One Slovak, another Russian 'cyclist' nabbed in Mizoram ... without mandatory document ::: Bangladesh angle being probed

A 41-year-old Russian, identified as Igor Babko has been nabbed in Mizoram.

Reportedly, he entered the Rajiv Nagar village in Mamit district bordering Tripura and Bangladesh from Kanchanpur town of North Tripura District. 

Babko was not having the mandatory Protected Area Permits (PAPs) and was nabbed by the BSF personnel who handed him over to the Mamit district Police in Mizoram.

Police say they have no independent confirmation on the allegations of the Russian’s links with the Bangladeshi terror group, Parbattya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS) headed by Santu Larma in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). "We deported him from Aizawl to Assam riding on his bicycle. He has a flight ticket to travel from Delhi to Tokyo on May 4,” a police source said.

Meanwhile, Mizoram police say the six Ukrainians and one American, arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) "did not enter Mizoram by flight". 

He said the foreigners entered the state from Assam via border Vairengte town in a car driven by a Mizo who told the Police personnel on duty that he was not carrying any non-tribal who require to have Inner Line Permits (ILPs).

The PAP is checked only at the Lengpui airport at Aizawl by officials of the central agencies and not in other entry points.

Even the Railway Station at Sairang in the western outskirts of Aizawl city do not have such facilities and this issue is being looked into.  

Sources maintain that inordinate  delays in issuance of Protected Area Permits (PAPs) to foreigners who want to visit Mizoram often create grey areas for a large number of foreigners entering the state without proper documents.

The PAP is required to be obtained by foreigners who want to visit sensitive border regions of the north-east - Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland. 

Non-Mizos or Non-Nagas but Indian citizens from other states need ILPs.

The Protected Area Regime (PAR) was relaxed for sometime but the central government re-imposed the regime from December 17, 2024 due to security concerns.

The PAP is issued by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) through online. 

Another individual - the 53-year-old Slovak who was nabbed at Laki village of south Mizoram’s Siaha district bordering Myanmar last week. 

Reportedly, the Slovak had landed in Aizawl and was proceeding towards the southern part of the state to enter Myanmar where he was invited to participate in a festival. 

He was deported by police via Lengpui airport, Aizawl. 

There is an apparent attempt to shift the 'blame' if any.

One source said - "If any foreigner is entering Mizoram by road via Assam, the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel guarding the Assam-Mizoram interstate border should check whether they are having PAP or not".

Meanwhile, on March 29th, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has stated that the six Ukrainians and the lone American arrested by the NIA sleuths were 'not security threats' to India per se. 

Shah stated that the group was attempting to use India as a transit route to enter Myanmar via Mizoram for terror training at insurgent bases. 

“They were caught as they were planning to transit through Mizoram into Myanmar, where insurgent bases would be used to impart training to the Ukrainians. They did not take the necessary advance permit required by foreigners to enter Mizoram,” he said.

This was the first official confirmation that the foreign mercenaries' focus was Myanmar, with India serving only as a passage. 

“No threat was posed to India’s security. It is our policy that any foreigner who visits India for any wrong act will not be spared,” Shah said.

ends 

Violence erupts outside Kolkata CEO office after TMC alleges bulk submissions of Form 6 by BJP ::::: CEO Agarwal says “This is not my work. Should I conduct elections or keep doing this?”

Mamata Banerjee has written to CEC alleging that BJP is trying to smuggle outsiders into the State voter list, in a bid at “voter hijacking”; 

“We are now witnessing what appears to be another coordinated attempt by the BJP, in conjunction with the ECI, to interfere with the democratic rights of the people. 

Credible reports indicate that large numbers of Form 6 applications are being submitted by BJP agents at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer and across several districts,” Mamata Banerjee said in a letter to the poll panel.

CEO says it is not his job to check Form 6 submissions 

Did CM threatened Central forces ??

Trinamool Congress and BJP supporters clash outside the Election Commission office in Kolkata 

TMC supremo and chief Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar -- “The BJP agents have been caught red-handed flooding the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal with thousands of fraudulent Form 6 applications to smuggle non-residents and outsiders into Bengal’s electoral rolls. This is an attempt at voter hijacking".

Mamata called for the Election Commission to punish such actions which are “illegal, unconstitutional, and fundamentally undemocratic in nature.”

In response to the allegations, CEO Manoj Kumar Agarwal said: “This is not my work. I cannot keep checking who is bringing what into my office. Should I conduct elections in the whole State or keep doing this?”

An organisation of booth level officers (BLOs) supported by the State’s ruling Trinamool Congress alleged that it had caught a BJP worker carrying over 400 Form 6 applications into the CEO, WB office in Kolkata. 

The BLOs and TMC workers staged a protest outside the CEO’s office, flagging this issue. 

The BJP workers also reached the spot and engaged with the TMC workers, leading to a heated exchange.  This is a crucial development. 

"Workers betrayal from one party to another takes place during elections. Sometime they are decisive. The new confidence found in the BJP Karyakartas to challenge TMC workers could be an indicator of things on ground," says analyst Ramakanto Shanyal.  

TMC protestors alleged that the BJP was trying to enrol voters from outside Bengal to influence the polls in its favour. 

A few BJP leaders said "these are indications that the carpet underneath Mamata Banerjee's feet is moving away" 

The Central forces and local police were both deployed to the spot to bring the tense situation under control. Police, armed with batons, charged protestors in a bid to de-escalate the heated scuffle between the party workers. 

Earlier in the day TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee sent a formal complaint to the CEO, WB alleging that the EC is changing the demography of Bengal by including voters from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in the State’s electoral rolls. 

He claimed that the BJP had submitted at least 30,000 Form 6 applications in bulk. 

BJP MP and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar disclaimed responsibility, saying that these complaints were a matter for the Election Commission. 

“I do not have any information if the BJP has made any such [Form 6] submissions,” Majumdar said. 

Mamata's bitter rival in Bhawanipore and Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari lodged a formal complaint against Mamata Banerjee for provoking voters against the Central forces. 

“She is asking the women to fight the Central forces. This is a direct attack against the officers engaged in election work,” Adhikari alleged. 

Meanwhile, the EC has repoetedly 'started accepting' online applications by voters who have been deleted from the final voter list but want to contest the decision in an appellate tribunal.

Of the 60 lakh voters who were placed under adjudication during the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, at least 13 lakh names have been deleted among the 32 lakh disposed cases, the CEO office says.

These people can appeal to the tribunal for reconsideration of their cases. Though multiple supplementary lists have been published, the complete supplementary list for the 60 lakh voters are yet to be made public. 

A few days back, TMC and BJP workers clashed over putting party flags in North Dinajpur. The BJP leaders alleged Trinamool workers attacked BJP karyakartas who were putting up party flags in support of their candidate at Kachakali Bazaar. Six people were injured. 

"Yeh BJP ki sarkar hai" ---- Amit Shah makes a powerful statement ...:::: "Guerrilla communist warfare" or Naxalism has been eradicated :::: "Naxalism did not come due to poverty; rather, poverty came because of Naxalism"

"Naxalism did not spread because of poverty; rather, Poverty spread because of Naxalism" --

(Gareebi ke kaaran Naxalvaad nahi phaila, balki Naxalvaad ke kaaran gareebi phaili) -- That was vintage Amit Shah in Lok Sabha.

What is Maoism or Naxalism?

The name is derived from a place in north Bengal not far from Siliguri (or Bagdogra airport).

The first peasant rebellion of  West Bengal took place in the 1970s. The movement follows the Marxist-Leninist ideology of class struggle and agrarian revolution and the philosophy, taken from the Chinese communist leader Chairman Mao.

The cadres believed in achieving the goal through guerrilla armed struggle. This is certainly an unconstitutional and illegal methodology; but more often glorified by Left liberal intellectual class of India. 

During the Lok Sabha debate, Home Minister Amit Shah pointed towards the Opposition benches and wanted to know why such an ideology had ever been supported in India. 

Hanuman Beniwal of the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party stood up, questioning whom Shah was pointing at. The Home Minister’s response was sharp: it depends on your ideology.

There is an Ecosystem and we may call it Sickularism in the era after BJP has emerged as a force.  

Of course motivated campaigners and vested interests are at play and have been in full steam in the past. 

So-called activists, lawyers, of course scribes and even former Babus  have from time to time alleged that the anti-Naxal operations have always come at the cost of human rights abuses and loss of civilian life. 

They have also questioned the government’s motives as well as whether it can truly erase the ideologically driven movement.

Shah has shot back his words of experience --   

"Yeh BJP ki sarkar hai... jo hathiyaar ka istemaal karte hain, agar samajhte hain toh theek hai, nahi toh force ka istemaal kiya jayega. 

(This is a BJP government for those who use weapons --- If they understand, that’s fine; if not, force will be enforced and used."  

Many say for the Modi Govt; the war against Naxalism has been won because it was one that began in silence with proper planning and patience.

On March 30, 2026 -- on the floor of Lok Sabha; it has ended in a roar. It was a statement of Confidence. A powerful message across the board. So what happens next ?

The Modi Govt started things slowly and often silently -- 

Retired military and police officials and civil babus point out -- the centre has been going step by step.

Article 370 or Jammu and Kashmir was taken up first .... (it was abrogated on Aug 5, 2019) 

Then came Naxalism. And hence the natural course ... the next would be 

Mission North East India. 

It would be complex and more challenging.

In north east; the biggest challenge will be to eradicate Politico-Ultra (Militants) Nexus. In some states -- the Govt of India has been looking the other way as 'mutual love ties and fund sharing and arms support' strategies flourished. 

The Central Govt may yet again attack the Congress party. But in modern times; the BJP is a political entity in states such as Manipur and Nagaland. 

And Politics is the art of possible and also alliance making.  

In Delhi, people still wonder --- Why one NPF leader's remarks on floor of the Assembly is now being probed. 

One of the security agencies have reported to New Delhi desk -- at one point the Honourable MLA owing allegiance to the Constitution of India has said --Statehood is not a solution for Nagas. 

The BJP ministers were dutifully present in the Assembly and they kept silent.    

It's the language of a particular Naga group and hence eyebrows have been raised. 

Time to Reset the Political Will 

Whenever there is adequate political will; the government apparatus either in the centre or in the states have achieved results.

One version goes that the Naxalite cadre has largely been drawn from two of the most marginalised and oppressed groups in India: adivasis, the tribal Indigenous people who largely live in the forests and jungles, and Dalits, the lowest caste previously referred to as untouchables.

But it ignores the fact that ideological gurus were mostly from upper castes. 

The Naxal insurgency has surged at various intervals over the past half century. 

At its peak in the early 2000s it controlled large swathes of the country, known as the “red corridor” which stretched from the Telangana-Andhra Pradesh border in southern India, right across the central states of Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and up to West Bengal, and had more than 30,000 foot soldiers.  

Over the years at least 5000 Indian security personnel have died. On the other hand. the security agencies some actions like haunting the urban Naxals were also important actions.  

For example, they say Stan Swamy (1937–2021) was an long-time "tribal rights activist" but a controversial Catholic -- who was accused of terrorism-related offenses and labeled an "urban Naxal".

He was the oldest person in India to be accused of such charges under UAPA before his death in custody.   

The Home ministry says the government focused on security, development, and rights-based empowerment in areas affected by the Naxal movement. 

And hence; the vision of a Left wing extremism-free India has arrived. And it will be a challenge to sustain it too.

In 2024 itself, Prakash Singh, a former commander of Border Security Force and author of a book on Naxalites, said he believed organisationally the Naxalites would ultimately be crushed. 

ends 

NSCN Hebron leadership are losing control ?? :::::: Naga Rift Widens: Tangkhul Naga body snubs

By Nirendra Dev

A 12-hour bandh, vandalised homes, and a formal non-cooperation declaration from the influential Tangkhul Naga Long — the intra-Naga conflict triggered by the killing of four Eastern Flank cadres at Hongbei is now drawing in civilian bodies and raising questions far beyond extortion money.

The intra-Naga conflict that erupted on March 28 at Hongbei village junction in Kamjong district — leaving four NSCN Eastern Flank cadres dead — has escalated sharply. On Tuesday, March 31, Kamjong observed a 12-hour bandh. Houses of prominent Naga militant leaders were allegedly vandalised. And the influential Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) formally declared “non-cooperation” towards the Wung Tangkhul Region of NSCN-IM (Hebron).

The conflict is no longer only between armed factions. It has drawn in the tribal mainstream.

TNL’s Non-Cooperation: Why the Signature Matters

The TNL’s non-cooperation declaration is carefully worded — it targets a specific body, the Wung Tangkhul Region of NSCN-IM Hebron, and frames itself as a response to a deadline that has ended and “justice being disregarded.” But it is the name at the bottom that is drawing attention.

Among the signatories is Sword Vashum, president of the Tangkhul Naga Long. 

Vashum is a kin of a top NSCN IM leader and that makes things more complex. 

Local observers say this changes the character of the declaration entirely. The TNL is not a fringe body. It is one of the most consequential tribal organisations in Manipur’s Naga belt. Its president’s direct endorsement of a non-cooperation stance against a major NSCN faction is, in the reading of those who follow Naga politics closely, a significant escalation of civilian pressure on the Hebron leadership.

KRN Raises Four Accountability Questions from Myanmar

Simultaneously, the Kaishan Rungyond Naga (KRN) — representing the Naga community of the Self-Administered Zone in Myanmar’s Sagaing Division — has issued a statement expressing what it called “deep anguish and concern” over the Hongbei incident. 

The KRN specifically named its fallen member. 

“To learn that their lives were taken under circumstances that remain unclear or unjustified raises serious moral, ethical, and institutional questions,” Kaishan Rungyond Naga (KRN), official statement. 

The KRN directed four pointed questions at the “top leadership” of the relevant armed command:

* What circumstances led to these internal acts of violence?

** Were proper checks, safeguards, and military protocols followed before such actions were taken?

$$$ Who authorised these decisions, and what accountability measures are in place?

&& What systemic reforms are being introduced to prevent such incidents in the future?

The framing is notable. These are not the questions of an allied body offering solidarity. They are the questions of an institution demanding institutional accountability from a command structure it no longer fully trusts.

Analysts note that the KRN’s posture, combined with TNL’s non-cooperation declaration, may indicate something Delhi has been monitoring: that key figures within the Hebron leadership are losing control of the narrative — and possibly of the ground.

Delhi’s Deeper Questions: Beyond Extortion and Timber

Security analysts in New Delhi are treating the Manipur clash as something potentially more significant than a factional dispute over extortion revenues and timber trade — though those too are real factors. The questions being pursued include:

– What were Eastern Flank cadres doing inside Manipur at the time of the ambush?

– Who controls the illegal trade — including areca nut, timber, and cross-border commerce — within the dominant Naga armed group?

**

The answers, sources say, may point toward a conflict that is as much about arms networks and external patronage as it is about revenue streams within the state.  

Analysts with long institutional memory recall the role of Anthony Shimray — for years the principal arms and cash handler for NSCN-IM, and a figure whose external connections were, they say, more sophisticated than most accounts have acknowledged. 

Swedish journalist and author Bertil Lintner, in his writings including Great Game East, documented that NSCN-IM maintained a credible agent in Hong Kong — an operative who remained unnamed for a considerable period. 

The point being made in Delhi’s security circles is that the NSCN-IM’s external connections have historically extended well beyond what domestic analyses have captured. 

The Bangladesh Variable

A further dimension — one being monitored carefully in Delhi — concerns the northeast’s historically porous relationship with Bangladesh as a rear base for insurgent movements.  

After Sheikh Hasina came to power in 1996, ULFA leaders acknowledged that Bangladesh had become an inhospitable environment. But analysts note that when the BNP under Khaleda Zia returned to power in October 2001, the rear-base calculation shifted again — and multiple militant organisations from northeast India found they “could return” to Bangladesh.

The broader pattern — Pakistan’s intelligence apparatus using Bangladesh as a lever to sustain anti-India insurgencies in the northeast, a dynamic that predates and outlasts individual governments — remains a concern for Indian security planners monitoring the present Naga factional crisis.

Whether the Hongbei ambush is the visible surface of something with deeper transnational roots is, at this stage, an open question. 

Delhi is working to close it.

(Courtesy - The Raisina Hills) 

ends 

Leander Paes has been a big sports star, an iconic Tennis player ::: For BJP -- he is "bigger" Culturally as his mom was a kin of famous Bengali poet Michael Madhusudan Dutta

Tennis player Leandar Paes's mother, Jennifer, is the great-granddaughter of Michael Madhusudan Dutta, who is credited with ushering in a renaissance in Bengali literature.  

"Aaj hamara zindagi ka bara din hae," Paes said after joining the BJP.

Born Hindu - Sri Madhusudan Dutta, was a Bengali poet and a playwright. 

Born on 25 January 1824; Madhusudhan Dutta expired on 29 June 1873. 

 

For Leander Paes, the BJP is not the first party.

He joined BJP's arch rival in West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress in 2021, but did not hold a formal political role with the regional outfit. 

Leander had only joined the party as a prominent member to bolster TMC's  campaign. 

On March 31, 2026, he joined the BJP in the presence of Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju.  "I want to thank PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah ji and Nitin Nabin. The way BJP family has nurtured me and given me the opportunity. Kiren Rijiju is someone whom I consider my hero and look up to," he said.

"We have a big opportunity to serve the youth. This party membership slip is not just a slip but a responsibility to serve the nation."

The Family Link and how it matters in the battle of 2026 in Bengal

During his time at Hindu College in Calcutta (Kolkata), Madhusudhan developed an aversion to Indian culture and a deep yearning to be accepted into European culture.

Dutta was influenced by teacher at Hindu College, David Lester Richardson. 

He was also inspired by Richardson to love and even write English poems particularly by Byron. 

Dutt had began writing English poetry aged around 17 years, started sending his works to publications in England, including Blackwood's Magazine and Bentley's Miscellany. They were, however, never accepted.  

 "Growing up middle-class in Calcutta is what gave me my passion for longevity... I think the Maidan life of Calcutta also gave me that passion," Leandar said in an interview.  

While the tennis legend is often associated with Goa, Leander was actually born and raised in Kolkata.  

His mother, Jennifer Paes, a Bengali Christian, captained the national basketball team in the 1980 Asian Championship. 

What many don't know is that Leandar is a direct descendant of the renowned 19th-century Bengali maestro Michael Madhusudan Dutta. For 2026 assembly elections, 'Bangali asmita' is in debate as Mamata has pushed a line that the BJP is mostly pro-Gujarati and pro-north Indian (Hindi) party and may even ban fish eating in West Bengal. 

The BJP is working hard in more ways than one  to counter the Trinamool narrative by positioning its leaders as authentic participants in local culture and relishing local cuisine especifically 'maccher jhol' (fish curry).

The BJP strategy also include a focused effort to neutralize allegations that the party is "anti-Bengali" and may impose strictly vegetarian food habits.

State leaders Samik Bhattacharya, Suvendu Adhikari and Sukanta Majumdar have been prominently featured relishing fish curries.

Sharadwat Mukherjee have even campaigned holding a fish to demonstrate cultural alignment.  

In Bengali Hindu wedding ceremonies fish is more often a symbol of good luck and prosperity. In fact, the groom's family takes a big fish (raw) and hands it to the bride's family members before the wedlock. 

The fact of the matter is in Mamata Banerjee-ruled Bengal, the Lotus party knows the contest transcends routine electoral arithmetic around Hindutva or even Sabka Saath slogans.

Here the battle to protect cultural and civilisational values. 

Over the last decade, the BJP has steadily worked to make its ideological triad—Hindu-Hindi-Hindustan—socially acceptable across India. But as the battlefield is different; the BJP has even undermined the use of  “Jai Shri Ram” slogan.

Here it is 'Ma Durga' and even PM Narendra Modi wrote a letter starting with that salutation. 

Thus it remains to be seen how Leander Paes as a campaigner or party leader can influence the outcome in West Bengal election where there is also a contest between BJP’s Hindi–Hindu push and emphasis on native Bengali culture of TMC.

ends 

Houses Vandalised :::: Writing on the Poster --- Naga Vs Naga conflict in Manipur is getting louder and Shrill --- "unpleasantly sharp" ::::: Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) declares "non-cooperation" with a potent faction

Naga Vs Naga conflict in Manipur is getting louder and Shrill --- "unpleasantly sharp"  

Days after unprecedented clash between NSCN-IM (Eastern Flank) and the Hebron group that resulted in killing of four cadres of EF faction; there was a 12-hour bandh on Tuesday, March 31 at Kamjong.  

Some houses of prominent Naga militant leaders allegedly vandalised.

Poster reportedly between Ukhrul and Kamjong

The Wrong one will find you in peace and leave you in pieces; and the Right one may find you in pieces but leave you to peace", says the Karma lesson. 

The influential tribal body Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) has declared "non-cooperation" towards a particular potent faction.  

Translation as in social media 

Gist says - As the deadline has ended and justice is being 'disregarded'; TNL declares Non Cooperation towards Wung Tangkhul Region of NSCN-IM (Hebron). 

It is still cleverly done, they say. 

However, the fact that the signatories to the statement include the name of the president of the TNL -- Sword Vashum -- locals say it has a special significance.  

Meanwhile, another important body Kaishan Rungyond Naga (KRN) of the Naga Self-Administered Zone in Sagaing Division in Myanmar has issued a statement expressing deep anguish and concern over the Hongbei incident of March 28, in which one of its members, 'Sergeant Pahnle Ahlahpya', lost his life.  

Sagaing Region with an an area of 93,527 square kilometres is the second-largest subdivision of Myanmar. 

 “To learn that their lives were taken under circumstances that remain unclear or unjustified raises serious moral, ethical, and institutional questions,” the statement read.

Calling for a transparent and comprehensive investigation, KRN raised four key questions for those in 'top leadership':

1. What circumstances led to these internal acts of violence?

2. Were proper checks, safeguards, and military protocols followed before such actions were taken?

3. Who authorized these decisions, and what accountability measures are in place?

4. What systemic reforms are being introduced to prevent such incidents in the future?

NSCN-IM office was burnt on March 29 at Ukhrul 

All these might also suggest that some key leaders in the Hebron are losing control.  

In Delhi various pros and cons associated with the happenings are being monitored. 

There is a significant roles of foreign nations. In the past, it it true, the ULFA was hyper active against India and had business interests in Bangladesh and a few other countries.

However, it was also well known that around the same time Anthony Shimray was a chief arms and cash handler for NSCN-IM.

In fact those in the know of things claim today that -- the NSCN-IM had better contacts in the arms deal through its master operator Anthony Shimray. 

In fact, to substantiate these claims - oldies among experts say -- even Swedish writer Bertil Lintner had written in his articles and book 'Great Game East' that the NSCN-IM had a very credible agent in Hong Kong. Importantly, the agent remained 'unnamed' for a long time. 

The clash in Manipur among Naga cadres (that too belonging to one camp for long) could be linked to something very big and significant. It could be even more that mere extortion money, timber business and other trades.  

The official analysts are trying to go deeper to find - 

** What were Eastern Flank cadres doing inside Manipur?

*** And the vital question - who controls the illegal trade including areca nut and timber trade inside the portent Naga group? 

Old analysts also say that though India had helped Bangladesh attain freedom from Pakistan; Islamabad operatives could quite fast able to generate support in Bangladesh and started influencing certain critical anti-India developments by encouraging insurgent groups in north east. 

Bitter Truth of March 28

After 1996 when Sheikh Hasina was in power -- ULFA leaders spread the word that "it was no longer a safe bet for us (them) to be in Bangladesh". 

But in Oct 2021 when the BNP led by Khaleeda Zia won the polls; many cadres from multiple militant organisations in the north east of India  "could return" to Bangladesh.

ends  

".... Those who use bullets will be answered with bullets” ::: Big Message from Amit Shah on Naxalism :::: “Comparing people who take up arms and kill innocents with martyrs in not acceptable"

 By Nirendra Dev

The Home Minister said Left-wing extremism has been nearly eradicated, particularly in strongholds like Bastar, now “on the path of development.”

Over 4,800 Naxals have surrendered and joined rehabilitation programmes

Only two districts remain significantly affected

706 Naxals neutralised in the last three years

Shah reiterated the government’s dual approach: “Talks will be held only with those who lay down arms; 

those who use bullets will be answered with bullets.”

Launching a political offensive, Shah accused the Indian National Congress of enabling the spread of Naxalism and neglecting tribal development for decades. 

“Out of 75 years of independence, you ruled for 60 years. Why did tribal communities remain deprived?” he asked, crediting Narendra Modi’s government for accelerating development in affected regions.  

He also rejected comparisons between Maoists and freedom fighters: “Comparing people who take up arms and kill innocents with martyrs like Bhagat Singh and Birsa Munda is unacceptable.”

 ‘Red Corridor’ Shrinking

Shah said Naxalism once impacted 12 states, including Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra, and parts of Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, forming a “Red Corridor” where governance had collapsed. He emphasized that democratic institutions—courts, legislatures, and local bodies—provide legitimate avenues for grievance redressal, dismissing armed struggle as unjustifiable in modern India.

The Big Attack

Shah’s Core Claim: “Naxalism spread because of Left ideology”

Foreign Link Allegation: Soviet-era support aided formation of communist parties

Delivering one of his sharpest attacks on Left-wing ideology in Parliament, Union Home Minister Amit Shah declared that Naxalism is in its “last phase” and blamed its spread on what he called “imported Leftist ideology,” drawing a direct political line to the Congress era.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Shah asserted that “Naxalism spread because of Left ideology”, arguing that the roots of communist movements in India were influenced by foreign forces. He claimed that the erstwhile Soviet Union played a role in facilitating the formation of communist parties globally, including in India.

“The moment a communist government was formed in Russia, the Communist Party of India was established here in 1925. The Russian government, through its sponsorship, facilitated the creation of communist parties across the world,” Shah said.  

‘Foreign Roots, Questionable Intent’

The Minister questioned the nationalist credentials of Left parties, stating: “How can a party—the very foundation of which was laid under the inspiration of a foreign nation—think about the best interests of our country?”

He further criticized Left groups for what he described as reliance on foreign ideological models: “Even in the selection of their ideals, they resort to imports from abroad.”

Security Update: 

Naxalism “in last breath,” major decline in violence

Data Points: 4,800+ surrenders, 706 killed in 3 years, only 2 key districts affected

Political Attack: Congress blamed for tribal neglect and Maoist spreadPolitics
Policy Line: Talks for those who surrender; strict action against armed groups

(The Raisina Hills) 

Iran War is a storm for Indian Economy - Pain Front ::: Stock markets have fallen :::::: War to impact India ... chiefly due to Supply Disruptions of Oil, adverse fallout in Stock Market and drop in Rupee graph

India has warned that its growth forecast of up to 7.4% for the financial year ending March 2027 faces “considerable downside” risk due to the Iran war.

As energy prices soar, the effects ripple across the economy, threatening 

India had an ideal mix of moderate Inflation and strong Growth. But energy prices soar now threatens the country's Economy.

One may call it ill-luck. Prior to the war, in a world beset by risks — from the Russia-Ukraine war to Donald Trump’s tariff whimsical moves --- India’s skilled labor force, fiscal discipline and currency reserves made it a safe bet.

The US-Israeli war on Iran is a storm for India’s economy.

The combined impact across the multiple channels on 

Growth, 

Inflation, 

the Fiscal balance, and 

External balances is likely to be significant.

The country’s chief economic advisor V Anantha Nageswaran has said that India’s trade deficit will rise significantly -- leading to a widening of the current account deficit".

We are primarily Oil-based economy.

India relies on supplies from the Strait of Hormuz for about 50% of its crude oil needs and for most of its LPG imports — a primary cooking fuel.

In a report, Nageswaran has four areas of impact-resultant will be

* Supply disruptions to oil, gas and fertilisers -- This will impact exports

** Higher import prices, 

*** Higher logistics costs (e.g., freight and insurance) and 

****  A possible decline in remittances by Indians in the Gulf countries. 

The slowdown in exports to Gulf countries may not be particularly consequential for overall exports. 

The combined impact across the four channels on growth, inflation, the fiscal balance, and external balances is likely to be significant.

Govt rightly flags Slower Growth, 

and also "wider deficit".

The growth forecast of 7.0%–7.4% for the financial year 2026-27  will face “considerable downside” risk due to rising energy costs and supply‑chain disruptions. 

In terms of details -- The conflict has disrupted goods movement through the Strait of Hormuz — a critical waterway carrying 20 % of global oil.

It will  push energy and freight costs. 

“Keeping it manageable will require burden-sharing between the government, via fiscal absorption, and households and businesses,” he said. However, the pass-through of higher import prices to end-users “will also moderate demand growth,” said Nageswaran.  

The Middle East accounts for roughly 40 percent of India's oil imports and 80 percent of its gas. 

In March 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had presented a Vision India document for 2047, "Viksit Bharat" (Developed India) plan.

The plan hinges on 

Empowering citizens and creating a sustainable economy. 

The 25-year-plan envisages India as a developed nation providing leadership to the world in terms of technology and innovation.

ZZZZ 

Notes:

Without doubt; generations of Indian workers and businesses have turned the Arab side of the Gulf into a vital appendage of their own country.

Only a few weeks ago, the stars seemed to be aligning for India’s economy.

Prior to the war that was kicked off on Feb 28, 2026; India was one of the fastest-growing major economies, consistently outpacing its powerful neighbor, China. 

India had surpassed Britain to become the world’s fifth-largest economy and was within striking distance of overtaking Japan for fourth. An underappreciated component of the momentum was India’s deepening ties to the Arab countries.

The advantage might not work any longer.

The Gulf is also a crucial export market for Indian goods, now at risk from disruptions to air routes, shipping and business operations. Many Indian businesses rely on hubs like Dubai to distribute their goods globally. India is the world’s largest recipient of remittances from workers abroad, with about 40 percent coming from the Middle East. 

Any hit to overseas Indian workers’ earnings would further weaken an already softening currency.

India’s stock markets have already fallen about 10 percent over the past month.

Since the energy crisis of the 1970s, India has relied heavily on oil shipped through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow shipping corridor.

"War is not in the interest of humanity. India is encouraging all sides to end it" - PM Modi  

Challenges:

The government may control fuel prices by decisive interventions.

But slashing excise duties or expanding subsidies will add to fiscal pressure.

One suggestion that has been mooted is to increase the infra for fuel stocks for future.

We may now with the available infrastructure manage the show for 74 days or so even if there is no (zero) global supply of crude oil. China has kept that capacity at 180 days.  

The government sources stated that India maintains a total reserve capacity covering approximately 74 days of demand. 

This figure includes Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPRs) as well as commercial crude oil and fuel stocks held by Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs).

ends