Left-Wing Extremism in India

Left-Wing Extremism in India

Association	CPI	CPI (Marxist)	CPI (Maoist)	CPI (Marxist- Leninist)
Formed in	1925	1964	2004	1969
Ideology	National Democracy	People’s Democracy
Type of Leadership	Joint (working + Bourgeois Class)	Working Class alone	To overthrow Government by Violence	People’s War Group
Symbol	Sickle and Cob of Wheat	Hammer, Sickle with Star		Hammer, Sickle cut across Gun
Leaders	Bardhan & Raja	Prakash Karat, Brinda Karat, Sitaram Yechuri, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya	Muppala Lakshmana Rao	Charu Majmudar, Kanu Sanyal
Status	Party	Party	-Banned- (under UAPA, 1967)	-Banned- (under UAPA, 1967)
Stamped as	-	-	Maoist or Naxalites of CPI (M)	Naxalites, PWG

Emerging of Left-Wing Extremism:

Dec – 2000- CPI (M-L) – formed People's Guerrilla Army/PGA

Sep – 2004- PGA merged with Maoist Communist Centre of India (MCCI)
                    and Renamed as PLGA(People's Liberation Guerilla Army)

End of 2004- CPI (Maoist) was formed by Kishenji(killed in insurgency)

“… all the practical problems in the masses’ everyday life should claim our attention”                                                                            - Mao Tse Tung

Three types of Forces in PLGA

i.                   Primary – Platoons

ii.                  Secondary - Guerrilla Squads

iii.               Base force- People's Militia - imparted rudimentary military training for a fortnight.

Left-Wing Perspective:

People’s dream of living under healthy government – shattered by the uprising of Industrialist/Capitalist/Entrepreneurs – for them, Government appears to be the puppet of those Businesspersons – young Marxist-Leninist Ideologue formed CPI (M-L)

Government’s Perspective:

·         They consider it as a Law & Order Problem- Failed to analyze the cause.

·        Charu Majmudar – named the 1970’s  as ‘Decade of Liberation’

·        Ruling United Front of West Bengal - confronted Naxal violence despite the cause being moral, since it threatens its legitimacy.

·        No specific National Act has been enacted to counter the Naxal Activities – but other ‘Anti-Terror’ Acts have been used to curb them.

State Government’s Move

1.     West Bengal (Prevention of Violence Activities) Act, 1970
Armed itself to repress the uprising.

2.     Andhra Pradesh N.T.R government – liberalized arms licensing to enable people to protect themselves.

·           All the Naxal Movement affected regions – has Alarming level of poverty. (Eg.- Karimnagar, Adilabad, Warangal  of Telengana- 95% Poverty)

·           Reason for the Disparties:

o    Commercialization of Agriculture -

o    Attempt of abolishing zamindari system – due to loop holes & poor implementation – West Bengal Land Reform Act – provided no protection until 1970

Class conflict or Caste conflict?

The oppressed classes were exploited socially and economically.

i.                   As a Sharecroppers and Landless Laborers exploited by the Landlords.

ii.                 As a borrower exploited by Money lenders

Alienation of Tribal Forest Land – leads to – Srikakulam Naxal Movement.

Fuel of Naxal Fire

i.                   Rural – Mass mobilization of socially oppressed tribal
Ex. Santhal, Oraon and Rajbhansi Tribes of  Naxalbari, Phansideoa and Kharibari.

ii.                 Urban - Young Educated men & women of petty bourgeois class. Ex. Onset of recession signal the crisis of capitalist economy and Government’s oppression during Emergy attracted youths in to rebellion.

Tackling Naxalism: (76 districts of 9 states affected by Naxalism)

1.     Empowered Group of Minister headed by Home Minister + Chief Minister of 9 states has been constituted.

2.     CPI (M-L) and CPI (Maoist) were banned under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act UAPA, 1967 amended in 2004.

3.     Task Force – Nodal officer (from Naxal affected area) + IB + SSB + CRPF

4.     Coordination Centre – setup in 1998 – Headed by Home Minister + Chief secy + DGPs.

5.     Two Strategy of Government

a.     Approach 1- Modernizing Police Force:

                                           i.      Mine Protected Vehicles were provided to the force, since the usage of IED by Naxalite is increased.

                                         ii.      Recruitment Guideline to permit 40% recruitment in Central Para Military Force from Naxal affected area to prevent the youth from joining Militancy.

                                        iii.      To prevent India from Nepalese Maoist activities – SSB has been stationed in India-Nepal Border.

                                        iv.      Specialized Anti-Maoist Centre – equipped with 5 Helicopters + UAV + Ex-Service man Auxiliary force to detect Explosives + Counter Terrorism and Jungle Warfare College @ Kanker (Chhattisgarh Government)

                                          v.      Own Special Security Forces – AP’s Greyhounds, UP’s Provincial Armed Constabulary and Union Government’s CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolution Action).

b.    Approach 2 -Social Integration/ Economic Development:

                                       i.      Government initiated Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF) 2003-04 – brings 250 villages under this governed by Ministry of Panchayati Raj.

                                      ii.      Other such funds:

1.     West Bengal Govt. – Rs. 50Cr for under developed Rural Areas.

2.     Karnataka Govt. – Rs. 10L per year for Gram Panchayats for 2 year period

3.     Chattisgarh Govt. – Rs. 1 L worth House and Employment for Kin as compensation for person killed in Maoist Violence.

4.     Jharkhand Govt. – Increased the Insurance amount for Jawans.

5.     Union Government – Recommended Planning Commission to include other Naxal Affected areas in to BRGF.

6.     PMGSY + NREGP + NRHM + ICDS + SSA

7.     Law made by Government:

a.     Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy , 2007

b.     Forest Rights Act, 2006

(Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers Act )

c.      Chhattisgarh Special Public Securities Act, 2006.

Maoist - Target Golden Corridor Area of India: Dec, 2011

 They envisage to mobilize & Organize Industrial worker to play leadership role in organizing agrarian revolution

6 corridor stretching identified by CPI (Maoist)

Bihar-Jharkhand-Chhattisgarh-Andhra Pradesh;

Chhattisgarh-Orissa;

Bihar-Jharkhand-West Bengal;

West Bengal-Assam;

Manipur-Tripura; and

Jammu and Kashmir-Uttarakhnad-Punjab-Haryana-Delhi

Maoist set blast Mine Proof Vehicle(MPF) : Jan, 2012

Maoist understand the limitation of MPF through OFB (Ordinance Factory Board) website which gives details as

"MPV-mounted with RCSS withstand a mine blast of 14kg TNT under tyres, 10kg TNT under hull and 10kg IED on side walls

MPV without RCSS withstand a mine blast of 14kg TNT under wheels and 10kg under hull"

<RCSS- Stabilised remote-controlled weapon station>

Rs.50Lakh costed MPV need to be sent back to manufacturer OFD even in the case of minor repair.

Maoist link with International organization:

MoS Home Affairs Jitendra singh while answering to Unstarred question on March/2012

§  Maoist has global linkages with fraternal groups across the world.

§  They have a link with Maoist Organization of Germany, Belgium, Philippines, and Turkey.

§  They also have a link with LTTE of Sri Lanka and Communist party of Nepal (Maoist).

§  They outfit is also a member of CCOMPOSA (coordination committee of Maoist parties and organization of south Asia)

Reduce violence of LWE

- Killing of Kishenji in insurgency reduced Maoist Activities a little.

- Success of Government's two pronged Strategy of Security & Social Development.

PM Manmohan Singh’s Speech:

2004: "potential to pose an even graver threat than militancy in some parts of our country.”

2008:  “Naxalism is the greatest threat to our internal security.”

2012: "Maoist threat and its changing trajectory is a critical issue to Internal Security of our country"

Effective Solution:

Counter-Insurgency will not be an Effective solution for the issue. The Historical and Ideological Background of Issue describes, the movement emerge with the dissatisfied and marginalized oppressed class. Social Integration and Economic Development will be the better solution to tackle Naxalism.

1.     The Faith in Government should be built among the people.

2.     Salwa Judum Campaign should be stopped (accomplished) and Civilian should be ensured protection.

3.     They should be allowed to use the produce of forest.

4.     Bal Mandal (The Child Division of Naxalism) must be banned.

By ensuring social – economic development and rehabilitation, people can be abstained from joining the Militancy.

Reference:

1.     Article by Raman Dixit, IDSA Focus.

2.     Article by Dr.P.V.Ramana, IDSA.

3.      Article by Col.Vivek Chanda.

4.     Article by Dr.Pushpita Das, Journal of Defence Studies