Naxalism in India:

+Naxalism in India:

            The Maoist movement, also called the Naxalite movement, after Naxalbari the name of a rural town where a 1967 peasant uprising ignited this tendency within the Indian Communist movement, has the New Democratic Revolution as its declared objective, the overthrow of the ‘‘semi-feudal, semi-colonial’’ state through protracted people’s war. Because of this, it has always faced severe state repression. (Giri 2009)

            The Naxalite movements are a serious threat for the Indian State: They are now active in 223 districts in 20 states and the strength of their armed cadres is estimated between 10.000 and 20.000. Due to the Naxalite’s control over certain areas and their armed fight against the state security forces, they are challenging the inherent ideals of the state, namely sovereignty and monopoly on the use of force. In order to correspond with its ideal, the state focuses on the re-establishment of law and order by encountering the Naxalites violently.

            However, the movement’s roots are located within India’s numerous social and economic inequalities as well as in environmental degradation. Without fostering the root causes the state will not be able to solve the problem.

Region affected

            Initially the movement had its centre in the West Bengal. In later years, it spread into less developed areas of rural central and eastern India, such as Chattisgarh, Orrisa, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.

            The naxals enjoy immense support among the lower strata of the society in what is known as the Red corridor, a collection of states (names mentioned above) with active Naxalism. Two phases of Struggle:

·         The original struggle was against feudal landlords and landownership

·         The new struggle is against state domination, modernization and development which parallels the rise of India as a strong economy propelled by capitalism and liberal economic gains.

·         The issue of identity politics is a strong driver of the conflict

Framing the Problem:

            This security-centric understanding of the Maoist ‘‘problem,’’ is challenged by sections of the dissident left who see it as a socio-economic problem, arising from deprivation, loss of livelihood, lack of employment opportunities and abject poverty, given a neo-liberal state abdicating all welfare functions

Human Toll:

            According to the BBC, more than 6,000 people have died during the rebels' 20-year fight between 1990 and 2010.

            More than 11,700 people have been killed since the start of the insurgency in 1980, of which more than half died in the last ten years.

            According to the Institute of Peace and Conflict studies, Naxal groups have recruited children in different capacities and exposed them to injury and death. However the same accusation has been levelled at the state-sponsored Salwa Judum anti-Maoist group, and Special Police officers (SPOs) assisting the government security forces.^[

Tackling Naxalism:

            The Government has formulated a two pronged strategy to solve the problem of Naxalism.

1.      Modernizing the Police Force 

            The government has launched a Police Modernization Scheme in areas affected by Naxal movements. Under this scheme huge sums of money have been provided to the state governments by the central government to modernize their equipment and tactical gear including latest communication, vehicles and infrastructure facility.

2.      Social Economic Development 

            The government started the Backward Districts initiative in 2003-2004 and the Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF) under which 55 of the worst affected areas in 9 states were to be provided with funds to the tune of Rs. 2475 crores to tackle the problem of Naxalism. Around 250 districts have been included the BRGF scheme to accelerate socio-economic development in these districts which is to be administered by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.

Conclusion:

            The state has to do much more than plan counter-insurgency operations or support violent vigilante groups to suppress the Naxalite movement. After close examination of the historical and ideological origins of the movement, it is clear that the movement thrives on the dissatisfaction of the marginalized and alienates the population. The socio-economic perspective of Naxalism talks about how the rebel movement is shaped due to the failure of the institutional mechanisms and frameworks to deliver socio-economic justice. 

(Ref: http://www.idsa.in/jds/4_2_2010_NaxaliteMovementinIndia_rdixit)