Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently asserted that March 2026 would mark the end of naxalism in the country. He has given the central forces a free hand to eliminate the red terror. The statistics itself reveal that the menace is ending soon. However, the successful battle against the Naxalites is not an overnight phenomenon. It has taken ten years of a sustained effort to tackle the problem. Amar Bhushan, who served in the BSF Intelligence, State Special Branch before retiring at the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) as its Deputy Head, speaks with Organiser representative Vicky Nanjappa about the current operations against CPI (Maoist). IPS officer Amar Bhushan who has also served in the police force in Madhya Pradesh when Chhattisgarh was part of it has seen the problem from close quarters. As per his experience with various agencies, Bhushan feels that the Naxal movement was getting large foreign funding and has become an outfit supported by the contractors, politicians and mineral mafia. Excerpts:
On multiple occasions you have said that the Naxal movement, for a very long time, never had an ideology. Then, what kept the movement going for so long?
When I was posted in Madhya Pradesh, I had numerous interactions with officers on the Naxalite movement and realised that it was indeed being run on an ideology. Though, in the late 1960s, the entire movement came under the control of politicians and contractors. They ensured that development did not take place.
There was a vicious propaganda to make it seem as though the locals did not want any progress. The tribals were never anti-development as it was being projected. It was Naxalites who took advantage of the vested interests of contractors and politicians.
Any specific incident to suggest that ideology did not govern the Naxalites?
During my days at the Patna University, I had a classmate, brilliant in studies. After he left, we never heard of him. Later, we realised that he had joined the Naxalite movement in 1967 in West Bengal. Post my retirement, when I went to my home town in Jharkhand, I received a call from him. He told me that he was thoroughly disillusioned and sought my help to join the mainstream. He revealed that contractors and criminals had taken refuge in the movement. The principles and ideology on which the movement began were not there.
“Modi government has crushed Naxalism by taking a two pronged approach. On one hand, it is crushing this movement, simultaneously it is building infrastructure. At the same time, the security forces have been given a free hand and a go ahead to finish the movement”
I spoke to a friend of mine in the Intelligence Bureau to see what could be done. My friend in IB told me not to get involved or else I would be in trouble. I spoke to that Naxalite friend a month later and told him what had transpired. He also said that those wanting to get in touch with Naxalites were being punished.
This shows that vested interests never wanted Naxalites to join the mainstream.
How such movements are able to challenge the might of the Government?
How can 5,000 protesting farmers challenge an entire Government. How does a Naxal force of 30,000 manage to fight a force strength of 3 lakh? This has largely to do with the nexus between criminals, politicians and mineral mafia representatives. The forces were never given a free hand. However, purposeful efforts were made to end this menace after the Narendra Modi Government came to power.
Over the years, the Naxal movement was being heavily funded by foreign nations. The funding is so huge that money became the ideology for Naxalites.
Could you tell us a little more about this foreign funding?
In the initial days, there was a lot of push from China. Over the years, the funding poured in from Christian missionaries along with a large portion of funds coming from Western nations.
It would reach the Naxalites in the forests through their friends in cities, also known as the Urban Naxals. They had set up NGOs in large numbers that would collect the funding. The successive governments allowed it to come into the country unchecked. Nobody kept a tab on how this money was being used.
All through my service, foreign remittance towards the Naxalite movement was a hot topic of debate. The maximum share of funding went to Jharkhand. This was one of the factors that was taken into account when PM Modi had announced demonetisation. All the cash held by the Naxalites of the banned denominations were rendered useless in minutes.
What interest would the Christian missionaries have in funding Naxalites?
The Christian missionaries are mostly interested in illegal conversion. They primarily target the tribal areas. Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh are perfect States for them. By funding the Naxalites, they get protection. If the tribals resist any form of conversions, the missionaries use Naxalites to terrorise them.
How different is the approach of Modi Government to tackle the Naxalite issue?
This administration has handled the issue brilliantly. When BJP-led NDA Government came to power in 2014, it was clear that there shall be no place for extremism, Naxalism and terrorism. The effort by the Government has sustained. The policy is not bound by any political ideology. The intention is to finish the movement once and for all.
In earlier regimes, the security forces were told to go soft on Naxalites. This was done largely to gain votes. Naxalites would not only threaten locals to vote for a particular candidate but also made sure that these people voted when they wanted to.
“How can 5,000 protesting farmers challenge an entire government? How does a naxal force of 30,000 manage to fight a force strength of 3 lakh? This has largely to do with the criminal, politician and mineral mafia nexus. The forces were never given a free hand”
Modi Government has crushed them by taking a two-pronged approach. On one hand, it is crushing this movement, simultaneously, building infrastructure. At the same time, the security forces have been given a free hand to finish the movement. There is seamless coordination between State and central agencies which has helped in the fight. The developmental works undertaken in these Naxalite affected areas have led to the locals not supporting the movement anymore.
Would you like to reveal why their funds were squeeze for the movement?
Naxalite movement has had a strong base in cities. These people romanticise Naxalite movement in cities and Congress led governments allowed this to continue unabated.
First thing that the Modi government did was to put curbs on foreign funding. NGOs being run by Urban Naxalites are not getting funds anymore.
As a result of the fund squeeze, the Urban Naxals started to lose interest. This also resulted in Naxalites not being able to purchase weapons for want of funds. Hence, this was a very important first step that the Modi
Government took.
There were at least 6,000 NGOs under the radar. Now we also need to probe whether USAID was being handed out to these NGOs to fund Naxalites.
Were officials under pressure not to act?
That goes without saying. There was complete lack of Intelligence especially in areas such as Bastar. Officials did not even know how Naxalites were sustaining. They were unaware of the terrain. When officials tried making attempts, they were restrained due to political pressure.
I remember IB had prepared a blueprint many years back on how to curb Naxalite movement. The report indicated that the menace could be controlled easily. First step was to target criminals and contractors who controlled this movement. However, the plan never went through due to political pressure. Many officials too stalled the plan since they were heavily bribed.
Most importantly no movement can be finished off unless there is backing of Centre and its forces. Many officials had information and intention to fight Naxalites, but they were told not to go ahead.
Has this Intelligence improved?
There is a huge difference. State police has the best Intelligence, corroborated by Central Intelligence agencies. Once it is declared actionable, then it is passed on to the forces.
“The Christian missionaries are mostly interested in illegal conversion. They primarily target the tribal areas. Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh are perfect states for them. By funding the naxalites, they get protection. If the tribals resist any form of conversions, the missionaries use naxalites to terrorise them”
All the operations in recent times were precision take downs due to seamless coordination. In addition to this, there has been a marked improvement in technology. The surveillance has improved and effect of drones are now showing results. With such a push being made and a free hand given, I do not have any doubt that the movement will be dead by March 2026.
Do you think with the collapse of this movement, the ideology too will die?
I have already seen that the ideology is dying. Even among ranks, there are hardly any Naxalites left. The 12 commanders present are fighting for their existence with some cadres on ground. However, they are not ideologically inclined. They are fighting alongside just because they get paid
Which States have battled the Naxal menace best?
In the current scenario, I think Chhattisgarh has done very well followed by Maharashtra. I am of the view that completely eradicating the movement in Jharkhand may take some time. The Government there is not on the same page as the Centre.
Do you think Naxalites would attempt a revival?
Like all movements, there would be revival attempts here as well. Look at the Popular Front of India(PFI). Post ban, it went quiet, but already attempts are being made to revive it. Similar is the case with the Khalistan movement.
The same would be done in the case of Naxalites. However if a proper check is maintained and the
security forces work with the same vigour, then even if there is a bit of revival that is made, it would surely
not be as effective.
