Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), also known as Naxalism, emerged from the 1967 Naxalbari uprising in West Bengal as a movement against socio-economic inequality and state neglect. At its peak, it affected over 180 districts across 10 states, forming the “Red Corridor.” Today, the insurgency has been reduced to 18 districts (MHA, 2024), marking one of India’s major internal security successes.
Decline of LWE:
(a) Effective Security Operations:
- Coordinated offensives like Operation Green Hunt, Operation Black Forest (2025), and Operation Prahar.
- Deployment of elite forces such as CoBRA, Greyhounds, DRG strengthened area domination.
(b) Leadership & Organizational Crisis:
- CPI (Maoist) formed in 2004 had 42 Central Committee members; reduced to 13 in 2025.
- Death of key leaders and resignation of key leaders caused a leadership vacuum.
(c) Decline in Ideological & Local Support:
- Maoist coercion alienated tribal communities. Younger tribals now prefer education and government jobs over armed struggle.
(d) Targeted Developmental Initiatives:
- Aspirational Districts Programme, Civic Action Plan, and Special Central Assistance improved connectivity, healthcare, and livelihoods.
- For example, Fish-farming initiatives in Gumla (Jharkhand) helped rehabilitate 150+ ex-insurgent families.
Challenges that still persist:
- Residual violence in pockets of Sukma, Bijapur, Narayanpur in Chhattisgarh.
- Governance gaps: poor land rights implementation, displacement due to mining.
- Ideological sanctuaries: some urban sympathizers and intellectual legitimization of Maoist violence.
- Information & Communication Barriers: Poor digital and physical connectivity in interior tribal belts impedes awareness about government welfare schemes.
- Environmental and Cultural Sensitivity: Development projects, if insensitive to ecological and cultural contexts, may deepen distrust.
Way Forward:
- Balanced Approach: Combine “SAMADHAN” (Smart leadership, Aggressive strategy, Motivation, Actionable intelligence, Dashboard-based KPIs, Harnessing tech, No financing) with inclusive development.
- Empower local institutions: Strengthen PESA (1996) and Forest Rights Act (2006) to ensure community participation.
- Rehabilitation & Reintegration: Vocational training, housing, and psychological support for surrendered cadres.
- Narrative Warfare: Counter Maoist propaganda through local engagement and civic education.
Conclusion:
True victory lies in addressing structural grievances of tribal and forest communities through governance, justice, and empowerment. If sustained, the LWE model can serve as a blueprint for resolving other internal security challenges across India.
‘+1’ Value Addition:
- A 77% decline in violence (2010–2024),
- Over 300 Maoists neutralized and 1,450 surrendered in the last 18 months (MHA, 2025).
- “Maoism thrives where governance ends.” – Manmohan Singh
- Only 18 districts remain LWE-affected as of 2024 (MHA)
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