In most discourses relating to internal security, the biggest topics of discussion are terrorism and Islamic radicalisation. However, the issues of Maosim and their friends in the cities also known as urban Naxalites does not find much favour either in the media or at several discourses.
The fact of the matter is that the problem of Maoism is either worse or as bad as Islamic terrorism.
Last month, Union Home Minister Amit Shah issued an ultimatum and warned the Maoists that they must either surrender or be ready to face an all-out operation soon. If the Maoists do not listen to my appeal to give up violence, we will soon launch an all-out operation against them, Shah said while meeting with the 55 victims of naxal violence from Chhattisgarh. The deadline for the Maoists to give up arms is March 31, 2026.
As it stands, the Centre has managed to wipe out this menace from the entire country, except in four districts in Chhattisgarh.
The Narendra Modi government has been steadfast in its approach to wipe out this menace of red terrorism. It was a two pronged strategy that was adopted to tackle this problem. While the problem was immense in several rural parts of India, it was the ideology and the funding that was also part of the larger problem. Since the year 2014, the government identified those working in the urban areas and first strike against them was to tighten their funding which was being collected under the garb of running NGOs.
The Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) norms were made so rigid that all such funding being sent from foreign countries to boost Maoist and terror activities in India almost stopped or witnessed a steep decline. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) too played a key role in this and carried out a series of investigations to expose the nefarious designs of these urban naxalites. These persons would organise seminars or indulge in propaganda activity in a bid to romanticise what the naxalites are doing. In a nut shell the impression was given that the naxalites are only pro poor and is protecting them against the government taking over their for development.
Funding
What came to light during a string of investigations by multiple agencies is that the Maoists despite suffering losses were able to operate with ease as their friends in the urban areas raised foreign funding and also propagated on their behalf.
Thanks to this funding the naxalites were able to procure sophisticated weapons such as light machine guns, rifles, carbines and scores of ammunition. It was found during the investigation that between 2009 and 2015, the net worth of the network of these naxalites grew from Rs 1,000 crore to Rs 2,500 crore. The estimated budget to procure weapons every year was earmarked at Rs 200 crore.
A large part of the funds were also set aside to set up R&D units, running propaganda wings and recruitment drives. It would however not be wrong to say that a good amount of these funds were also used for personal gains, especially by those sympathisers who live in the cities.
Urban Naxalites
Tackling the issue of urban naxalism was top on the priority of the government. The Intelligence Bureau was tasked with identifying the main areas of operation of such persons. It was found that the Surat-Pune corridor, Kolkata, Coimbatore and Bengaluru were the api-centres from where these persons operated. In addition to this it was found that there were organisations set up by these people to bridge the movement between the urban and rural areas.
Former official with the Research and Analysis Wing, Amar Bhushan tells Organiser that those working in the urban areas do so through their intermediaries. While for several years, the focus was on the Maoists in the rural areas, no attention was given to those working for them in the cities and also their intermediaries. Further it was also important to crack down on the NGOs run by these people as these had become fronts to provide funds and also supply arms and ammunition to the naxalites, Bhushan also said.
Further there was a view that was being circulated that the concept of urban naxalism was a myth. This was however busted by the government and it was found that it is these persons had formed the pipeline to move the arms and funds. In order to do so, they had sought the help of local dons and other external elements, the former Research and Wing officer said.
Recently, the Maharashtra government presented a bill in the assembly aimed at preventing unlawful activities by individuals and organisations. The bill is called the Maharashtra Special Public Safety Act of 2024. The legal provisions of the bill are intended at curbing the threat of naxalism and its supporters in the urban areas. Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis said that the the threat posed by the Maoists is not just limited to the remote rural areas, but is increasing in the urban areas as well. There is a provision in this bill whereby the state government would form an advisory committee to identify organisations working for urban naxalites. It would also give the police the power to enter any premises based on suspicion and seize literature that promotes the Maoist ideology. There is also a provision to seize the property belonging to the urban naxalites.
The road to 2026
With Amit Shah giving an ultimatum to the Maoists to surrender or face the consequences before March 31 2026, action is already underway in several areas where the Maoists are operating.
In April this year, 29 Maoists were killed in the Kanker district that falls in the Bastar division. This was probably the first time that such a high number of naxalite casualties had taken place in a single operation in the Bastar region.
Earlier, around 28 Maoists were killed in encounters over a 10 kilometre range in the jungles of Abujhmarh, in Bastar. Of these, the five to have died were senior commanders. During the operation the security forces had deployed. The Pincer Movement to eliminate the naxalites. The Pincer Movement is when a movement of two separate bodies of troops converge on the enemy. This movement which involved pressure from both sides caught the naxalites off guard.
In another operation this week, five naxalites were gunned down in an encounter at Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district.
Officials say that the government is clear that the naxalite movement has to be wiped out by 2026 if they do not surrender. There has been plenty of success in recent times against the naxalites and this is due to a strong will of the government and sustained action by the security forces.
To achieve this goal, the government has set up camps since 2014. After 2019, nearly 250 camps have been set up. In the past year, at least 115 naxalites have been killed while over 125 have been arrested. Further 150 naxalites have laid down arms and surrendered.
Speaking of Chhattisgarh where the problem still persists, the government is on a warpath to end the problem. In the last one year, 32 camps have been set up in core areas when compared to an average of 16 camps being set up every year.
The security forces are also succeeding due to better coordination between the state police and the central forces. Like was the case in Jammu and Kashmir, even in Chhattisgarh, the lead role is being played by the state police as they understand the terrain better and have Intelligence on the ground.
The Home Ministry has also instructed all states facing this problem to go on a war path to end the menace or ensure that every Maoist surrenders. The two pronged strategy is to build immense pressure on the Maoist network both in the jungles and the cities so that the problem would come to a complete halt by March 31 2026.
