Left Wing Extremism (Naxalism)
Why in News?
On March 30, 2026, the Government of India declared victory over the Naxalite–Maoist insurgency, identifying the country as effectively "Naxal-free" following a massive final push.
Origin and Ideology
- Beginning: Rooted in a 1967 peasant uprising in Naxalbari, West Bengal, led by Charu Majumdar and Kanu Sanyal.
- Core Belief: Follows Maoist political sentiment, aiming to overthrow the democratic state through armed revolution and "people's war".
- Primary Group: The Communist Party of India (Maoist), formed in 2004 by the merger of the People's War Group (PWG) and the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC).
Causes of Persistence
- Tribal Alienation: Large-scale displacement due to mining and industrial projects without adequate compensation.
- Governance Deficit: Lack of basic infrastructure like schools, healthcare, and police presence in remote forest areas.
- Socio-Economic Inequality: Poverty and unemployment among marginalized communities provided fertile ground for recruitment.
Government Strategy (Security & Development)
- Operation SAMADHAN: A multi-pronged approach involving Smart leadership, Aggressive strategy, Motivation, Actionable intelligence, Dashboard-based KPIs, Harnessing technology, and choking Finances.
- Financial Choking: Using the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) to seize assets (over ₹90 crore) and dismantle urban support networks.
- Infrastructure Push: Construction of over 17,000 km of roads and installation of nearly 10,000 mobile towers to improve connectivity and security reach.
- Surrender & Rehabilitation: Attractive policies offering up to ₹5 lakh and monthly stipends led to over 10,000 surrenders between 2015 and 2025.
Key Achievements (2014–2026)
- Casualty Reduction: Violent incidents declined by over 53%, and security force deaths dropped by 73% compared to the 2004–2014 decade.
- Area Liberation: Long-held bastions like Abujhmaad (Chhattisgarh) and Buddha Pahar (Jharkhand) were brought under administrative control after decades of Maoist dominance.
- Police Fortification: The number of fortified police stations increased from 66 in 2014 to over 600 by 2026.
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