UPSC Mains 2024 · GS IV · Q9 · 20 marks · 250 words · Case study

With multipronged strategy of the Central and State Governments specially in the last few years, the naxalite problem has been resolved to a large extent in the affected states of the country. However, there are a few pockets in certain states where naxalite problem still persists, mainly due to involvement of foreign countries. Rohit is posted as SP (Special Operations) for the last one year, in one of the districts which is still affected by the naxalite problem. The district administration has taken a lot of developmental works in the recent past in the naxalite affected areas to win the hearts and minds of the people. Over a period of time, Rohit has established an excellent intelligence network to get the real time information regarding the movement of naxalite cadre. To instill confidence in the public and have moral ascendancy over the naxalites, a number of cordons and search operations are being conducted by the police. Rohit, who himself was leading one of the contingents got a message though his intelligence source that about ten hard core naxalites were hiding in a particular village with sophisticated weapons. Without wasting any time, Rohit reached the target village with his team and laid out a foolproof cordon and started carrying out a systematic search. During the search, his team managed to overpower all the naxalites along with their automatic weapons. However, in the meantime, more than five hundred tribal women surrounded the village and started marching towards the target house. They were shouting and demanding the immediate release of insurgents since they are their protectors and saviours. The situation on the ground was becoming very critical as the tribal women were extremely agitated and aggressive. Rohit tried to contact his superior officer, IG (Special Operations) of the state on the radio set and on mobile phone, but failed to do so due to poor connectivity. Rohit was in great dilemma since out of the naxalites apprehended, two were not only hard core top insurgents with prize money of ₹ ten lakhs on their heads, but were also involved in a recent ambush on the security forces. However, if he did not release the naxalites, the situation could get out of control since the tribal women were aggressively charging towards them. In that case, to control the situation Rohit might have to resort to firing which may lead to valuable loss of lives of civilians and would further complicate the situation.

(a) What are the options available with Rohit to cope with the situation ?
(b) What are the ethical dilemmas being faced by Rohit ?
(c) Which of the options, do you think, would be more appropriate for Rohit to adopt and why ?
(d) In the present situation, what are the extra precautionary measures to be taken by the police in dealing with women protesters ?

हिन्दी में

पिछले कुछ वर्षों में, विशेष रूप से, केन्द्र और राज्य सरकारों की बहुआयामी रणनीति के चलते देश के प्रभावित राज्यों में नक्सली समस्या का काफी हद तक निराकरण हुआ है। हालाँकि, कुछ राज्यों में कई इलाके ऐसे हैं जहाँ नक्सली समस्या अभी भी मुख्य रूप से विदेशी देशों की दखलअंदाजी के कारण बनी हुई है। रोहित पिछले एक साल से किसी जिले में एसपी (स्पेशल ऑपरेशन) के पद पर तैनात हैं, जो अभी भी नक्सली समस्या से प्रभावित है। जिला प्रशासन ने लोगों का दिल और दिमाग जीतने के लिए हाल के दिनों में नक्सल प्रभावित इलाकों में कई विकासमूलक कार्य अपनाए हैं। पिछले कुछ समय से, रोहित ने नक्सली कैडर की गतिविधियों के बारे में वास्तविक समय की जानकारी प्राप्त करने के लिए एक उत्कृष्ट खुफिया नेटवर्क स्थापित किया है। जनता में विश्वास जगाने और नक्सलियों पर नैतिक प्रभुत्व जताने के लिए पुलिस द्वारा कई जगह घेराबंदी और तलाशी अभियान चलाया जा रहा है। रोहित स्वयं एक टुकड़ी का नेतृत्व कर रहे थे। उन्हें अपने खुफिया सूत्र के माध्यम से संदेश मिला कि लगभग दस कट्टर नक्सली अत्याधुनिक हथियारों के साथ विशेष गाँव में छिपे हुए थे। बिना कोई समय गँवाए, रोहित ने अपनी टीम के साथ उस खास गाँव में पहुँच कर पूर्ण सुरक्षा का घेरा बनाया तथा व्यवस्थित तलाशी लेना शुरू कर दिया। तलाशी के दौरान, उनकी टीम सभी नक्सलियों पर स्वचालित हथियारों के साथ काबू पाने में कामयाब रही। हालाँकि, इस बीच पाँच सौ से अधिक आदिवासी महिलाओं ने गाँव को घेर लिया और लक्ष्य घर की ओर मार्च करना शुरू कर दिया। वे चिल्ला रही थीं और उपद्रवियों की तत्काल रिहाई की माँग कर रही थीं क्योंकि वे उनके संरक्षक और उद्धारक हैं। जमीनी हालात बहुत गंभीर होते जा रहे थे क्योंकि आदिवासी महिलाएँ अत्यंत उत्तेजित और आक्रामक थीं। रोहित ने अपने उच्च अधिकारी, राज्य के आईजी (स्पेशल ऑपरेशन्स) से रेडियो सेट और मोबाइल फोन से संपर्क स्थापित करना चाहा, लेकिन कमजोर कनेक्टिविटी के कारण वैसा कर पाने में वे असफल रहे। रोहित की बड़ी दुविधा थी कि पकड़े गए नक्सलियों में दो न केवल चोटी के कट्टर उग्रपंथी थे, जिनके सिर पर दस लाख रुपयों का इनाम था, बल्कि वे हाल ही में सुरक्षा बलों पर घात लगाकर किए गए हमले में भी शामिल थे। हालाँकि, अगर नक्सलियों को नहीं छोड़ा गया तो स्थिति नियंत्रण से बाहर हो सकती थी। यह इसलिए कि आदिवासी महिलाएँ आक्रामक रूप से उनकी ओर बढ़ रही थीं। उस स्थिति में, हालात को नियंत्रित करने के लिए रोहित को गोलीबारी का सहारा लेना पड़ सकता है, जिससे नागरिकों की बेशक़ीमती जान जा सकती है एवं स्थिति और भी गंभीर हो जाएगी।

(a) इस स्थिति से निपटने के लिए रोहित के पास कौन-से विकल्प उपलब्ध हैं ?
(b) रोहित को किन नैतिक दुविधाओं का सामना करना पड़ रहा है ?
(c) आपके अनुसार रोहित के लिए कौन-सा विकल्प अपनाना अधिक उपयुक्त होगा और क्यों ?
(d) मौजूदा स्थिति में, महिला प्रदर्शनकारियों के साथ पुलिस द्वारा क्या अतिरिक्त एहतियाती कदम उठाए जाने चाहिए ?

Crisis Decision Making Ethical Dilemmas in Government

How a topper answered the closest question

Toppers wrote this one in a test series: “A joint operation has been started by security forces in a naxal affected area after one such ambush by naxalites in which some people and security personnel were killed. The operation has not received encouraging success. The local media in that area, has been reporting all the progress on day to day basis and it has been critical to security forces for their lack of success. The security forces are of view that the role of media is having demoralising effect on police force, on the one hand, and morale boosting for naxalites, on the other. You are District Magistrate of one such affected district. You have become popular due to your democratic way of handling the naxalites which has also resulted into surrenders in past. You get a call from the head of the joint operation to curtail media freedom and ensure that the local media reports in favour of administration. Even you are told not to shy away if there is need to gag media and arrest some journalists. (a) What are the options available to you in this situation? (b) Evaluate the pros and cons of each of your options and choose the most appropriate one, giving reasons.”

Manuj JindalAIR 53 · CSE 2016 · 306 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening

This case presents a situation of ensuring security of the personnel in police force while also balancing freedom of speech & expression of media.

It is important to note that in such operations of national security implications, media is required to act responsibly & report so that lives of personnel & operational tactics are

not compromised. My decision will be directed by media ethics & also the concern for safety of the forces & national security interest.

Options:

Body · points

(1) Act as per joint operation head advice, curtail media:

Merits (a) Motivate the forces to carry out operation. (b) Demotivate naxalites & cause them to surrender. (c) Gain public & government's accolades for me personally.

Demerits (a) Cause media to write poorly about my own decision & lead to public outory. (b) Against values of media ethics &

freedom of speech & expression as per Article 19.

(2) Call an emergency meeting of media editors, National Broadcasting Standards Authority officials & police force representatives for a joint solution.

Merits : (1) let all sides present their case, facts & reach to a middle path & agreeable solution. (2) lay out all rules & ethical code of conduct for media to ensure its compliance.

Demerits (1) Could lead to further complication & different sides may not come to agreement.

(3) Appeal to media to stop coverage of sensitive information and issue warnings in case not adhered.

Merits (a) Media will act & stop coverage.

Demerits (a) Coverage may continue & situation may escalate.

Close · a way forward

I will pursue option (2) to call a joint meeting to ensure that media editors are reminded of their duty of not endangering lives of security forces. This will invariably lead to a longer term solution of ensuring that media freedom is preserved but their duty as a 4th estate of society is also fulfilled.

How toppers approach this question, and more on its topic: open the question.

Toppers’ answers to other close questions

Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Main) Examination 2024, General Studies Paper IV, Q9. The paper on upsc.gov.in. Themes and links to toppers’ answers are by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.