Naxalism

Maoist Movement in India: Origins and Evolution 

• Maoist movement is one of the longest and deadliest insurgencies in the country's history. 
• Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) traces its origins back to the Telangana peasant rebellion (1946-51) but reached its peak in 1967 with the Naxalbari uprising in West Bengal. 
• After the initial rebellion was suppressed, the Naxalite movement emerged under leaders like Charu Majumdar, Kanu Sanyal, and Jangal Santhal. 
• Naxalite rebels received support from local villagers and even the People's Republic of China, which referred to the movement as the "Spring Thunder." 
• While initially inspired by Mao Zedong, the Naxalite movement developed its own distinct ideology, deviating from traditional Maoism.

Expansion and Consolidation of the Maoist Movement in India 

• Naxalite movement spread across India, particularly in Andhra Pradesh, in the 1980s with the formation of People’s War Group (PWG) under the leadership of Kondapalli Seetharamaiah advocating for peasants’ rights through violent means. 
• Despite suppression of PWG, the movement expanded to neighboring states like Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Maharashtra, leading to conflicts among fragmented Maoist groups. 
• In 2004, various factions merged to form the Communist Party of India (Maoist), enabling the insurgents to strengthen forces, expand territorial presence, and enhance firepower. 
• Maoists gained unprecedented geographic spread, surpassing other insurgent groups in India, with control over 200+ districts by 2006. 
• Maoists established administrative and military infrastructures in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Bihar, and West Bengal, modernizing their communication and warfare systems using information and communication technology.

Reasons behind Naxalite movement:

1. Tribal Discontent: Forest conservation Act 1980 and displacement due to development projects contribute to tribal discontent and their susceptibility to joining the Naxal movement. 
2. Easy Targets: Maoists exploit vulnerable individuals without livelihood options, providing them with arms, ammunition, and money. 
3. Socio-economic Gaps: Government focuses on countering violent attacks rather than addressing socio-economic development in Naxal-affected areas. 
4. Weak Technical Intelligence: Limited technical intelligence hampers effective countermeasures, especially in areas with inadequate infrastructure and communication networks. 
5. Lack of Administrative Follow-up: After regaining control, the administration fails to provide essential services to the affected population. 
6. Confusion over Approach: State governments often perceive Naxalism as a central government issue, leading to a lack of proactive initiatives at the state level to combat the problem.

Government’s approach against Naxalism:

1. Operation Green Hunt: Started in 2010 and massive deployment of security forces was done in the naxal-affected areas. From 223 districts that were affected due to naxalism in the year 2010, the number came down to 90 in nine years.
2. Aspirational Districts Programme: Holistic approach addressing security, development, rights of local communities, governance, and public perception management. 
3. Operation SAMADHAN: Ministry of Home Affairs’ initiative focusing on smart leadership, aggressive strategy, motivation and training, actionable intelligence, technology utilization, and finance control. 
4. Operation Prahar: It is part of the government strategy to deal with the armed challenge posed by the Naxal insurgents. It was launched in 2017.
5. Technological interventions: At least one UAV or Mini UAV is deployed for each of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) battalions deployed in the Maoist hotbed.
6. Joint Task Forces for operations along inter-State boundaries to be set up. Better inter-state coordination and intelligence sharing.
7. ‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ being State subjects, action on maintenance of law and order lies primarily in the domain of the State Governments. For this government has taken following steps:

1. Filling up critical infrastructure gaps under the Scheme for Special Infrastructure in Left Wing Extremism affected States.
2. Assistance in training of State Police through the Ministry of Defence.
3. Assistance in community policing and civic action programmes.

Through a holistic approach focusing on development and security related interventions, the LWE problem can be successfully tackled. Civil society and the media should build pressure on the Maoists to eschew violence, join the mainstream and recognise the fact that the socio-economic and political dynamics and aspirations of 21st Century India are far removed from the Maoist world-view.