"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
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