The Politics of Insurgency, the Decline of Naxalism

The United States’ “War on Terror,” initiated after the 9/11 attacks, has not eradicated terrorism, with “copycat killings” and lone-wolf attacks continuing across the world, often inspired by groups like the Islamic State. 

• In stark contrast, India stands on the brink of decisively defeating Naxalism, its longest-standing internal security threat. 
• The Union Home Minister asserts that that mid-2026 would mark the final demise of Naxalite violence.

The Genesis and Growth Phase of Naxalism

• Origin of Naxalism: Naxalism emerged from the Naxalbari uprising in 1967 in West Bengal. 
  • It spread primarily across the “Red Corridor,” affecting states like Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra, Kerala, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, and parts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
• Cause of the Revolt: This revolt saw farmers and tribals, whose lands were seized by landlords, taking up arms under the powerful slogan, “The land belongs to one who tills it”. 
• Ideological Roots: The ideology was profoundly influenced by Maoism, advocating violence as the means to seize power, rather than electoral processes.
• Pioneering Leaders: Early leaders like Charu Mazumdar, Satyanarayan Singh, and Kondapalli Seetharamaiah and Kanu Sanyal spearheaded the movement, propagating the slogan “China’s Chairman is our Chairman” in allegiance to Mao Zedong. 
• Attracted Youth: The “Spring Thunder Over India”attracted immense support from youth, intellectuals, and the impoverished. 
  • “A spring thunder over” is how the People’s Daily in China described the Naxalbari movement, which began in a small north Bengal village and spread like wildfire all over the state and beyond.
• Revolutionary Inspirations: The heroes of the time were revolutionaries such as China’s Chairman Mao, Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh, and South America’s Che Guevara etc.

Key Factors Responsible For Decline of Naxalism

• Sustained Security Offensive: Indian security forces have maintained continuous and aggressive operations against Naxalite groups.
  • The comprehensive Operation SAMADHAN strategy was instrumental in building multi-faceted pressure on Naxalites.
  • The acronym SAMADHAN stands for 
    • Smart leadership, 
    • Aggressive strategy, 
    • Motivation and training, 
    • Actionable intelligence, 
    • Dashboard Based KPIs (key performance indicators) and KRAs (key result areas), 
    • Harnessing technology, 
    • Action plan for each theater, and 
    • No access to financing.
  • This relentless pressure resulted in significant losses for Naxalites. 
  • The CPI (Maoist) itself confirmed that 357 of its cadres, including over a third women, were killed in encounters with security forces in the past year alone.
• Leadership Crisis: A critical void emerged due to the elimination, arrest, or aging of key Naxalite leaders.
• Shrinking Territory: The vast Red Corridor has drastically shrunk.
  • Naxalism is now largely confined to a few districts, primarily in the Dandakaranya region along the borders of Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh.
• Loss of Public Support: Public support has plummeted because Naxalites actively obstructed development (destroying schools, roads, and engaging in extortion). Their image transformed from revolutionary figures to common criminals, eroding their support base among the general populace.
• Development as a Weapon:
  • The Indian government strategically used development as a counter-insurgency tool.
  • Initiatives like the Aspirational Districts Program focused on bringing progress to previously Naxal-affected areas.
  • The construction of new roads, schools, hospitals, and mobile towers allowed local populations to experience the benefits of development for the first time. 
    • This led them to withdraw support from Naxalites, recognising that insurgency hindered progress.
  • Schemes like the Roshni Scheme, which provides skill training to youth in Left-Wing Extremism-affected areas, further integrated local communities into the mainstream.

India’s Approach on Tackling Naxalism vs. US’s ‘War on Terror’

• The US targeted external threats like Al-Qaeda and ISIS, whose sole objective was to destabilise the US. 
  • Their operations were conducted primarily outside their borders, in countries like Somalia, Yemen, and Afghanistan. 
  • The US employed brute force, drones, and heavy bombardments.
• In contrast, India’s battle was against Naxalites, who are its own citizens, but were misguided. 
  • The fight occurred within India’s sovereign territory. 
  • India’s strategy was nuanced, applying an “iron fist in a velvet glove” approach, combining force with compassion. 
  • Security forces operated with stringent checks and balances, upholding human rights and avoiding excessive brute force. 
  • This balanced approach, recognising the Naxalites as internal elements, was key to India’s success.

A New Term: ‘Urban Naxals’

• The emergence of New Term: The term “urban naxals” has gained controversial traction, often being misused and misapplied. 
  • Original Naxalites were rural-based, armed revolutionaries residing in villages and forests, engaged in direct confrontation with the police, and driven by a clear Marxist-Leninist-Maoist philosophy to overthrow the state.
  • In recent times, the label “urban naxals” is frequently applied to urban intellectuals who voice dissent or criticism against government policies, engage in writing, or participate in protests. 
• Risk of misuse: While some may indeed ideologically support Naxalites from urban areas, indiscriminately labelling any critic as an “urban naxal” is problematic. 
  • In a democracy, dissent and criticism of the government are fundamental rights, not acts of terrorism. 
  • Such widespread mislabelling not only creates an atmosphere of fear but also risks diverting attention from genuine threats by blurring the lines between legitimate opposition and actual extremist support. The term requires careful and judicious use.

Conclusion

India’s journey from confronting its “single biggest internal security challenge” to the impending eradication of Naxalism stands as a testament to its comprehensive and balanced counter-insurgency strategy, combining robust security operations with sustained development initiatives and a nuanced understanding of the human element.