🔆 Naxalism in India: A Persistent Internal Security Challenge
📍 Historical Background
✅ Originated from the Naxalbari uprising (1967) in West Bengal, led by Charu Majumdar, Kanu Sanyal & Jangal Santhal.
✅ Formation of CPI (ML) in 1969 → later evolved into CPI (Maoist) in 2004 (merger of People’s War Group & Maoist Communist Centre).
✅ Declared as a terrorist organisation under UAPA, 1967.
📍 Modus Operandi
✅ Guerrilla warfare in remote forests.
✅ Ambushes, IEDs, propaganda to recruit tribals & marginalized.
✅ Creation of parallel governance systems in “liberated zones”.
📍 Drivers of Naxalism (Bandyopadhyay Committee, 2006)
✅ Alienation of Tribals – Historical neglect, restrictive forest laws.
✅ Land Issues – Unequal land reforms & lack of redistribution.
✅ Poverty & Displacement – From mining/industrial projects without fair compensation.
✅ Poor Governance – Weak state presence, corruption, and service delivery gaps.
📍 Impact of Naxalism
✅ Over 8,800 lives lost (2004–2023) due to LWE violence.
✅ Destruction of roads, telecom towers, railway lines → hindering development.
✅ Exploitation of tribals: majority of victims are the very communities Maoists claim to represent.
✅ Perpetuation of cycle of fear and violence, discouraging investments.
📍 Government’s Response
✅ National Policy & Action Plan, 2015 – Holistic approach of security + development.
✅ Deployment of CAPFs & modernization of state police.
✅ Major operations: Octopus, Double Bull, Chakrabandha (success in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar).
✅ SAMADHAN Doctrine:
• S – Smart Leadership
• A – Aggressive Strategy
• M – Motivation & Training
• A – Actionable Intelligence
• D – Dashboard-based monitoring
• H – Harnessing Technology (drones, GPS)
• A – Area-specific plans
• N – No access to Financing
📍 Challenges
✅ Harsh terrain aiding guerrilla warfare.
✅ Civilian casualties → mistrust between locals & state.
✅ Effective propaganda & recruitment.
✅ Weak forest bureaucracy & persistent trust deficit.
📍 Way Forward
✅ Strengthen governance: Ensure delivery of health, education, PDS in tribal areas.
✅ Speedy land reforms & fair rehabilitation of displaced communities.
✅ Counter-propaganda measures to de-radicalize youth.
✅ Financial choking – strict tracking under UAPA, preventing extortion networks.
✅ Enhance Joint Task Forces & Special Investigation Agencies for coordinated action.
✅ Promote tribal inclusion via Panchayati Raj & Forest Rights Act implementation.
🔆 Conclusion
Naxalism is not just a law-and-order issue, but a socio-economic and governance challenge. A balanced approach of development + security is crucial. With the Union Government’s target of eliminating LWE by March 2026, a people-centric model of security, inclusion, and prosperity can ensure lasting peace.
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@internal_security_upsc_MAINS
📍 Historical Background
✅ Originated from the Naxalbari uprising (1967) in West Bengal, led by Charu Majumdar, Kanu Sanyal & Jangal Santhal.
✅ Formation of CPI (ML) in 1969 → later evolved into CPI (Maoist) in 2004 (merger of People’s War Group & Maoist Communist Centre).
✅ Declared as a terrorist organisation under UAPA, 1967.
📍 Modus Operandi
✅ Guerrilla warfare in remote forests.
✅ Ambushes, IEDs, propaganda to recruit tribals & marginalized.
✅ Creation of parallel governance systems in “liberated zones”.
📍 Drivers of Naxalism (Bandyopadhyay Committee, 2006)
✅ Alienation of Tribals – Historical neglect, restrictive forest laws.
✅ Land Issues – Unequal land reforms & lack of redistribution.
✅ Poverty & Displacement – From mining/industrial projects without fair compensation.
✅ Poor Governance – Weak state presence, corruption, and service delivery gaps.
📍 Impact of Naxalism
✅ Over 8,800 lives lost (2004–2023) due to LWE violence.
✅ Destruction of roads, telecom towers, railway lines → hindering development.
✅ Exploitation of tribals: majority of victims are the very communities Maoists claim to represent.
✅ Perpetuation of cycle of fear and violence, discouraging investments.
📍 Government’s Response
✅ National Policy & Action Plan, 2015 – Holistic approach of security + development.
✅ Deployment of CAPFs & modernization of state police.
✅ Major operations: Octopus, Double Bull, Chakrabandha (success in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar).
✅ SAMADHAN Doctrine:
• S – Smart Leadership
• A – Aggressive Strategy
• M – Motivation & Training
• A – Actionable Intelligence
• D – Dashboard-based monitoring
• H – Harnessing Technology (drones, GPS)
• A – Area-specific plans
• N – No access to Financing
📍 Challenges
✅ Harsh terrain aiding guerrilla warfare.
✅ Civilian casualties → mistrust between locals & state.
✅ Effective propaganda & recruitment.
✅ Weak forest bureaucracy & persistent trust deficit.
📍 Way Forward
✅ Strengthen governance: Ensure delivery of health, education, PDS in tribal areas.
✅ Speedy land reforms & fair rehabilitation of displaced communities.
✅ Counter-propaganda measures to de-radicalize youth.
✅ Financial choking – strict tracking under UAPA, preventing extortion networks.
✅ Enhance Joint Task Forces & Special Investigation Agencies for coordinated action.
✅ Promote tribal inclusion via Panchayati Raj & Forest Rights Act implementation.
🔆 Conclusion
Naxalism is not just a law-and-order issue, but a socio-economic and governance challenge. A balanced approach of development + security is crucial. With the Union Government’s target of eliminating LWE by March 2026, a people-centric model of security, inclusion, and prosperity can ensure lasting peace.
👉 UPSC Mains Practice Qs:#InternalSecurity #Naxalism #security #mains #gs3
1. Critically examine the socio-economic factors responsible for the persistence of Left-Wing Extremism in India.
2. “Naxalism is as much a developmental issue as it is a security challenge.” Discuss.
Join @CSE_EXAM
@internal_security_upsc_MAINS
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