What is Left Wing extremism/ Naxalism/Maoism  

• Left-wing terrorism or far-left terrorism, sometimes called Marxist–Leninist terrorism or revolutionary left-wing terrorism, is terrorism committed with the aim of overthrowing capitalist systems and replacing them with Marxist–Leninist or socialist societies.
• The term Naxal derives from the name of the village Naxalbari in West Bengal, where the Naxalite peasant revolt took place in 1967. Naxalites are considered far-left communists, supportive of Maoism. Their origin can be traced to the split in 1967 of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) following the Naxalbari peasant uprising.
• Maoism, or Mao Zedong Thought is a variety of Marxism–Leninism that Mao Zedong developed for realising a socialist revolution in the agricultural, pre-industrial society of the Republic of China and later the People’s Republic of China. 
• The philosophical difference between Maoism and traditional Marxism–Leninism is that peasantry are the revolutionary vanguard in pre-industrial societies rather than the proletariat.

Extent of  Left Wing extremism

• The Red Corridor is the region in the eastern, central and the southern parts of India that experience considerable Naxalite–Maoist insurgency.
• The Naxalite group mainly consists of the armed cadres of the Communist Party of India (Maoist).These are also areas that suffer from the greatest illiteracy, poverty and overpopulation in modern India, and span parts of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, and West Bengal and eastern Uttar Pradesh.

How Left Wing extremism happens       

• Jal-Jangal-Jameen (water, forest, and land) is at the heart of these revolts. Tribal people are exploited for the mineral-rich land on which they live. Along with this, Illegal encroachment is occurring. 
• The administrative machinery is rife with inefficiency, corruption and mismanagement. 
• Alienated and socially excluded society 
• Severe lack of development, despite mineral wealth.
• In rural areas, a lack of industry, poor infrastructural growth, and unemployment have resulted in disparities among residents. Locals in the secluded communities have developed an anti-government attitude as a result of this.
• The poor implementation of land reforms has failed to produce the desired benefits. The absence of proper surveys and other details characterises India’s agrarian system. As a result, the rural economy has suffered considerably, and anti-government feelings are high among those who have been impoverished and abused by local landowners.
• Tribal belts are usually ignored by the mainstream media.
• People chose Naxalism as a result of growing interregional and intraregional divisions and inequality. Unemployed youth , small farmers, daily labourers, and other impoverished and deprived people make up the majority of Naxal-groups.

Initiatives by government to counter LWE

• • SAMADHAN is a strategy of government at different levels, encompassing short term and long term goals to uproot LWE. SAMADHAN stands for-
    • S- Smart Leadership,
    • A- Aggressive Strategy,
    • M- Motivation and Training,
    • A- Actionable Intelligence,
    • D- Dashboard Based KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and KRAs (Key Result Areas),
    • H- Harnessing Technology,
    • A- Action plan for each Theatre,
    • N- No access to Financing.
  • National strategy to counter LWE in 2015–  multipronged approach consisting of security, development and ensuring participatory governance and rights for local tribals, inter alia. 
  • D Bandopadhyay Committee (2006) highlighted the lack of governance, economic, socio-political and cultural discrimination against the tribals as the main  reason for the spread of Naxalism. The Committee recommended tribal-friendly land acquisition and rehabilitation as a means to counter this issue.
  • Local villagers are receiving basic services such as healthcare, education, and increased employment opportunities.
  • Development of LWE Affected Areas by:
    • Special Central Assistance (SCA)– for filling critical gaps in public infrastructure and services of emergent nature.
    • Increased infrastructures like roads, bridges etc
    • Skill Development by ITI’s
    • New Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) & Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) where they are not present. 
    • More schools under the Eklavya model (under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.). As per the budget 2018-19, every block with more than 50% Schedule Tribe (ST) population and at least 20,000 tribal persons, will have an Eklavya Model Residential School by the year 2022.
    • Installation of Mobile Towers for telecom connectivity.
    • Financial inclusion by banking facilities 

• Aspirational Districts Programme

Operations against LWE

• • GreyHound Police –Commando force (with a Guerrilla approach)  of Andhra Pradesh created to combat left-wing extremists. 
  • Salwa Judum (meaning “Peace March” or “Purification Hunt” in Gondi language) was a militia that was mobilised and deployed  in Chhattisgarh, India, aimed at countering Naxalite violence in the region. The militia, consisting of local tribal youth, received support and training from the Chhattisgarh state government.
  • Operation Green Hunt – It was the name used by the Indian media to describe the all-out offensive by the government of India’s paramilitary forces and the state’s forces against the Naxalites. 

• Surrender Policy 

Why in News?

• The geographical influence of Maoists has contracted to only 41 districts in the country, a sharp reduction from 96 such districts in 10 States in 2010, according to data provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). 
• However, many security personnel were killed in an encounter with Maoists in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh recently.

What can be done?

• Despite the fact that the frequency of incidences of LWE violence has decreased in recent years, sustained efforts and emphasis are required to eradicate such groups.
• Two things must be ensured by the government: the security of peace-loving people and the growth of naxalism-affected areas.
• In tribal regions, government service delivery should be improved. The government should ensure that statutory minimum salaries, access to land and water, education, and health are all guaranteed.
• The administration should engage in genuine discussion with marginalised communities and Naxalites, as well as encourage surrender. It is necessary to ensure that naxals are rehabilitated and mainstreamed into society.
• The government should find a way to establish a balance between development and indigenous interests. Recognizing tribal rights to forests is critical, as is ensuring thorough rehabilitation in the event of any relocation.
• The Centre and states should continue to coordinate their efforts in development and security, both of which the Centre should assist while state police forces take the lead.
• To reduce the number of security personnel killed, the government must implement technical alternatives such as the use of drones.
• We can also follow the model followed by the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). It is based on comprehensive rural reform to ensure the holistic development of the rural population, strengthening democratic and electoral opportunities to increase and improve citizen participation in government, and involving victims of establishment or rebel atrocities in the actual negotiation process.

 Reference: 

1. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/govt-plans-to-intensify-operations-against-naxals-choke-flow-of-funds-act-against-frontal-groups/article36679839.ece