seven Naga boys belonging to the 9th IRB deployed in Chhattisgarh have been killed in similar landmine explosion while in the line of duty. Going by the circumstances under which the 9th IRB is placed, more of such tragedy cannot be ruled out because the nature of operation in which Nagaland’s 9th IRB is involved with, is dangerous as it is suicidal. The number of body bags brought back to Nagaland from the naxal infected Chhattisgarh region is a testimony to this hard truth.
At this time of terrible grief, the State government should lead the people in standing behind the near and dear ones of those killed under such violent and tragic circumstances. Condolence alone will not be enough for those who have lost their husband, son, or father. What is now urgently required is for the State government to go in for a thorough review of the current deployment of the 9th IRB in Chhattisgarh.
While State governments have their own limitation when it comes to the outside deployment of the IRB battalion for doing national duty, the Nagaland government should also bear in mind that the deployment of the 9th IRB to Chhattisgarh for internal law and order problems particularly for containing the activities of the Naxalites does not at all merit any justification. It can likewise be argued that the state of Chhattisgarh has its own elite forces and other paramilitary agencies to counter the activities of the Naxalites. But why is the Centre calling for requisition of IRB battalions from Nagaland and now Mizoram when there are others who are better equipped to deal with the naxal menace. Moreover, the Naxalites do not engage in conventional warfare but are expert hands in landmines and since the Naga IRB personnel have no special training to counter such a system of conflict, they are being made an easy prey for the Naxalites. As such the situation in which the 9th IRB is placed is unfair and no matter how brave or valiant the Naga boys are, their virtue as patriotic soldiers is all but going in vain. Going by the nature of operation, it is clear that the brave Naga boys have not been given a fair fight and they have been made as sheep’s to the slaughter. This is the unkindest cut of all.
The continued deployment of the 9th IRB in Chhattisgarh and the lukewarm response of the State government to the concerns raised on some vital issues, especially by the family members is unfortunately turning out to be a reflection of the injustice of the present socio-economic system of the Naga society. In this regard, one should not overlook the fact that most of the personnel posted at Chhattisgarh hail from the rural areas of Nagaland and representing the lower strata of society without a voice in the higher echelons of the political and administrative machinery. Cut from the nuances of power and influence, the affected families have been left at the mercy of an insensitive system. Traumatized, as has been evident by the shoddy treatment meted out to them on several occasions even by the police officials, they are fearful that they will face reprisals if they speak out against the deployment. With their voices suppressed, this unfortunate misery of the IRB personnel and their families, of beloved wives and children caught up in a human tragedy will continue to haunt the moral conscience of our society for many years to come. Whether we are prepared to pay the price for this?