Aspirant Academy

Polity, Governance and Current Affairs

Left-Wing Extremism

Internal Security: Threats, Forces, Agencies, Challenges

Paper III · Unit 1 Section 3 of 13 0 PYQs 27 min
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Left-Wing Extremism

2.1 Origins and Ideology

Naxalism takes its name from the Naxalbari village (Darjeeling, West Bengal) where a peasant uprising against landlord oppression was led by Charu Majumdar and Kanu Sanyal in 1967. The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) [CPI-ML] was formed in 1969, espousing Mao Zedong's model of armed peasant revolution.

Over decades, the movement fragmented and reconsolidated. The CPI (Maoist) — formed in 2004 by the merger of CPI-ML (People's War) and Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) — became the dominant armed Naxal organisation. It has a political wing, military wing (People's Liberation Guerrilla Army — PLGA), and a mass front.

Ideological Basis

  • Marxist-Leninist-Maoist ideology targeting the "semi-colonial, semi-feudal" Indian state
  • Advocates violent "new democratic revolution"; sees parliamentary democracy as a sham to be overthrown through "people's war"

Social Basis

  • Forest-dwelling tribal communities (Adivasis) facing land alienation and displacement by mining and infrastructure projects
  • Denied access to forest rights under colonial forest laws
  • Experiencing predatory money-lending and labour exploitation

2.2 Geographical Spread and Decline

Red Corridor at peak (2009–2010):

  • Affected districts: 106 in 10 states
  • Violence incidents: 1,226 per year (2010)
  • States most affected: Chhattisgarh (Bastar region), Jharkhand, Odisha (Malkangiri, Koraput), Andhra Pradesh (Nallamala forests), Maharashtra (Gadchiroli), Bihar, West Bengal

2025 Status:

  • Affected districts: 18–20 (from 106 — over 80% reduction)
  • Violence incidents: ~200 per year
  • Core remaining area: Chhattisgarh (Bastar — Dantewada, Sukma, Bijapur)

Reasons for Decline

  1. Security operations: CRPF Cobras (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), Greyhounds (Andhra Pradesh Police's special force), and District Reserve Guards improved tactical capability
  2. Surrender and rehabilitation: SAMADHAN policy; state rehabilitation schemes; monetary incentives
  3. Development: Road connectivity (PM Gram Sadak Yojana in LWE areas), banking, education
  4. Tribal rights: Forest Rights Act 2006, PESA 1996 implementation giving tribals formal land rights
  5. Internal conflict: Ideological splits, leadership eliminations reduced organisational capacity

Key government policy: SAMADHAN doctrine (Smart leadership, Aggressive strategy, Motivation and training, Actionable intelligence, Dashboard-based KPIs, Harnessing technology, Action plan for each theatre, No access to financing):