It will take one to two years to restore normalcy in Naryanpatna region if things go as per the plan, said DIG, Border Security Force (BSF), Akhileswar Singh.
Speaking to media persons here on Monday, Singh said the Maoists are now more concerned about their own protection and security than facing the might of BSF. Highlighting the success of BSF since it came to Narayanpatna in 2010, he said it was not the bullets but winning over the confidence of people through people oriented approach and initiatives by BSF in the region that was helpful in turning things for the better.
Starting with only one BSF post at Narayanpatna, the base has been increased to five posts and now there is a demand from the people of Kumbhariput in Bandhugaon block for opening a post there. This change in the people’s attitude in inviting the security forces to be with them is the sign of growing confidence in the system of governance in a democratic set up against the initial resistance for the unfounded fear of being ill-treated by the force, he added.
The forces were not in the region to kill Maoists but to restore the lost environment where the common man could live without fear. And this was the main achievement of the BSF which enabled the people to overcome the fear of the forces and Maoists. Number of press notes, posters and road blockades by Maoists and their supporters have come down drastically for their increasing loss of contact with the sources in the masses for the presence of BSF in between, the BSF DIG said.
While Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangh (CMAS) is one of the civilian faces of the Maoists, it failed to win over the villagers who were supporting the Maoists out of fear. Singh hoped that with the Maoists losing their support at the grassroots and the CMAS finding it hard to stand, normalcy would be returned soon.