"Naxalism's Ideological Evolution: From Agrarian Revolt to 'Dimagi Naxal' Debate"
Naxalism
Left-wing extremist movement originating from the 1967 Naxalbari peasant uprising, inspired by Maoist ideology.
Red Corridor
Geographic belt of LWE-affected districts spanning Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, and adjoining states at the movement's peak.
Left-wing extremism (LWE) in India, commonly called Naxalism, takes its name from Naxalbari, a village in West Bengal's Darjeeling district. In May 1967, a peasant uprising there drew inspiration from Mao Zedong's Chinese Communist Revolution, centring on the demand for 'land to the tillers.' However, the roots of Indian Maoism stretch further back. The Telangana peasant revolt (1946–1951), in which Communist-backed villages fought the Nizam's regime and oppressive landlords, is now recognised as an earlier precursor. When the Indian Army's 1948 operation led to Hyderabad's accession, these cadres faced suppression and fled to the hills, where tribal rebellion merged with Maoist insurgency. The armed struggle continued even after the Communist Party of India (CPI) called it off in 1951 to contest the country's first general elections.
In 1964, the CPI split. The breakaway Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI(M), aligned more with the Chinese communist approach, emphasising peasant mobilisation and revolutionary struggle, than the Soviet model. Then, on April 22, 1969, under the leadership of Charu Mazumdar, the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist), or CPI(ML), was formally established, becoming the principal political formation of the Naxalite movement. The terms 'Naxal' and 'Maoist' are today used interchangeably, though they carry distinct historical layers. The failure of the Bihar Abolition of Zamindari Act (1948) and the Land Ceiling Act (1961) to transfer land to agricultural labourers left rural communities highly vulnerable to caste-based oppression, creating fertile ground for Naxal recruitment across Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and what are now Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.
The Naxalite movement was never monolithic. It fragmented repeatedly. In central Bihar, Naxalites resorted to land grabs and targeted killings, prompting landowners to form private caste-based militias in the late 1970s and 1980s. In Chhattisgarh and Odisha, it was the exclusion of tribal communities from development plans that drove Naxal expansion. The Salwa Judum, a state-sponsored militia in Chhattisgarh formed to fight Naxals, eventually generated local backlash and was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2011 as unconstitutional, illustrating how counter-insurgency responses can replicate the very rights violations they seek to address.
By 2004, the People's War Group (operating in undivided Andhra Pradesh) and the Maoist Communist Centre of India (operating in Bengal-Bihar) merged to form the CPI (Maoist), pledging to overthrow the Indian state. …
What are the determinants of left-wing extremism in Eastern part of India? What strategy should Government of India, civil administration and security forces adopt to counter the threat in the affected areas?
Analyse the multidimensional challenges posed by external state and non-state actors, to the internal security of India. Also discuss measures required to be taken to combat these threats.
Left Wing Extremism (LWE) is showing a downward trend, but still affects many parts of the country. Briefly explain the Government of India's approach to counter the challenges posed by LWE.
With reference to the history of left-wing extremism in India, consider the following statements:
1.The Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) was founded in 1969 under the leadership of Charu Mazumdar.
2.The CPI (Maoist) was formed in 2004 by the merger of the People's War Group and the Maoist Communist Centre of India.
3.CPI(ML) Liberation gave up armed struggle in 1992 and subsequently entered electoral politics.
How many of the above statements are correct?
Consider the following pairs:
Organisation — Key Event
1.CPI(ML) — Founded April 22, 1969
2.CPI (Maoist) — Formed by merger in 2004
3.Salwa Judum — Declared unconstitutional by Supreme Court in 2011
4.CPI(ML) Liberation — Renounced arms in 1992
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Consider the following statements about the structural determinants of left-wing extremism in India:
1.The failure of the Bihar Abolition of Zamindari Act (1948) and Land Ceiling Act (1961) to transfer land to agricultural labourers is identified as a key driver of Naxal recruitment in Bihar.
2.In Chhattisgarh and Odisha, the exclusion of tribal communities from development plans created conditions for the spread of Naxalism.
3.The SAMADHAN doctrine addresses only the security dimension of LWE, with no development component.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Which of the following statements about the origins of left-wing extremism in India is/are correct?
1.The Naxalbari uprising of 1967 is the earliest root of Indian Maoism.
2.The Telangana peasant revolt (1946–1951) preceded Naxalbari and is recognised as an earlier precursor of Indian Maoism.
3.The Communist Party of India (Marxist) was formed following the CPI split in 1964.
With reference to the Salwa Judum, which of the following statements is correct?
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