Mainstream Weekly

Militant Left Radicalism, State and Civil Society with Special Focus on Land Rights

B K Roy Burman — 2010-12-31T04:22:11Z

First phase of militant Left radicalism and state response
The first manifestation of militant Left radicalism was in the Naxalbari area of West Bengal. Though ideological issues were also involved, the then United Front Government considered the discontent of the peasantry as providing political space for the militant radicals to operate. The government adopted a massive programme of vesting one million acres of ceiling surplus land of the big zamindars, Jotedars and land owners for (…)

- 2010

In Quest for a Proactive Approach

B K Roy Burman — 2010-04-19T18:20:33Z

Harmonising the Gandhian Orientation for Constructive Engagement with Self-patronising Bureaucratic Narcissism on the One Hand and Militant Left Radicalism on the Other
On April 12, the Statesman News Service (SNS) flashed the observation of a People's Tribunal to the effect that the “entire executive and judicial administration appears to be totally apathetic to the plight of the poor, specially the tribals. Violations have now gone to the extent where fully tribal villages have been (…)

- 2010

What has Driven the Tribals of Central India to Political Extremism?

B K Roy Burman — 2009-10-17T07:30:00Z

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, 125 districts spread over nine States in Central India and adjoining areas have come under the influence of Left radical groups, loosely called Naxalites. On June 22, 2009, the Government of India has declared the most important among the Naxalite groups, the Communist Party of India (Maoist), as a terrorist organisation and banned it.
The precursors of the present phase of Naxal activities first surfaced in Naxalbari of (…)

- October 2009

Ambiguities, Incongruities, Inadequacies in Scheduled Tribes and Other Technical Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006

B K Roy Burman — 2008-03-29T03:28:11Z

The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Froest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006 received assent of the President on December 29, 2006 but came into force only on December 31, 2007. In the meantime the draft Rules of the Act were published on July 19, 2007; but it was only after strident agitation by political parties and activists calumniating in massive mobilisation of tribal peoples from different parts of the country that a much diluted set of rules was finalised and (…)

- March 29, 2008