Leftist radical elements are a big problem in the state of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and in other areas with a sizeable tribal presence. Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand have suffered the most because of the pit which the Naxals have dug around the residents of the state. Armed Forces of various states have been fighting a hard and dubious battle with the Naxals since ages. For a long time the Naxals had been blaming the forces for committing atrocities while it was them who used common people as shields. In order to connect with the tribals it was important for the security forces to find a common ground, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) seems to have found a way. The ITBP in Kondagaon village of Chhattisgarh have started a unique initiative of teaching tribal girls hockey free of cost. Children with their gullible minds have always been a soft target for the Naxals which they can use to fulfill their vile emotions. Making the girls pick up hockey sticks over probable guns means the future generations are also ensured of staying away from the clutches of Left radicalism.
The tribal girls are being trained by the ITBP personnel free of cost, and their education and other needs too are being taken care of. The self-driven girls are working extremely hard to uphold the chance they are getting at bettering their lives. The girls who have an exceptional passion for sports are being taught the acumen and skills needed to excel in the game at the highest level. These girls proved their mettle in a hockey competition quite recently, bagging the second position in a competition. The ITBP instructors believe that with proper guidance and training these girls could be made valuable sporting assets for the country and also it would definitely keep them away from joining Naxal forces. Involvement in positive activities like these will also help them take part in more positive activities in the future and will increase the chances of them joining the mainstream in the days to come.
Kondagaon, a district which was formed in 2012 after separation from the ill-known and dreaded Bastar district of Chhattisgarh still has a sizeable Naxal influence. The 27th district of Chhattisgarh is renowned for its bell metal craft and other art forms native to the tribal of Bastar. Despite being known as the Shilp sheher (lit. craft city) of Chhattisgarh and possibly one of the fastest growing districts of the state, some of the villages of Kondagaon still suffer from heavy Naxal presence. The efforts of the ITBP are being done in order to keep children away from the clutches of left radicals who otherwise would leave no stone unturned to trap these children in the vicious circle of violence. ITBP instructors and the whole team deserve special praise for taking this initiative which will lead to the complete eradication of left-wing radicals in the state. While armed resistance has a role to play but these soft but directed efforts will help tear the web of naxalism and left-radicalism in the long run.
