Extremism - Can mere police solve the problem

What is extremism can be a matter of opinion.

For example, during the Independence Movement, several patriots like Gopala Krishna Gokhale, V.O. Chidambaram Pillai, Subramania Bharathi, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose were considered as extremists and even as terrorists by the then British rulers. Several of such patriots were caught and arrested and put into jail for considerable period, making them undergo several physical and mental hardships. Today, in independent India, such persons who were once considered as extremists by British rulers are now considered as national heroes and role models.

Similar instances of "terrorists" who later turned out as heroes can be seen all over the world.

Today, several persons like Naxalites are considered as terrorists and extremists and police and state machinery are spending crores of rupees to identify and catch such persons and arrest and liquidate them.

Inspite of such massive repressive measures, Naxalite movement has not been eliminated. This is obviously so due to the fact that Naxalite movement attract persons in various age groups and both men and women, since there are certain well defined objectives for the movement, though the methods adopted could be considered as questionable by a few.

It is possible that some of such revolutionaries(whom the police call as terrorists) can be high quality thinkers with lofty motives and driven by extreme consideration towards poor and deprived and who want to find out quick solution for the problems of the oppressed in their own life time. Such motivated persons can be wounded and killed by the police, but the spirit behind such movement cannot be eliminated. Police and para military organisations do not match such motivated persons in any way.

A responsible Government should necessarily talk to such people and bring them into open by creating a situation where they are allowed to say what they want without fear of official machinery. It is possible for honest Governments to establish a channel of communication with such outfits, that would convince them that the objectives of the Government machinery are not different from their own.

By allowing protest movements and listening to the voice of the protestors, the Government can make it unnecessary for them to indulge in violence.

The Government should drop the tendency and temptation to put down such persons with brute force at its command.