Bhubaneswar: Left Wing Extremism (LWE) related violence in the country has declined by 77% from all-time high of 2258 incidents in 2009 to 509 in 2021. In Odisha, 32 incidents of violence triggered by LWEs were reported in 2021. Total 3 casualties were reported in the State during the same period due to these incidents, information shared by the Ministry of Home Affairs revealed.
There has been a sharp decline in LWE activities in Odisha over the last 3 years. While 50 violent incidents and 9 deaths were reported in 2020, 45 incidents and 11 casualties took place in Odisha in 2019, the Home Ministry’s report stated.
The maximum Maoist incidents (255) in 2021 were reported in Chhattisgarh where 101 people died, followed by Jharkhand with 130 incidents and 26 casualties. Total 509 LWE incidents were reported across the country in 2021, resulting in 147 casualties.
The number of deaths (Civilians + Security Forces) has declined by 85% from an all-time high of 1005 in 2010 to 147 in 2021. In the last two years, the incidents of LWE violence and the resultant deaths have come down by 24% and 27%, respectively.
As regards the Khalistani separatist activities, in the year 2019, 7 terror/radical modules were busted in Punjab as against 15 such modules in 2020 and 25 modules in 2021. No loss of property was reported during the period. However, 2 persons died in Punjab during 2019 in Khalistani related terror incidents, as against 3 persons in 2020 and 3 persons (1 victim and 2 perpetrators) in 2021.
As per the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, subjects of ‘Police and Public Order’ are with the State Governments. However, the Government of India (GoI) has been taking a series of measures to address the LWE and separatist activities in the country.
“Central Government is implementing National Policy and Action Plan 2015 to address the LWE menace. The Policy consists of a multi-pronged approach comprising security measures, development initiatives and ensuring rights & entitlements of local communities,” Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai said.
Further, the Central Government provides funds to the State Government for strengthening the state police forces and agencies. It has also taken several steps to enhance the internal security apparatus of the country such as augmenting the strength and capability of the security forces and agencies, increasing their operational efficiency, and providing them the state of the art technology.
“It has also strengthened the legal and institutional framework to combat the extremist and separatist by amending The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act, 1967, National Investigation Agency Act 2008, etc. and other such measures,” Rai stated through a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
“Moreover, the Law Enforcement Agencies and security forces keep a track of the real-time developments on the Khalistani separatists’ front in order to tackle the challenge,” Rai said.
