A multi-pronged, coordinated attack by Naxalite militants has left 7 Special Task Force (STF) officers dead, and over a dozen injured in the Sukma district of Chhattisgarh. This aggression against the Chhattisgarh police has risen the death count to over 460 security personnel in less than 5 years (IndiaSpend, 2015). Local officers have fortified their defences after official sources said the Naxalite insurgency had launched their annual Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign (TCOC) in late March 2015. The Insurgency continues to be Indias greatest internal security threat (Manmohan Singh) as it interferes with socio-economic aims set by the Modi Government.

The Naxalites are commonly referred to as communist militants operating within the heavily forested East India. The composition of the militant group range from the sharecropping aborigines, to the socially disadvantaged Dalits (Untouchables) and other Backward Classes. The motivation behind the Naxalites are to capture the tribal belt where administration is weak, and form their own liberated zones.

Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, the hot bed for Naxalite activities, are mineral rich states where coal, bauxite and other large mineral deposit account for 40% of the states natural resources. This is key to Modis vision of economic restructuring and growth. Rather than improving the conditions of the impoverished, past mining projects have left millions displaced and introduced pollution. This further perpetuates the loss and abandonment felt by the aborigines, and is used as fodder by the Naxalites to recruit its members.

The conflict over ideals and territory is a poignant but pervasive one. Many of the foot soldiers are merely puppets, caught between two equally difficult situations. The socio-strata segregation of the caste system makes it difficult for the disadvantaged to achieve social mobility on a massive scale. At the same time, the Naxalites rule with an iron fist, they kill the innocent in order to achieve stability and instil fear in their regime. The continual attacks and retaliation by both sides hinder the true development in the tribal belts.

Internal security and equal opportunity for all has always been a key consideration in National Development for Singapore. In many facets of society, including education and employment, Meritocracy has been and will continue to be a guiding principal for Singapore. Unions and Tripartite has been establish such that people are hired based on their ability. For the disadvantaged, help in the form of healthcare, and monetary benefits has been offered generously in order to elevate these people to a high standard of life. These efforts are by no means an end all to quell internal unrest, but it reduces the stress placed on our Singapores finely woven social fabric.

These efforts are by no means an end-all to quell internal unrest. However, it is a step forward in ensuring that our finely woven social fabric is not disrupted, and that all contributing members of Singapore can continue to enjoy the peace and security it has.