Rajapuram is a border district. Jhara and Biru, its two major communities are in continual conflict with each other. The social fabric is fractured and demands mending.

- Rajapuram is a border district. Jhara and Biru, its two major communities are in continual conflict with each other. The social fabric is fractured and demands mending.

Ethnic tensions between the two communities have erupted into violence resulting in a large number of deaths. The stated causes are conflicting land claims, uneven resource allocation and inadequate political representation in government bodies. Separate relief camps had to be created for the two communities. The situation is volatile and appears to be getting out of control.

Rajan has been appointed the District Magistrate (DM) of Rajapuram and tasked to quickly get the situation under control. His immediate tasks include restoring administrative authority, reopening the highway and initiating peace talks. On taking over his appointment, Rajan realized that the inter-community rivalry had even seeped into the local administration and police. With functional neutrality being the immediate casualty, it had made both communities distrustful of the government. The neighbouring country could utilize the opportunity to spur insurgent activity and further aggravate the situation. Rajan favoured a controlled approach starting with opening the highway to restore food and medical supplies. He toyed with the idea of requisitioning CRPF units to help restore administrative control.

(a) Discuss the ethical issues that need to be addressed in this case.

(b) What are the options open to Rajan? Which option would ensure protection of his non-partisan image without compromising ethics?

(Answer in 250 words)
(a) Ethical issues involved
1. Impartiality and neutrality: Communal bias within police and administration undermines legitimacy and equal protection of both communities.
2. Protection of life and dignity: Preventing further violence, ensuring relief and protecting vulnerable persons is the foremost duty.
3. Justice and equity: Genuine grievances regarding land, resource distribution and political representation require fair institutional resolution.
4. Use of force: Security measures must satisfy necessity, proportionality and minimum-force principles.
5. Humanitarian responsibility: Blocked highways threaten food, medicines and essential supplies to civilians.
6. Trust deficit: Separate camps and polarized institutions deepen social segregation and suspicion.
7. National security: External actors may exploit ethnic tensions to promote insurgency.
8. Reconciliation versus immediate order: Restoring peace cannot mean merely suppressing grievances.
(b) Options before Rajan
Option 1: Rely entirely on local police.
This risks perceived partisanship and may worsen distrust.
Option 2: Deploy CRPF aggressively and impose prolonged restrictions.
It may restore immediate order but could increase alienation and casualties.
Option 3: Calibrated security plus reconciliation — Preferred
Rajan should:
- requisition neutral CRPF units for critical installations and reopening the highway;
- place sensitive operations under mixed, closely supervised teams;
- ensure equal protection and humanitarian assistance to both communities;
- act impartially against violence irrespective of ethnicity;
- initiate dialogue involving respected leaders, women and civil society;
- create independent mechanisms to examine land, resource and representation grievances;
- transfer demonstrably partisan officials;
- counter external infiltration through intelligence coordination.
This approach protects Rajan’s non-partisan image because coercive measures are neutral, proportionate and accompanied by equal relief, dialogue and institutional justice. Ethical administration requires restoring order while simultaneously rebuilding trust and addressing root causes.