Red and Restless- Understanding Naxalism, its Root, Rise and Retreat

The phrase ‘Red and rhythmic’ has become synonymous with the Norwegian fans during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. As it happens, it’s a term that also resonates with the Naxalite movement in India- red in its ideology and rhythmic in its campaigns. Naxalism is a left- wing communist movement followed in India, inspired by the Maoist school of thought. It is based on the principle of class conflict between agricultural workers and landowners and the belief that the Indian Constitution and government systems lack substantial protection mechanisms for the workers. This ideology has found a following mainly amongst the tribal groups. 

 

The movement took root in 1967 in the Naxalbari village of West Bengal, from where it gets its name. It was the site of an armed peasant revolt against local land owners and thus began the first of many waves of the insurgency. 

In 1969, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) emerged post a split in its parent body (CPI-Marxist). It was fierce in its rejection of the electoral process and depended on armed revolt and violent revolution to achieve its aims. With the launch of ‘Operation Steeplechase’, the movement suffered severe repressions, crackdowns and organisational splits and fractures during the 1970s.  

 

The 1980s marked a revival of the movement and its territorial expansion from its home ground West Bengal to other states like Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. There was a marked increase in the number of Naxalite groups as well. The 2000s saw the consolidation of various smaller movements into the Communist Party of India (Maoist) which grew into the most violent and dominant form of left wing extremism. It further expanded its reach towards Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Telangana and Jharkhand. These 9 states came to be known as the ‘red corridor’. 

 

Naxalism has been a major internal security threat and a socio-political challenge. Characterized by armed rebellion, it has sought to erode State authority by targeting security forces, public infrastructure, and democratic institutions, while establishing parallel governance mechanisms in areas under its influence. Dantewada district in Chhattisgarh, considered as one of the hot beds of Naxalism has been subjected to multiple attacks over the years, the deadliest one being the 2010 ambush of CRPF convoy, resulting in 76 deaths. 

2013 witnessed an increase in hostility against the government in power at the time and 25 leaders from the Congress Party, including a former Minister were killed. Multiple attacks took place throughout 2017-18 in Sukma district, resulting in a total of 100 plus deaths of security personnel. Two major attacks in the recent past- in 2021 and 2025- have occurred in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh. 

 

The attacks have led to loss of lives, widespread destruction of public infrastructure and severe disruption to the lives of the tribal and village communities. They have also imposed substantial fiscal burden on the government through increased expenditure on security and reconstruction, contributed to the region’s economic and social backwardness and led to diversion of men and material from the hostile borders towards addressing this internal security challenge.  

 

To dismiss Naxalism as a threat without addressing its root causes would be an incomplete assessment. Its foundation rests on deeply entrenched socio-economic inequalities, government deficits and marginalization of communities. Landlessness, poverty, economic inequality, tribal oppression, population displacement and state repression are some of the other major drivers of the movement. The practitioners and sympathisers of the ideology believe that the Indian constitution made the State the custodian of tribal homelands. Tribals were turned into squatters on their own land and were denied their traditional access to forest produce. They have stood steadfast against the land usage for mining and other commercial operations on ‘their land’. 

 

In recent years, the government has focussed on a multidimensional approach towards combating Naxalism- security enforcement, inclusive development, community engagement and reintegration of the affected districts and peoples into the mainstream society. All this was done, keeping in mind the 31^st march 2026 deadline of eliminating Naxalism. A 2025 government report puts the number of LWE affected districts as follows- 126 in 2018, 90 in 2021 and 38 in 2024. The government is providing financial assistance most affected Districts and Districts of Concern. There is implementation of various other schemes and programmes such as – Skill Development and Education, Aspirational District, Telecom and Road Connectivity, Special Infrastructure Scheme and so on. 

 

The future of the movement is bleak but sustained government efforts will be required to keep the insurgency at bay. As former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh observed, "Good governance and development are the best weapons to combat Naxalism."