In the sprawling rural Bihar, elected head of the village panchayats, known as 'mukhiyas' are living in fear in view of increasing threat to their lives.
Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh refuses to 'retreat in the face of threats'.
The official premise that Maoism is India's 'greatest internal security threat' is profoundly mistaken. The Maoists aren't about to capture power, destroy India's unity, or undermine her security. They pose a civil law-and-order problem, which should be tackled by normal police methods, says Praful Bidwai.
'I cannot conceive of any reason than my unsparing criticism of government policies that the government picked me to send a message to many who dare to take it on.'
Much of the pre-2014 peace in our hotspots is diminished. Kashmir is on the boil and the Northeast is anarchic, observes Shekhar Gupta.
Communication, dated February 17 to all state governments, said the CPI (Maoist) planned to capture attention once again
'They have realised that class war is not possible in India, so they are trying to bring about a caste war.'
'The Chinese media was beside itself with rage that how can a country with one-fifth of its economic power and maybe one-third of its military power stand up to them.'
An American photojournalist, who ventured into strife-torn tribal areas of Jharkhand while the Maoist insurgency was in full swing, has documented how irresponsible mining is usurping the lives of our tribal people.
The Bihar government on Wednesday issued shoot-at-sight orders against troublemakers and made tight security arrangements to ensure violence free polling in 6 of the 40 Lok Sabha seats to be held on Thursday.
he Maoists released the boy after four hours after making him walk in the jungles.
India's national security strategy needs to be revised periodically since the global and regional geopolitical situation is dynamic, points out Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
Assam's new Director General of Police, Khagen Sarma on Friday said that Pakistan's spy agency Inter Services intelligence and other external forces are behind United Liberation Front of Asom (anti-talks) faction leader Paresh Baruah's efforts to form a common force comprising all northeastern insurgent groups to fight Indian security forces
Naxals were gearing up to organise a boycott of the coming assembly elections in Chhattisgarh and chalking out strategies for this, police said.
Against the backdrop of a string of Maoist attacks, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday pitched for urgent and considered action to root out the problem of Left-wing extremism and asserted that no quarter can be given to those challenging the authority of the Indian state.
'Maoists are enraged that the media is reporting the truth.' 'They want to physically isolate the media and psychologically isolate the villagers who have found the confidence to speak to the press about the real situation.' 'Like terrorism ended in Punjab, Naxalism will end in Chhattisgarh,' the AIIMS doctor-turned IPS officer and SP of Dantewada tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih.
'We are willing to suspend all memorandums of understanding (with mining companies) until we talk to the Communist Party of India (Maoist) and review them,' Home Minister P Chidambaram was quoted as saying by the Financial Times.
'Hundreds of engineers have complained that they are being threatened by criminals for allotment of contracts and extortion.'
'Not afraid to look Muslim, not shy of flaunting her nationalism.' 'With a willingness to fight carrying the Constitution, the Flag, the Anthem, Ambedkar, Gandhi and the chant of 'Hindustan Zindabad',' notes Shekhar Gupta.
'This is for the first time that a strong, solid evidence-based investigation has happened.' 'It can meet international standards and put the onus on the Pakistanis.'
The Centre has convened a three-day conference of directors general of police from December 19 to draw a road map for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
The Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party have the highest stakes in the elections as 60 lakh voters choose from among over 785 candidates to elect 69 legislators.
The state Cabinet, which met in Hyderabad on Tuesday, approved a proposal to increase the security cover for the chief minister.
The mission will also review all technical aspects of the electoral process for an assembly to decide on the constitutional future of the country.
As the doctors at a Delhi hospital said the condition of tribal rights activist and Aam Aadmi Party leader Soni Sori was stable and there was no threat to her life, Chhattisgarh police here denied that they had any role in the attack on her.
'If you put colour-coded internal security maps of India in May 2014 and now, the picture won't be flattering to Modi.' 'Failures on internal security are now piling up and can break Modi's momentum,' says Shekhar Gupta.
More than 50,000 people in remote parts of the country would be affected by this decision.
'In Bastar, as in Delhi, being branded 'anti-national' in the eyes of the government now seems to have acquired new meaning,' says Aakar Patel.
Nepal on Friday recalled its ambassador to India over charges of non-cooperation and indulging in anti-government activities.
A CoBRA company has about 100 personnel each.
'It is time India thought big not only about its global clout politically and diplomatically, but also act its size against pin-pricking by anti national elements,' says Group Captain Murli Menon (retd).
'How can the police, especially the Gujarat police, earn their laurels if they stick to the rule book?' asks lawyer Susan Abraham.
'As casualties go, Maoism has been exacting a heavy price, and with a sickening regularity.' 'Yet, it is the other threat that hog all the limelight, the headlines and the TV studio debates,' says Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
'People accused of mass murder and worse are let out on medical grounds.' 'Saibaba is now 100% handicapped, and has committed no murder, yet he is not allowed to come out.'
Though it has been accused of politicising the army action and its critics have also referred to the growing violence in Kashmir under its tenure to question the effectiveness of its policies, the saffron party believes that the surgical strikes continue to have resonance on the ground and can help it build a positive narrative in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha election.
'There are no jobs, the economy is slowing down, but the BJP is more concerned with issues like triple talaq, anti-Romeo squads and the beef ban.'
