THE ‘hostage crisis’ created and sustained by Maoists for almost a week in Bihar need not drive the State into a hysteria, whether at the state level or at the Centre.

This is one of the types of incidents that happen when an ideologically-inspired organisation with enough sophisticated arms is out there defying the authority of the State. Of course, there is human tragedy involved in the death of one of the four policemen the Maoists held hostage following an encounter on August 29 at Lakhisarai in southeastern Bihar–after all, the deceased policeman also had a right to live like all of us which was extinguished remorselessly by a bunch of militants; he too had a wife and children who he loved like any householder. Yet, and yet, it is a war not of the conventional type where firepower is the only language understood and spoken. It is very a complicated battle.

Maybe things have gone wrong somewhere down the line, but Mr Nitish Kumar started out with a great deal of effectual action to deal with Maoism. During the fifteen years of Mr Lalu Prasad’s direct and Ms Rabri Devi’s proxy regime, Naxalite organisations had a running battle with armed landlord militias (senas), with state forces nowhere in the picture or collaborating with the senas. About 400 people were killed in these battles, and still there was no respite or lull. Mr Lalu Prasad was a great believer in disorder, for that was where he harvested his votes. His winning political formula was phrase-mongering–and he mongered the phrases invariably around ‘social justice’ and ‘secularism’–and he became famous for blaming the BJP even for the Maoist violence!

Mr Nitish Kumar, a polar opposite, changed the whole approach when he took over as Chief Minister toward the end of 2005. He declared that his government would adopt an ‘integrated approach’ to dealing with the Maoist problem. On the face of it, his integrated approach did not look much different from the central government’s approach–a two-pronged strategy that combines establishing the writ of the State with police action in the areas where they are strong with guaranteeing of social equity and economic development for the poor inhabitants of those areas. But in reality, Mr Nitish Kumar’s approach turned out to be strikingly distinct from the Centre’s: while the central government gave maximum emphasis on establishing the writ of the State and very little emphasis on guaranteeing of development and welfare, the Nitish government gave maximum emphasis on development and little on armed police action.

The result was stupendous. There was a lull in Maoist activity for more than two years. The Nitish government announced a Maoist surrender policy, inviting militants to give up arms and violent form of struggle. As for police action, the fast track courts that were set up by the government to try and decide on criminal cases–the same courts that were to sentence several of the ‘mafia dons’ of Bihar to hanging, life or several years imprisonment–also took up cases in which Maoists were involved and many of them were convicted too. The convictions sent a scare down the Maoist ranks, which led to the subduing of the violent groups.

However, in the past couple of years the Maoists have regrouped. Even though the number of armed attacks by Maoists is far less in Bihar as compared to states such as Chhattisgarh or West Bengal, it is a question of worry that they are threatening to be a challenge to the authority of the State again. However, we must always bear in mind that the Maoists draw their strength from the people who are sufferers, more often than not at the hands of the local bigwigs or brutes. Instead of the sufferers getting sympathy and support at police stations or in government offices, it is usually the exploiters and oppressors who are seen speaking through the mouths or acting through the hands of policemen and officials. Put yourself in their position and think: if it is one piece of suffering, or one day of suffering, you may let it pass and not complain to anybody. But when the suffering threatens to be a lifelong one, unremitting and perpetual, you cannot help seeking the help of somebody. And that’s when Maoists step in. We have to banish suffering in order for doors to shut on the Maoists.