It is beyond the power of any man to make revolution. Neither can it be brought about on any appointed date. It is brought by special environment, social and economic. The function of an organized party is to utilize any such opportunity offered by these circumstances.
Left Wing Extremism or the popularly known Naxalism in India has grown from an indigenous peasant movement of a sleepy unknown village in West Bengal to an elaborate networked revolution of well organized armed struggle. It affects not only more than half of the territorial boundaries of India but also creates tremors in the neighboring Nepal and Sri Lanka. Maoism/ Naxalism today pose the biggest challenge to internal security of the Indian Union. Naxal violence and its rapid expansion all over the countryside continue to pose a serious challenge to internal security in India.
At present, 9 States, namely, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh are under serious influence of Naxalism (Appendix A). Naxal leadership has clearly understood and is laying special emphasis on militarization of their fighting formations by acquiring new technology, particularly relating to fabrication and firing mechanism for improvised
explosive devices (IEDs) and weapons. The Naxal outfits are on relentless spree to augment their armed strength induction of misguided youth into their formation and forming alliances with foreign and regional terrorist organisations [1] .
3. The Government has adopted a multi-pronged strategy to tackle the problem of Naxal violence which include modernisation and strengthening of State Police Forces, long-term deployment of Central Police Forces, intensified intelligence-based well-coordinated anti-Naxal operations, removal of socio-cultural alienation of the people, focused attention on development and public grievances redressal system and creation of local resistance groups at grass root levels. But the outcome on ground in substantial terms has not manifested itself so far as there's still lot to be done in terms of strangling foreign financial aid and severing of internal, regional and international links of Left Wing Extremist groups.
4. The causes for menace of Naxal violence is attributable to both security and development fronts and the Government of India continues to orient State Governments on ensuring integrated development of the affected districts of the States. The Planning Commission has included all the Naxal violence affected districts under Backward District Initiative (BDI) component so as to fill the critical gaps in physical and social infrastructure in these areas. The scheme provides for an extra of Rs. 15 crores per year per district for a period of three years. This works out to Rs. 2475 crores, if properly utilised, will help accelerate the process of development in these districts.
5. The pattern of violence perpetuated by Left Wing Extremism is an indicator of an emerging serious challenge to the internal security and economic stability of the nation which merits our immediate attention [2] .
METHODLOGY
Statement of the Problem
6. Post 2004 merger of Naxal groups, the Maoist have redefined strategy and tactics for urban areas in order to extend their influence beyond the rural areas of the so called red corridor. The increased influence in urban areas with steady supply of urban cadre and their greater participation will further fuel the protracted people's war.
Hypothesis
7. Maoist document 'Urban Perspective: Our Work in Urban Areas' emphasizes that "In the absence of a strong revolutionary urban movement, the growth of the people's war will face limitations and difficulties in its advancement". Being the centers of concentration of the working middle class, urban areas play an important part in the political strategy of the revolution. Thus it is clear from the Maoists' ideology that the armed struggle and the movement in the rural areas will play the primary role; whereas the work in the urban areas will play a secondary, but a decisive role towards achievement of final aim.
Justification of Study
8. Over a decade the naxalite movement has transformed itself from a law and order problem to a major internal security threat which has been lately admitted by state as well as central agencies. The naxal movement which started in a small village Naxalbari of West Bengal in late 1960's lost its momentum during last decades of the twentieth century, but by beginning of the new millennium it started
afresh and posed a major security concern in the nation. The highlight of this newly emerged threat was in the fact that there was no major ideological or material support from external forces as it had been the case with other insurgencies in India. In 2004 two major Maoist groups, CPI (ML) [PW] and the MCCI underwent a merger. In Sep 2004, the newly formed CPI (M) adopted a new constitution, redefining its goals and strategy; highlighting the importance of urban perspective in furtherance of their movement.
9. The changed strategy of CPI (M) gave a new thrust to the movement, increasing their influence in rural red corridor and a new perspective about urbanization of the movement. If the urban agenda begins to gain success as per the constitution of CPI (M), the strategy adopted by states and the center may fall short of effectively countering the naxal problem. Thus in the backdrop of this potential threat this dissertation will delve into the nuances of the urban perspective of Maoists and its implications on the related issues.
SCOPE
10. It is proposed to study the subject by analyzing and evaluating various aspects in following parts:
Part I - Overview.
Part II - Evolution, Rise and Traces from the History.
Part III - Urban Perspective of the Naxals.
Part IV - Indian Response, its adequacy and the Changes
Required.
(e) Part V - Conclusion and Recommendations.
ORGANISATION OF THE RESEARCH
11. The research is organised in the following manner:-
Part I - Overview
12. The overview introduces the topic and brings out the various parts of the research paper.
Part II - Evolution, Rise and Traces from the History
13. Causes of the Movement. The emergence of the movement in India is attributable to a numerous historical, socio- political and economic causes. The ideological inspiration for the movement though was derived from the Chinese communists who also provided the moral support but the ground conditions which helped in rise of Naxalism were due to the failure of our political, social and economic policies. The lack of development and land reforms in these areas, which are very rich in forest and mineral resources, has alienated the people from the government machinery.
14. Ideology and Spread of Naxalism. Naxalism is inspired by the "Mass Line" concept propagated by Mao and the "Armed Struggle" concept as pronounced during the Russian revolution against capitalists and rich industrialists and advocates rule of the proletariats. The movement has grown from an indigenous peasant movement to an elaborate network of well organised armed struggle spanning across international borders.
Part III - Urban Perspective of the Naxals
15. Post 2004 merger of erstwhile groups into CPI(M), the revolutionary leaders have understood the importance of participation of urban masses. It has been accepted that the working class which is heavily concentrated in urban areas are of great significance.
16. Lakhs of workers in these metropolises, and other industrial cities and towns, are working in modern industrial enterprises, in which the socialization of labour has taken place at a high level. Moreover, the urban petty-bourgeoisie section, who are reliable allies of naxal revolution are also concentrated here in big numbers. On the other hand, it is here itself, the state power and the administrative machinery of the ruling classes are concentrated; and it is from here itself they have been regulating the economic life-lines of the country. Thus, along with the positive factor that the leading force of the revolution-the working class, and another basic motive force, the petty bourgeoisie, are concentrated here in big numbers, the urban revolutionary movement also faces a negative factor, that these are very strong-centers for the so called ruling class. Hence naxals tends to build the revolutionary movement keeping both these factors in mind.
Part IV - Indian Response, its adequacy and the Changes required
17. The following measures have been taken in the past to combat Naxalism:-
Stern stand by the government.
Simultaneous development in socio-political and economic spheres and public perception management.
A concerted attempt to achieve collective approach and coordinated response.
Improved policing and provision of security cover to locals.
Strengthening of political cadre base.
Extensive use of mass media.
Stable tenures and suitable transfer policy for the police officer cadre.
Attractive surrender and rehabilitation policy.
Creation of counter Naxal training school for state police.
Modernisation of the state police.
18. Pitfalls of Present Government Strategy. Some of the drawbacks in the strategy being followed by the government are as follows:-
(a) Lack of political consensus on the policy.
(b) Lack of coordination between states and states and the Central government.
(d) Lack of consistency in the policy.
(e) Raising of local resistance groups like Salwa Judum has not been successful.
(f) Inability to implement development strategies and surrender policy.
Recommended Measures
19. Social Measures.
(a) Land rights and reforms.
(b) Improved agriculture facilities.
(c) Education and health care.
(d) Forest policy.
20. Economic Measures.
(a) Industrialization to bring in overall development.
(b) Infrastructure improvement.
(c) Monitoring of development projects by a Central Task Force.
21. Political Measures.
(a) Improved governance at centre, state and at grass roots level.
(b) Optimise the tribal tradition of self governance.
(c) Engage Naxalites in peace talks.
(d) Diplomatic pressure on the neighbouring countries.
(e) A major re-look on legal aspects.
(f) Efficient and imaginative psychological initiatives.
22. Security Measures.
Unified command.
Modernisation of police force.
Inter- state cooperation for more potent response.
Chapter V: Conclusion and Recommendations.
23. It is evident that over a period of time the naxals have changed their doctrine, strategy and tactics to achieve their final aim. However, the government machinery as
usual is moving at a very slow pace to counter the apparent threat. As the means adopted by authorities at present are not providing any significant breakthrough, therefore the need to adopt new philosophy at tactical, strategy and socio-politico level are required to be considered.
PART II - HISTORY OF NAXALISM
"I remain a song dedicated to the revolution; this thirst will end only with my life."
Cherabandaraju, Revolutionary poet
Genesis and Historical Perspective
1. The Left Wing Extremism or Naxalism in India has drawn its inspiration from the teachings of Karl Max and the social revolutions engineered by Lenin in Russia and Mao in China.
2. Two landmark incidents of 1967 marked the evolution of the Naxalism/maoism in India. The movement derives its name from a small unknown village Naxalbari in Siliguri District of West Bengal, where the oppressed farmers rose against the exploitation by the wealthy and powerful exploitative landlords. The movement was provided ideological and material support by revolutionary group of Communist Party of India (Marxist) under the leadership of Charu Mazumdar who is recognized as the founder of the naxalite movement in India. At the time of itsnception the aim of the movement was to achieve power of the state by using violence as a major wapon. During same period, a peasants revolution started in an area called Srikakulam of Telangana Region of Andhra Pradesh led by Chandrapulla Reddy. In Feb 1969 [3] , All India Coordination Committee of Revolutionaries (AICCCR) in the CPI (M) launched a new party called CPI (Marxist-Leninist)/CPI (ML), organization attached as Appendix B. The new party advocated the Chinese paradigm of armed revolution through protracted People's War and then
ongoing "The Great Cultural Revolution in China". Charu Mazumdar and Kanu Sanyal launched an uprising in West Bengal taking a leaf from voilent Naxalbari Uprising of May 1967.
3. These incidents were violent in nature and were inspired by the success of the communist movement in Russia andChina. However the movement in West Bengal collapsed due to the elimination of its leadership by the security forces and pragmatic land reforms, the uprising of Andhra Pradesh continued to grow ever since. These movements succeeded in drawing the attention of the nation to the absence of development in these backwrd areas and the exploitation of the poors by the feudal system based on class and caste inequalities. The Government and intelligentsia, classified these as socio-economic and law and order problem but not as possible internal security threats. This short sighted view about the issue led to the long term effects as the causes and intentions of the affected masses behind this movement were undermined.
Causes of the Movement
The emergence of the movement in India can be attributed to a number of long
lasting historical, social, political, economic and other causes which are being discussed in succeeding paragraphs.
Ideology. During early and mid twentieth century the Indian society was excessively marred with the ills like caste and class system. The oppression of the low caste/class was at phenomenal scales in most parts of the country during that time. The prominent success of the communist revolutions in Russia under Lenin and in China under Mao in the early twentieth century and the creation of a classless society with equal opportunities to all citizens motivated their followers in India to bring about a similar revolutionary change in the country.
Chinese Influence. Radio Beijing in one of its broadcast in 1967 [4] stated that a revolutionary struggle had been launched by the masses in the Siliguri - Darjeeling areas of India provided Ideological inspiration to the Indian communists and further complemented in terms of moral support.
Social Inequalities. Discriminatory treatment of poor and lower caste peasants by the high caste landlords is very rampant in most parts of the country. The rich landlords always considered poor and tribal as people with no basic rights and hence exploited them extensively. The low caste people were not dealt with dignity and the women folks of poor classes were treated as commodities to be used and exploited. These inequalities in society forced them to adopt the course of violence and joined Naxalism.
Economic Deprivation. The minimum wages stipulated by government are too less for a person to sustain himself and the family and hence the youth (boys & girls) of poor and lower castes revolted to join the Naxalite cadres. Besides, the exploitation by private entrepreneurs added to the miseries of the poor.
Absence of Development. The naxal affected areas are very rich in forest and mineral resources and yet has not seen any infrastructure development. The total lack of roads, bridges, power, industry etc has left the area underdeveloped and poverty ridden. Virtual absence of civic amenities like health care, education, employment opportunities, drinking water and electricity have made the distance between people and the government machinery larger.
Land Reforms. The areas of West Bengal and Telengana have a history of landlords exploiting the landless workers. The absence of land reforms provided the perfect fuel for the movement. India inspite of being a predominantly
agricultural country with 67% of its population dependent on agriculture could not make any substantial progress in this field. The Green Revolution of 1960s concentrated only on increasing productivity with no endeavor to alleviate the lifestyle of poverty ridden peasants. Majority of the people employed in agriculture are landless and poor, thus their aspirations to own and possess land has resulted in a struggle against the rich and powerful landlords. The Naxalites leader exploited this sentiment and hence has found favour among the tribal and poor. This has led to the increase of the hold of the Naxalites over the poor.
Tribal and Forest Policies. British Anthropologists in nineteenth and twentieth century's adopted the policy of "Isolation of tribal in order to preserve their uniqueness and cultures". Since then, India continues to follow this policy in the name of preservation. This has led to creation of a separate class of people vis-à-vis other citizens of the country. Further with the new Forest Policy coming into force where in the forest areas have been notified under Forest Regulatory Act the tribal are being denied their means of livelihood from forests and hence their only means of survival has been taken away from them in the name of forest policies. This has led to neglect, under development and exploitation of the tribal.
Inadequate Governance. In most of the naxal affected areas, there is an absolute lack of governance. The civil administration like police, revenue and judicial institutions not exist. The officials do not visit these areas and hence the grants, funds and schemes announced by the government are never implemented. These conditions have favoured the Naxals in running a parallel government in these areas. The practice of holding Jan Adalats, land distribution, construction of irrigation facilities and tax collection by the Naxalite cadres, clearly reflects the ineffective influence of the state government as also, highlights the reach and writ of the Naxals.
(j) Leadership. Dynamic, charismatic and revolutionary leadership of Charu Mazumdar & Kanu Sanyal in West Bengal and Chandrapulla Reddy & Seetharamayya in Telangana gave the necessary impetus to the movement.
Ideology
5. The other internal security problems of North East, Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab were correctly indentified and aptly dealt, but Naxalism is not separatist or externally driven movement. The movement came to the present form due to the dissatisfaction of the people with the basic values and system of governance and inefficient functioning of the government institutions of the administrative machinery. After death of Charu Mazumdar in 1972, the leadership vacuum resulted in fruition of a number of splinter groups with some being ideologically driven by the Maoist model of "Mass Line" concept while others were for "Armed Struggle" like the Russian Revolution. A fair portion of these revolutionaries had no ideology and resorted to insane meaningless violence. The various ideologies which drive the Naxalite movement in the country can be classified as under:-
(a) Against Democracy. The Naxalist have no respect and faith in Indian constitution and democratic system of the government. They believe that democracy is ill suited for governing India and want to make it a communist state.
(b) Against Capitalist and Rich Industrialist. Naxalites firmly believe in classless society and consider rich capitalist and industrialist as their enemies.
(c) Maoist Ideology. Establishing government by using armed rebellion combined with agitation by the masses in effect means dictatorship by the proletariat. Globalisation and liberalisation are seen as challenges to socialism.
6. It is important to understand that though these ideologies are the driving force behind the Naxalite movement all across the country but these ideologies practically
affect two levels of the set up in these organisations. The two levels are being described below:-
(a) The Intelligentsia. The well educated and knowledgeable join the movement attracted by the Marxist, Leninist, Maoist philosophy and provided the basic leadership and work at district, block and village levels.
(b) The Grass Root Revolutionaries. The majority of the Naxals join the movement to find an escape from the oppression, abuse and exploitation at the hands of landlords, government officials, police forces and the upper castes. These people constituting bulk of the cadre, are normally ignorant about ideology and possibly have never heard about Mao, Lenin, Russia and China.
Spread of Red Corridor
7. Naxalism is an organisations of aggressive communists. In other words it is also called Communist Party Marxwadi Leninwadi (CPI(ML)). After 1947 [5] the communist extremist started armed violence activities first time in 1948. 2,500 villages in the south were organised into 'communes' as part of a peasant movement which came to be known as Telangana Struggle. Simultaneously the famous Andhra Thesis for the first time demanded that 'Indian revolution' follow the Chinese path of protracted people's war. In June 1948, a leftist ideological document 'Andhra Letter' laid down a revolutionary strategy based on Mao Tse Tung's New Democracy, but because of lack of public support the movement couldn't gain momentum.
8. In 1965-66 communist leader Charu Mazumdar published articles based on Marx-Lenin-Mao thought, which later came to be known as 'Historic Eight Documents' and formed the basis of Naxalite Movement. The roots of the armed revolutionary activities can be traced back to the 25 May 1967 [6] "peasant" uprising at Naxalbari in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal, when the Naxalite movement started with three sharecroppers lifting 300 mounds of paddy from the granary of a landlord with the support of 150 CPI (M) workers, armed with lathis, bows and arrows. The movement lasted for 52 days in the area primarily because of the initial hesitation and misinterpretation the state government.
9. After the initial dithering, the government adopted a tough line and not more than 20 lives were lost in this phase of Maoist struggle that was otherwise eulogised by the Chinese Communist newspaper, People's Daily (July 5, 1967), as the "spring thunder over India". The ideology of Naxalism soon assumed larger dimension and entire state units of CPI (M) in Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir and some sections in Biharand Andhra Pradesh joined the struggle. In Nov 1967 comrades from Tamilnadu, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Orissa and West Bengal met and set up All India Coordination Committee of Revolutionaries (AICCR) later rechristened All India Coordination Committee of Communist Revolutionaries (AICCCR) in the CPI (M).
10. Due to the ideological differences Charu Mazumdar split from the CPI (M) to form CPI (ML) IN 1969. At that time the aim of the Naxalites was to achieve power of the state by violent revolution. They forced the local people for collection of land revenue & taxes. In the same time period aggressive communist violent activities also started in the Srikakulam area of Andhra Pradesh. Though the uprising in Naxalbari was restrained with force in comparatively short time, its rapid spread to other parts of West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala could not be contained.
11. Operations were launched in the middle of 1971 to supress the Maoist insurgency in West Bengal under the codename Operation Steeplechase. The impact of these operations coupled with the death of its chief, Charu Mazumdar, in 1972 cut a swath through the Maoist insurgency in West Bengal. The other reasons that lead to declining existence of the Naxalites during the 1970s were the ideological differences between various leaders and their groups and also the disinclination of China to support the movement due to the dwindling mass support. It re-established the confidence of the people in the potency of the administration.
12. By the end of 1972, West Bengal was declared "one of the most peaceful States in India" by police administration of the state. But the Maoist irritant was far from over and instead had spread to other parts of the country. In 1973 a fresh surge of guerrilla violence backed by masses emerged in parts of central Bihar and Telangana, Andhra Pradesh. In the meantime, leadership was taken over by Shri Chandrapulla Reddy, who left the violent ways of the movement and decided to resort to violence only when required, but he too could not succeed. In 1975 after emergency the Naxalites formed another group under leadership of Shri Kondapalli Seetharamayya called CPI (ML) Peoples War Group.
13. In the late 1970s and early 1980s many splinter groups emerged with varying ideologies. All efforts of leaders to unite the various factions to form one single front failed, however by mid 1980s some prominent groups regained their ascendancy:-
Peoples War Group (PWG) in Andhra Pradesh.
Maoist Communist Committee (MCC) in Bihar, Jharkhand and Chattisgarh areas.
Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninists (CPI-ML) in Bihar.
14. In 1983 peasant movement in Assam reflected signs of revival with formation of People's Democratic Front (PDF) in Karbi Anglong district of Assam to provide a "revolutionary democratic orientation to the tribal people's aspirations for autonomy". In 1984 following Operation Bluestar in June and after the country-wide anti-Sikh riots which followed the assassination of Mrs Indira Gandhi, CPI (ML) and other revolutionaries tried to woo Sikhs towards joining peasant movement. In 1985 PDF announced the entry of CPI (ML) cadre in the legislative arena by winning a seat in Assam Assembly elections. In 1989 CPI (ML) (Liberation) recorded its first electoral victory under the banner of Indian People's Front with District ARA sending the first 'Naxalite' member to the Parliament. However, in 1991 May Lok Sabha elections, Indian People's Front lost the ARA seat but CPI (ML) retained its presence in the Parliament through PDF which by now had been rechristened as Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC).
15. The crux of the freethinking diatribe has been that the Naxalite problem is the consequence of the State's abdication of its fundamental developmental functions. The surfacing of the Maoist insurgency has been regarded as a result of the exploitation of landless peasents by landlords, and the former's struggle for social equality and better wages. William Dalrymple writes in the book, The Age of Kali, "In some upper-caste areas, the burning of untouchables had become so common that it was now almost an organised sport. Various lower-caste self-defence forces had formed in reaction, and were said to be busily preparing for war in villages they had rechristened with names like Leninnagar and Stalinpur."
16. In Aug 1990 All India Students Association (AISA) was launched at Allahabad which vehemently opposed VP Singh's implementation of Mandal Commission recommendations. Meanwhile in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister Chenna Reddy lifted all curbs on Naxal groups allowing the Naxalites to operate freely for about a year which the
observers felt corrupted them and harmfully affected the movement. In 1992 Chief Minister N Janardhan Reddy again banned PWG and its seven front organisations in Andhra Pradesh. In 1993 AISA registered impressive victories in Allahabad, Varanasi and Nainital university elections in Uttar Pradesh besides in the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi.
17. By end 1994, the connections among various Communists and Left parties intensified in India and abroad to revitalize the movement drawing lessons from Soviet disintegration. In 1995 a six-member CPI (ML) group was formed in Bihar Assembly and two of the CPI (ML) nominees won from Siwan indicating the expansion of party's influence in north Bihar. In May that year N T Ramarao relaxed ban on Peoples War Group in Andhra Pradesh for three months resulting in the PWG going for massive enrollment drive in the state.
18. The Naxalites footing in the regional and national politics grew over the period and by 1996 five members of ASDC had made it to Assam Assembly, another ASDC member was re-elected to the Lok Sabha and one ASDC member was elected to the Rajya Sabha. ASDC also retained its majority in Karbi Anglong District Council and also defeated the Congress in the neighbouring North Cachhar Hills district in Assam. CPI (ML) therefore had taken the initiative to form a Tribal People's Front and then Assam People's Front. CPI (ML) joined hands with CPI and Marxist Coordination Committee led by Comrade A Roy to strengthen Left movement. CPI (ML) also initiated the Indian Institute of Marxist Studies in 1996. With the growing influence of the CPI (ML) armed clashes between ultra-leftists and upper caste private armies (like Ranvir Sena) started assuming mammoth magnitude in Bihar.
19. But the man who created the organisational network of the Naxalite movement - Kanu Sanyal -regards the Maoist insurgency as "an armed struggle not for land but the state power". Nowhere in the party programme, adopted in the year 1970, was any
mention of the Naxalite's struggle for the socio-economic strengthening of the poor and downtrodden. Instead, it explains in detail the development of the "guerilla warfare which is and will remain the basic form of struggle throughout the entire period of… democratic revolution".
20. The dichotomy in understanding the ideology of the Naxalite movement is further brought to forefront by the interpretation of various events by the affected parties; one such incident took place on the night of February 13, 1992, in which 200 armed untouchables surrounded the high-caste village of Barra in the northern Indian State of Bihar. By the light of the burning splints, the raiders roused all the men from their bed and marched them out into the fields. Then, one after another, they slit their throats with a rusty harvesting sickle. Some regard this as a direct outcome of the agrarian unrest and the exploitation of the poor and the low caste farmers where as others regard it as struggle for social respect, as fallout of the undeclared war between Savarna Liberation Front and Maoist insurgents, which had nothing to do with the agrarian unrest.
21. In his seminal work, the Naxalite and their Ideology, Rabindra Ray sees the roots of the Naxalite trend not in the poverty of the labouring rural population, but in the psychological traumas of the urban educated youth. Though the epicenter of the insurgency and its cadre are primarily rural, it was the intelligentsia that provided legality and uprightness to an otherwise unpopular ideology.
22. The 1990s saw magnificent expansion of Naxalism in underdeveloped and tribal areas and by the beginning of new millenium it was showing remarkable presence in the urban centers also which manifested itself in hacking to death of Madhya Pradesh Transport Minister Likhiram Kavre in his village in Balaghat district in Dec 1999 to avenge the killing of three top PWG leaders in police encounter.
23. The turn of the century saw an increase in daring violent activities under taken by the Naxalites. PWG continued with its revenge motivated actions and blew up the house of ruling Telugu Desam Party MP G Sukhender Reddy in Nalgonda district in Andhra Pradesh in January 2000. In February it blew up a Madhya Pradesh police vehicle killing 23 cops, including an ASP. It destroyed property worth Rs 5 crores besides killing 10 persons in Andhra Pradesh in the same month. In Dec 2000 PWG launched People's Guerrilla Army (PGA) to counter security forces. In July 2001 Naxalite groups all over South Asia including PWG and MCC got together to form a Coordination Committee of Maoist Parties and Organisations of South Asia (CCOMPOSA) which is said to be first such international alliance. As per the Intelligence inputs, MCC and PWG had established close links with LTTE, Nepalese Maoists and Pakistan's Inter-Service Intelligence to receive arms, training and required support, by the late 1990s.
24. Naxalites attempted to create a corridor through some areas of Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh up to Nepal and persuaded a series of divides and unification taking between more than 100 group and parties with communist ideologies. However, after initial impediments the two most dominant groups, PWG and MCC merged in September 2004 to form a single unit, Communist Party of India (Maoist). Synergy achieved by this merger, poses grave law and order challenges to the State. Today, the CPI (Maoist) spearheads the Naxal movement in the country, accounting for majority, to the tune of almost 91 per cent of the violence and 89 per cent
of consequential deaths. The formation of CPI (Maoist) has led to the following:-
The movement has adopted a more voilent form.
It has strengthened the left wing extemeism.
It expedited the formation of the Compact Revolutionary Zone (CRZ) from Nepal to Tamilnadu.
Expansion of the area of influence and creating strong bases there-in.
Improved financial sources and streamlined the flow of arms.
Facilitated movement of extremists from one location to another.
Increased the spread to over 153 districts in 13 states to include Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhatisgarh, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamilnadu.
25. The spread of Naxalism from a tiny village called Naxalbari to the complete length and breadth of national territories has been made possible by certain ground actions taken by the various Naxalite groups over the last fifty years or so which have led the poor and unprivileged to identify with this movement and assist it. The ground actions undertaken by the Naxalite outfits include:-
Identification of the causes of grievances of the under privileged against the State.
Conveying to the adversely affected masses the acts of omission and commission by the government which has resulted in their unrelenting deprivation.
Reassuring the masses that they will fight the State to ameliorate their lasting misery.
Developing a strong support base amongst masses and causing collapse in structures of civil governance through threats and murders.
Create an administrative vacuum and establish them self by threatening political hierarchy to resign and thereafter impose their administration.
