Why is it in the news?
At least 30 Naxalites were killed in two operations in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh on 20th March,2025. Thus, the overall number of Naxalites killed in Chhattisgarh this year went more than 100. In the encounter, one police jawan was also killed. The Union Home Minister applauded the success of security forces in Bastar. He also said that the country was going to be Naxal-free before 31st March,2026. The Chief Minister said that the government was fully committed to eradicate Naxalism from Chhattisgarh.
What is Naxalism?
Naxalism in India is influenced by Maoist ideology. It aims at overthrowing the state and establishing a communist government in India by the use of violent armed forces. It started in 1967 in the village called Naxalbari in West Bengal when a group of radical communist leaders like Charu Mazumdar, Kanu Sanyal and Jangal Santhal raised the banner of Revolt against local landlords and government authorities. The movement rejected parliamentary politics , focused upon annihilation of class enemies like landlords, government officials and police. It adopted the tactics of Guerilla warfare to spark peasant revolution. It solicited urban intellectuals support, emphasised upon spontaneous uprisings.
The movement spread to Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Eastern Maharashtra and undivided Andhra Pradesh. This belt is called red corridor , heavily forested areas and mineral rich covering central and eastern India.
What is Maoism?
1. Maoism is a revolutionary communist ideology developed by Mao-Zedong, the communist party leader of China. The ideology is based upon Marxism, Leninism but adapts to emphasise rural peasantry as the driving force of revolution rather than urban proletariat favoured by Marxism. Maoism favours people's war, mobilisation of rural peasantry, encirclement of cities from the countryside, cutting of supply of food, water, milk, vegetables and thereby, dismantling state power. Mao was of the view that in a country like China which is dominated by feudal lords, agriculture and rural labour, people cannot wait for the urbanisation and rise of urban proletariat to spearhead revolution. Peasants and rural workers are capable of overthrowing the state power by armed struggle. Thus, he emphasised upon mass mobilisation in order to garner broad support of peasants and workers. He intensified the idea of class struggle whereby feudal lords, capitalists and imperialists were targeted to dismantle the old order. He stood for cultural revolution to transform culture and ideology, purging bourgeois influence and to ward off revisionism.
2. The ideology of Maoism has influenced worldwide, especially in third world countries. Naxalism in India, the shining path in Peru, communist parties in Nepal draw their ideologies from Maoism. The influence of the ideology of Maoism has waned after the end of the cold war. However, the ideology persists in those areas where acute inequality and land alienation exist. Heavy reliance of Maoism on violence and authoritarianism undermines its ultimate goal. Moreover, China itself shifted to a state controlled market economy post-Mao-Zedong.
3. The influence and the affected districts dropped from 223 in 2008 to 90 districts in 2023. In spite of the declining influence of Naxalism in recent years, it is still the greatest threat to the internal security of India.
Causes for the rise and growth of Naxalism in India?
1. Land alienation of tribals -
2. Failure of land reforms
3. Extreme Poverty in tribal belt
4. Tribal displacement on account of mining, construction of dams and establishment of industrial projects
5. Poor basic infrastructure in remote areas
6. Corruption and Absentee administration
7. High unemployment and youth disillusionment
8. Excessive police brutality and fake encounters targeting innocent tribals
9. Naxalites projected themselves as the champion to safeguard Jal, Jangal, Zameen (Water, forest and Land)
10. Conflict between mining barons with locals in the tribal belt for the mining of minerals.
11. Fragmented responses of state governments and uncoordinated approach between the centre and state governments in early stages of the growth of Naxalism.
What are the variants of Naxalites in India?
1. CPI (Marxist Leninist) formed in 1969 by Charu Mazumdar, Kanu Sanyal and Jangal Santhal. The areas of operation were West Bengal, Bihar, parts of Eastern UP and Andhra Pradesh.
2. CPI M L liberation founded in 1982 by Vinod Mishra. It aimed at limited electoral participation along with armed struggle for mobilisation. Area of operation - Bihar and Jharkhand. The party is active in mainstream politics, contesting elections in Bihar but it is criticised by hard liners as revisionists.
3. CPI Maoists formed in 2004 by merging the people's war group and Maoist communist centre. It stood for rejection of parliamentary democracy, rural guerilla warfare and people’s war. It is the dominant force in the state of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha. This organisation was labelled as a terrorist organisation under UAPA. It runs a parallel government in tribal belts, uses IEDs to damage police force, extorts money from contractors and government officials. It indulges in illegal trade.
4. Other splinter groups are CPI (ML) People’s Liberation, CPI (ML) New Democracy, CPI (ML) Jan Skakti. These splinter groups are mostly active in Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab. They are fragmented and have been weakened by infighting. As of now, their support base is very much minimum.
What is Urban Naxalism ?
1. A group of intellectuals, students, writers and activists living in urban centres who are imbued with Maoists ideology. They act as fundraisers, spread propaganda and rationalise the Naxalite violences as consequences of the government highhandedness and exploitation of tribals by mining barons and government contractors. They are active in cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad.
2. This term was popularised by Government officials, security agencies and right wing politicians to describe individuals or groups in urban areas supporting the rural Naxalite insurgency. They are accused of advancing the Naxalite agenda in cities by mobilising urban population.
3. Police alleged that urban Naxals organised an event in Pune that sparked violence in Bhima Koregaon in 2018. Many argue that this level of urban Naxal on academics, journalists and students was put to silent dissent by right wing politicians. It is also argued that this is the tactic to demonise opponents and intellectuals.
Strategies of Naxalite in India.
1. Guerilla Warfare
2. Mobilisation of marginalised communities
3. Parallel governance
4. Extortion from contractors , government officials and mining barons
5. Engaged in illegal trade
6. Use of Propaganda and ideology
7. Elimination of landlords, police and informer and government officials
8. Sabotage of roads, railways, communication lines to disrupt government access.
9. Avoiding large confrontation with security forces. Instead it focuses upon small and high impact attacks.
10. The use of improvised explosive devices and ambushing of police and security forces to cause heavy losses.
11. Looting of weapons of security forces and importing high grade weapons from other terrorist groups operating in India and outside.
Counter strategies used by security forces against Naxalism
1.The Government of India and various state governments employed a multifaceted approach to combat Naxalism by combining security operations, development initiatives and rehabilitation efforts.
2. The Government has deployed central armed police forces like CRPF, BSF and specialised units like Cobra (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) to conduct operations in Naxal affected areas along with state police.
3. Area domination - the security forces have established camps in remote areas to disrupt Naxalite mobility and to instill confidence among people of the area.
4. Collection of intelligence
5. Counter IED measures
6. Government has initiated developmental works in Naxal affected areas by pushing infrastructure like construction of roads, bridges and telecom towers.
7. Government also opened the residential schools in tribal belts, hospitals and started electrification.
8. The government also imparts vocational training, provides financial aid and jobs to naxalites who laid on arms.
9. Government has also declared these Naxal groups as terrorist organisations and slapped UAPA against them.
10. Government also organises health camps to engage with locals.
The counter measures by the Government against Naxalites resulted in a 77% drop in violent incidents from 2009 to 2021. The affected districts also came down from 223 in 2008 to 90 in 2023. However, naxalites are still engaged in sabotaging infrastructure. Land disputes and tribal rights are important issues that are to be addressed in coming years.
11. The Government opened the Bastariya Battalion for the recruitment of the local youths of Baster to win them away from Naxalite influences.
How to mitigate Naxalism in India?
Naxalism in India can be mitigated through the process of deployment of security forces, strengthening of intelligence network, area domination, speeding up of developmental works, resolution of land disputes, employment opportunities to tribal youths, empowering tribals by strengthening panchayat systems at grassroot levels, bridging the gap between the local administration and tribal communities. In addition, there is a need to have dialogue between the government officials and leaders of the tribal communities.
Conclusion
Naxalism is the biggest threat to the internal security of India. Thousands of police officers and civilians were killed in the last 40 years. Although the influence of Naxalite organisations has weakened in recent years, they are still a force to reckon with. States like Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Bihar are still highly affected by Naxalite menace. A mix of action by security forces and developmental programmes in naxalite affected areas would go a long way to mitigate and eradicate naxalism in India.
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