Internal security of India

Aribam Uttam Sharma
Contd from previous issue
Recognizing the difficulty of restoring political governance in the current situation, India’s Government sought to create favourable conditions. It released several political prisoners who had been held for a long time to send a message to Kashmir about a shift in strategy. At the same time, the issue of Kashmiri alienation was brought up. In Kashmir, the Indian Government is also involved in a number of development projects. Kashmir has seen a decrease in violence over the years.
The Indian Government recently repealed Articles 370 and 35A, which granted Jammu and Kashmir special status. India’s leaders contend that these measures are necessary to clean up the “mess” in Kashmir and dismantle a system that has fostered separatism, radicalization, militancy, corruption, and underdevelopment, according to them. Although the situation in Kashmir appears to be calm, this may be deceiving. Because cross-border infiltration has become extremely difficult due to the Indian army’s tightened grip on the Line of Control, the insurgency in Kashmir has become more localised. Foreign Islamist militants were outnumbered by locally recruited Kashmiri militants from educated, middle-class backgrounds. Though these militants were less effective militarily, they were instrumental in rallying public support for separatism. The limited weapon supply is the main reason that prevented the resentment in Kashmir from swelling into a mass insurgency.
Northeast Insurgency : North East India is the region situated in the eastern-most part of India comprising of the eight states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, and Sikkim. It is linked with the Indian heartland through the 21 km. wide Siliguri Corridor, which is commonly known as the chicken neck, created by the Radcliffe line. The corridor is flanked by Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. The Northeast borders four countries, namely, China and Bhutan on its North; Myanmar on its East; and Bangladesh on its South and West. It has an area of 2.6 lakh sq. km. (7.6% of India’s land area) while its population is 45 million-plus (3.6% of India’s population). It has 475 ethnic groups and 400 languages/ dialects are spoken here. The region is rich in bio-diversity and untapped raw materials. The Northeast India Region has strategic, political, and economic significance for India. Northeast India is the most volatile and insurgency-affected place in the country after Kashmir.
The British had a policy of non-interference in the social lives of the tribal people in Northeast India prior to India’s independence. In most of the hilly areas of Northeast India, the British also introduced Christianity, sent a missionary, and built Churches and schools. Following independence, the newly formed India faced a monumental task of integrating the country’s various provinces and princely states. Some people were displeased with the Northeast’s admission to the Indian Union. Many tribes see the integration of these diverse cultures into the Indian mainstream as a loss of identity. Furthermore, because the majority of the Northeastern region is hilly, overall development activities are slow, almost similar to the snail pace. Unemployment rates that continue to rise have exacerbated people’s dissatisfaction. Other factors such as poor governance, corruption, and lack of accountability contributed to ethnic groups’ feelings of alienation.
The insurgency movement first started in Nagaland.  Nagas considered themselves independent long before the British left India, and petitioned the British to recognise them as such. Angami Phizo led the formation of the NNC (Naga National Council) in 1946. The Naga insurgency sparked the emergence of other insurgencies in Northeast India, and China, Pakistan, and other countries have continued to assist in this insurgent situation to this day. Following this, the NNC split into various factions, and its breakaway faction, the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN), split into two factions: the Isak-Muivah faction (NSCN-IM) and the Khaplang faction (NSCN-K). Separate violent struggles for Nagaland’s independence have been waged by these organisations. The NSCN-IM and the Indian Government are currently in peace talks. In 1987, after the Union Government failed to respond positively to its request for assistance during the massive “Mautam famine,” Mizoram experienced insurgency. On February 28, 1966, the Mizo National Front (MNF), led by legendary leader Laldenga, launched a movement calling for Mizoram’s independence. The Mizo National Front gave up arms with the signing of the Mizo Accord in 1986.
The State of Tripura’s indigenous tribal peoples are believed to have been reduced to a minority status as a result of large-scale Hindu migration from Bangladesh. This development had been a major source of dissatisfaction among the indigenous people. In 1989, the NLFT (National Liberation Front of Tripura) was founded. The main goal of the NLFT is to break away from the Indian Union and expel all foreigners from Tripura. Similarly in Assam, a movement also started demanding the deportation of illegal migrants from the state of Assam. The ULFA (United Liberation Front of Assam) was formed in 1979. The Bodo Liberation Tigers, the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), the United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS), and the Dima Halim Dargah were also formed. In the case of Manipur, the insurgent movement originated as a protest against the forcible merger with the Indian Union. In 1964, the UNLF (United National Liberation Front) was formed to fight for an independent Manipur against the Indian Union. Subsequently, other insurgent groups like the PLA (People Liberation Army), PREPAK (People Revolutionary of Kangleipak), KCP (Kangleipak Communist Party)  have also been formed. Most of the major insurgent groups are active in Manipur.
The insurgency movement in the Northeast is still a challenge for the Indian Government even though most of the insurgent-affected States are in peace as of now. The Indian Government has been successful in reducing insurgency-related violence in many States. The Indian Government has deployed sufficient numbers of paramilitary forces and CAPF (Central Armed Police Force). Security forces have managed to control and content insurgents activity to some extent. The excessive force used by security forces on unarmed civilians or human rights violations also fueled the insurgency movement. Some of the major insurgent groups are still active and they are taking refuge in Myanmar near the Indo-Myanmar border. Chinese intelligence agencies and Pakistan’s ISI (Inter-Service Intelligence) are aiding the insurgents covertly. The Northeast insurgents have open access to sophisticated weapons like the AK-47, AK-56, M16, RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenade), Hand Grenade, and even explosive devices such as  IEDs (Improvised Explosive Device) from Myanmar black market.
(To be contd)