Economic Times
NEW DELHI: In a development that can widen the emotional distance between civil rights groups and the Congress, the Manipur government has decided to replicate the Salwa Judum model in the state. The state cabinet has already cleared the proposal to raise village forces for restricting militant activities.
The development comes in the backdrop of a concerted campaign by rights activists and Left parties to get the Centre act against Salwa Judum. But the Centre’s disinclination to follow their line was evident from the submission made by its counsel in the Supreme Court recently.
“To assume that the Salwa Judum was an army of people with weapons and asking for it to be disbanded will be no more than asking for these people to be pushed out to be killed (by the Naxalites),” additional solicitor-general Gopal Subramanium had told the Supreme Court which was hearing a batch of petitions seeking to have it disbanded.
Activists Kartam Joga, Nandini Sundar, E A S Sarma and Ramachandra Guha alleged in their petition widespread rights violations by members of the Salwa Judum. There have been demands in manipur from Heirok in Thoubal district and Chajing in Imphal West for arming villages. The state government has already sent senior police officials to identify land to construct barracks for vigilante group.
Reports from Imphal said the state was planning to recruit 300 special police officers from among the youths of Heirok and another 200 from Chajing to defend their villages against militants. Just like Salwa Judum, the Manipur government would pay a remuneration of Rs 300 each and also arm them with 303 rifles.
The government at the Centre is already under pressure from the allies to disband Salwa Judum. CPI general secretary A B Bardhan had led a party delegation to the prime minister on Saturday for demanding immediate action. Mr Bardhan had claimed that the prime minister promised to “discuss the issue with the National Security Advisor”.
For more details on Salvajudhum read PUCL report http://www.pucl.org/Topics/Human-rights/2006/salwa_judum.pdf
