The Hindu Editorial Analysis
16 August 2025
The politics of insurgency, the decline of Naxalism
(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 8)
Topic : Naxalism in India: Politics, Insurgency, and Decline
Context
India has witnessed one of the world’s longest-running insurgencies through Left-Wing Extremism (LWE)/Naxalism, which once posed a grave internal security threat across central and eastern states. With government efforts, security reforms, and developmental initiatives, the movement has significantly weakened in recent years, but its political implications and future trajectory remain contested.
Introduction
Predictions about terrorism are often uncertain, but one thing has become clear in India – the revolutionary zeal of Naxalism has diminished over time. What began in 1967 at Naxalbari, West Bengal, as a radical peasant uprising against landowners, expanded into one of India’s most widespread insurgencies. Today, however, the Naxal movement stands weakened due to state responses, splintering of leadership, and diminishing ideology.
Key Issues and Analysis
1. Changing Nature of Insurgency
- Initially rooted in agrarian injustice, the movement later fragmented and turned violent.
- It integrated into regional outfits (like CPI-Maoist) and sustained itself through violence in tribal and forest areas.
- Online campaigns and digital propaganda later replaced physical mobilization.
2. Government Response
- Security crackdowns, development projects, and targeted operations in states like Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand reduced the insurgency’s footprint.
- Integrated Action Plan (IAP) and security-modernization initiatives strengthened the counter-Naxal campaign.
- The Urban Naxalism narrative reframed the discourse, shifting from armed militancy to alleged intellectual sympathizers in cities.
3. Decline of Ideology
- The earlier revolutionary fervor, inspired by leaders like Charu Mazumdar and Maoist ideology, has lost its resonance among India’s youth.
- Splinter groups remain but lack central coordination.
- Many cadres surrendered; the promise of a “Red Corridor” has nearly collapsed.
4. Persistent Challenges
- Residual violence in Bastar, Gadchiroli, and a few forest belts persists.
- Naxalism remains linked with land alienation, tribal exploitation, and lack of development, making it more a socio-economic issue than purely a security one.
- Mislabeling civil dissent as “urban Naxalism” risks blurring lines between democratic activism and terrorism.
Impact
- Security: Drastic decline in violent incidents and fatalities.
- Politics: Naxalism no longer shapes electoral politics but continues as a symbolic debate on state repression vs. revolution.
- Society: Development gaps in tribal areas remain; unless addressed, discontent could resurface in new forms.
- Ideology: The shift from armed struggle to urban intellectual discourse shows transformation rather than complete disappearance.
Conclusion
The decline of Naxalism is not just a story of military suppression but also of the erosion of ideology in a rapidly globalizing India. Yet, the persistence of tribal underdevelopment signals that insurgency could mutate into new forms if governance fails to deliver. The challenge for India is to ensure that legitimate dissent is respected while extremist violence is curtailed.
In today’s context, the lesson is clear: development and democracy, not just security operations, are the real antidotes to insurgency.