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Left Wing Extremism (LWE)
Context: As of July 2024, India reported 162 fatalities among Maoist insurgents, with 141 occurring specifically in Chhattisgarh, highest since 2009.
Left Wing Extremism (LWE): Origin and Evolution
- The LWE or Naxal insurgency began with a 1967 uprising in Naxalbari in West Bengal’s Darjeeling District.
- Led by Charu Majumdar, Kanu Sanyal, and Jangal Santhal of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), they were influenced by Mao Zedong’s political theory.
- Originating in West Bengal, the insurgency spread to less-developed rural regions in southern and eastern India, including:
- Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh.
- Objective: Overthrowing the political system to address social and economic inequalities, it poses significant challenges to India’s internal security.
Factors contributing to the rise of LWE
- Tribal Discontent: Stemming from the Forest (Conservation) Act of 1980, which restricts tribal access to crucial forest resources.
- Development-Induced Displacement: Large-scale displacement due to development projects and mining operations in affected states.
- Vulnerability Exploitation: Maoists exploit socio-economic instability to recruit vulnerable individuals with weapons and financial support.
- Misplaced Priorities: Government focus on quelling violence rather than prioritising development in affected regions.
- Post-Control Neglect: Administration failures in delivering essential services after police operations in affected areas.
- Coordination Confusion: Uncertainty over whether to address Naxalism as a social issue or security threat, leading to disjointed approaches between state and central governments.
Challenges posed by Left-wing extremism (LWE)
- LWE poses significant threats to internal security through violent clashes with security forces, such as deadly attacks in remote areas like Dantewada.
- Disrupts social and economic development by targeting infrastructure like roads and schools, hindering welfare projects and overall progress in affected regions.
- LWE groups engage in extortion and illegal activities, demanding “protection money” from local businesses, leading to economic stagnation in affected areas.
- The insurgency contributes to political instability by weakening governance and eroding trust in democratic institutions in affected regions.
- LWE groups commit human rights abuses like extrajudicial killings and torture, harming innocent civilians and damaging India’s international reputation.
Government actions and operations against LWE:
- SAMADHAN Doctrine: Serves as a comprehensive strategy against LWE, incorporating:
- Smart Leadership, Aggressive Strategy, Motivation and Training, Actionable Intelligence, Dashboard-Based KPIs and KRAs, Harnessing Technology, Action Plan for Each Theatre, and No Access to Financing
- ROSHNI: Launched in 2013 under Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana, aimed at training and placing rural youth from 27 LWE-affected districts across 9 states.
- Left Wing Extremism Division: Established in 2006, implementing security schemes for capacity building and monitoring LWE situations and state responses.
- For quality education in tribal blocks of LWE affected districts 130 Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) have been made functional in LWE affected districts.
- Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme
- Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS)
- Scheme of Fortified Police stations
- Assistance to Central Agencies for LWE management Scheme
- Road Connectivity Project for LWE affected areas (RCPLWE)
- LWE Mobile Tower Project
- Aspirational Districts Programme
 Counter-insurgency efforts:
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Way Forward:
- Bandyopadhyay Committee (2006) recommended tribal-friendly land acquisition and rehabilitation as a means to counter this issue.
- Innovative measures are needed to prevent IED (Improvised Explosive Device)-related incidents, which have caused significant casualties.
- The 2nd ARC suggested a 14-point policy to curb LWE, with key points including:
- Strengthening Local Police Stations:
- Capacity building of administrative institutions: The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 seeks to enhance institutional capacity in tribal areas.
- Capacity building of local bodies: The enactment of the provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, commonly known as PESA, is a welcome initiative aimed at ensuring grassroots management of community affairs.
- Cutting the source of finance for Naxalites, who raise funds through extortion and illegal mining operations facilitated by a nexus of contractors, transporters, and extremists.