Maoist - Naxalite Movement in India

(Dr. M Anwar)

            The Naxalite movement owing to its rightful cause and wide spread support has become very significant surpassing in scale and magnitude of freedom movements in Indian Held Kashmir (IHK) and northeastern states of India. Out of 630 districts the Indian government has declared 220 districts as the Maoist affected areas. As per government announced figures more than 200 security personnel have been killed during the past six months, however, there is no official mention of collateral damage, civilian causalities and or losses suffered by Maoists guerillas. The fact of the matter is that India is fighting a bloody war against Naxalite freedom fighters. The Naxalite-Maoists, as they call themselves, are the liberators, redeemers and saviors representing the down trodden workers and landless / poor farmers who have been entangled into vicious circle of poverty, misery and wretchedness. The Indian social order and state culture treats them contemptuously without any regard for human dignity and self esteem. Hence their patience withered away and they turned against the repressive system of government, draconian legislation, evasive political practices and mischievous manifestation of elected representatives, feudal pundits and bureaucrats. They frequently challenge the writ of the government and disrupt the communication system. Being the spokesmen of poor farmers and neglected tribes, the Naxalites enjoy the popular support of the masses they represent. They command the hearts and souls of the people and have started a legitimate freedom movement against Indian rule. Their main support bases are in West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. They have the will and the capacity to fight and defeat the Indian Security Forces. Since they enjoy considerable influence in five Indian states therefore their potential to crush Indian Security Forces appears to be a viable assessment and a crystal-clear possibility. So far they have put up the toughest resistance to the Security Forces marking their signatures by frequently challenging and making the state administration ineffective. 

            On 16th June 2009 approximately 300 to 400 Maoist guerillas entered Lal Garh and captured the town including the City Police Station. They also removed all signs and symbols of state authority and openly challenged the writ of the government. They blew up a railway building and damaged three mobile phone towers in Orissa (Koraput district) and cut off 125 villages from rest of the state. Trouble in Karnataka also marked Maoists upheaval blended with inner commotion, rage and cataclysmic activities. In West Bengal the Maoists made an effort to disrupt the supply line of the Security Forces involved in the Lal Garh operation by detonating a landmine at Chara village. During the “bandh call” (strike), life was hit in Maoist populated areas of Lal Garh, Binpur, Pirakata and Jhargram in Midnapore districts, and areas of Bankura and Purulia. In Bihar the Maoists attacked a police escort at Lakhisarai court and freed their two colleagues including area commander Babulal Besra, blew up a mobile tower at Barachatti village of Gaya district. They also exploded an art and culture building at Madanpur in Aurangabad. The Central Government has launched a massive repressive operation against the Maoists in Lal Garh using over 1000 Security Personnel. The operation is reportedly still going on as BSF and Polices claims to have retaken the town of Lal Garh. Independent reporters state that Maoists still control 90% of the area of district. Indian Security Forces are required to undertake series of operations in five different Maoists affected states. Will they be able to eliminate the Maoist opposition without shedding enormous blood and massive killing, is a big question. Surely another human tragedy and mass exodus is becoming imminent in India.

            The state government has banned the Communist Party of India (CPI) terming it a terrorist organization. The ban came in the backdrop of violent incidents in Lal Garh and the ongoing operation by Police and Security Forces to reclaim the area. Political differences, especially those between the CPI (M) government in West Bengal and the Congress at the Center, have affected the operation against the Maoists. The CPI (M) and its other leftist allies have opposed the ban imposed by Union Home Ministry on CPI (M), stating that the ban would serve little purpose and that the extremists should be handled politically. The ban on CPI (M) is not a new thing as the three extreme left outfits: Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), People’s War Group and Maoist Coordination Centre that merged to form the CPI (M) are already banned along with their front organizations. The CPI (M) also now stands banned for all practical purposes.

            Indian spin masters are busy to give a new twist to Maoists movement by coining links with Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) – a figment of imagination and a white lie. The aim is to reinvigorate propaganda against Pakistan and cover own administrative mismanagement. Indian intelligence agencies have already been tasked to implicate LeT for providing training to the Maoists. Actually Indians are convinced that Maoists movement is totally home grown having the potential to defeat Indian Security Forces for its just cause. Media and human rights organizations must project human rights violations committed by Indian Security Forces against Maoists movement. Maoists’ predicament deserves world attention and suitable media projection. India must stop her obstinacy and allow freedom to the Naxalite - Maoists.