| I. | | | | the foundation stone ceremony of Jindal steel |
| "A peal of spring thunder has crashed over the | | | | plant. The landmine wire was found to be |
| land of India". This is how the July 5, 1967 editorial | | | | originating from Lalgarh. As a result, the Police |
| of Communist Party of China (CPC) mouthpiece | | | | entered the adjacent villages and picked up some |
| People's Daily had described the peasant upsurge | | | | local tribals as suspects. A protest movement |
| in a tiny Bengal village - Naxalbari. People's Daily | | | | sparked off in Lalgarh over allegations of police |
| was endorsing the incidence where share | | | | high handedness during the raids and almost |
| croppers and landless laborers rose in revolt with | | | | immediately, the Pulishi Santrash Birodhi |
| 'land to the tiller' slogan against the local landlords. | | | | Janashadharaner Committee (People's Committee |
| The editorial also went on to predict that "...a | | | | against Police Atrocities) was floated. Led by a 45 |
| great storm of revolutionary armed struggle will | | | | year old local tribal leader Chhatradhar Mahato |
| eventually sweep across the length and breadth | | | | with obvious Maoist links, Lalgarh is brewing for a |
| of India". Named after its birthplace, the Naxalbari | | | | remarkably similar Nandigram style 'movement'. |
| movement soon evolved into an armed uprising in | | | | To recreate another 'liberated zone', the local |
| Bengal and spread like wildfire in several Indian | | | | tribals are mobilized with arms; roads are dug and |
| states, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, | | | | blocked at several places by felled trees to resist |
| Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Kerala. The | | | | the 'oppressive and autocratic' state incursion. |
| movement reached its peak between May 1969 | | | | Maoist sympathizer organizations like the |
| and June 1971 after the Communist Party of India | | | | Association for the Protection of Democratic |
| (Marxist-Leninist) was founded on April 22, 1969. | | | | Rights (APDR) and Lalgarh Andolon Sanhati |
| But the stormy days didn't last for long. From | | | | Mancha (Solidarity Forum for Lalgarh Movement) |
| 1972, the movement started losing its impetus. | | | | are fueling this 'unique form of democratic politics' |
| Between 1973 and 1975, the central and the | | | | from their backyard at Kolkata. While media |
| state governments, both under the Congress | | | | report (The Times of India , 22 April 2009) has |
| Party rule, jointly crushed the movement by | | | | suggested that sophisticated and indigenous |
| ruthless army and police operations. Most of the | | | | firearms have been sneaked inside Lalgarh, local |
| prominent Naxal leaders were captured and jailed | | | | tribals are seen brandishing traditional weapons in |
| or dead in 'police encounter' including the principle | | | | front of television cameras to put up the |
| ideologue Charu Majumdar, who had died in police | | | | impression of a genuine tribal revolt. |
| custody in July 1972. After the first non-Congress | | | | Bengal is a difficult terrain for the Maoist to bloom. |
| Janata government came to power in 1977, the | | | | When the central and other state governments |
| jailed Naxalites were released along with other | | | | believe that the Maoist problem is largely a law |
| political prisoners imprisoned under Indira Gandhi's | | | | and order issue, the Left Front government has |
| Emergency. By then, many of them were deeply | | | | carefully comprehended the socio-economic |
| frustrated over the failure of their movement and | | | | aspect of the problem and tried to tackle it |
| turned impassive about active radical politics. After | | | | through ideological and political means. In other |
| 1977, the Naxalites were fragmented into | | | | states, the Maoists have capitalized from the |
| numerous small groups under different leaders, | | | | existing grievance among the rural poor |
| organizations and ideological positions and were | | | | concerning land rights. But in Bengal, land reform |
| conflicting with each other over ideological-tactical | | | | and redistribution has been a remarkable success. |
| debates with elements of personal egotism but | | | | This achievement has mostly isolated the Maoists |
| could not generate any significant impact in the | | | | from the larger section of the rural populace. In |
| socio-political milieu of India. Evading from direct | | | | other states where 4 per cent of families owned |
| political linkage, many of the former Naxals | | | | 60 per cent of lands, in Bengal 40 per cent of the |
| started putting up non-governmental organizations | | | | families own 80 per cent of the land. Not been |
| to stay entrenched with social, economic, cultural, | | | | able to win over the people, the vengeful Maoists |
| environmental, legal, human rights and gender | | | | have thus targeted the CPI (M) workers. The |
| related issues. The present day Indian Maoists | | | | recent Maoist incursions are mostly visible in some |
| trace their lineage back to this iconic ultra left-wing | | | | regions of Purulia, Bankura and Midnapore districts |
| rebellion. | | | | where lack of development remains to be a |
| II. | | | | relevant aspect even after the successful |
| The Naxalite movement inflamed again after the | | | | implementation of land reforms. Bengal still has |
| resurgence of two potent Naxalite groups in the | | | | poor, landless and marginalized people who exist |
| 1980s. In Andhra Pradesh, the pro-Charu | | | | without any access to agriculture and depends on |
| Majumdar People's War Group (PWG) was set up | | | | the forests for their livelihood. The Maoists are |
| in 1982 under the leadership of Kondapally | | | | been able to penetrate and influence these |
| Seetaramaiah. The other group was the Kanai | | | | sections through the gap created by inadequate |
| Chatterjee, Amulya Sen and Chandrasekhar Das | | | | development and lack of basic amenities. |
| led anti-Charu Majumdar Maoist Communist | | | | IV. |
| Centre (MCC). After been restructured in the | | | | Six days before the polling for 2009 Lok Sabha |
| mid-1980s, MCC had extended its considerable | | | | elections began, the Maoists had attacked |
| influence in parts of central Bihar. Confined within | | | | NALCO's bauxite mines in Orissa and killed at least |
| their respective territory, the PWG and MCC had | | | | 8 Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) jawans |
| dominated the insurgency scene for some time | | | | and injuring scores of others. On 16 April, during |
| and were also frequently engaged in violent fights | | | | the first phase of the month long election |
| against each other over territorial disputes | | | | schedule, at least 17 people were killed by them in |
| resulting in the death of hundreds of cadres and | | | | a string of attacks across the 'Red Corridor'. To |
| sympathizers of both sides. But by 1992, | | | | enforce their poll boycott strategy and disrupt the |
| counter-insurgency operations by the government | | | | election procedures through violence, armed |
| in Andhra Pradesh have largely tamed the | | | | Maoist 'people's militia' attacked on polling booths |
| activities of the PWG. The outfit was banned and | | | | and vehicles carrying the election officials. Five |
| its erosion continued when large numbers of PWG | | | | members of a polling team were killed by a |
| cadres were either arrested or has surrendered | | | | landmine blast in Rajnandgaon district of |
| before the security forces. | | | | Chhattisgarh. A bus carrying Border Security |
| In Bihar, violence related with caste prejudices and | | | | Force (BSF) personnel for election duty was |
| regular clashes with the upper castes private | | | | blown off by another landmine explosion in |
| armies like the Ranvir Sena started showing signs | | | | Jharkhand's Latehar district; bullets were sprayed |
| of desperation among the MCC cadres. These | | | | at the bus killing seven BSF personnel, the bus |
| alarming ground realities forced the two once-rival | | | | driver and his assistant. In Bihar's Gaya district, |
| groups to come together on September 21, 2004 | | | | the Maoists open fired at a polling station in |
| to form the Communist Party of India (Maoist) to | | | | Bankebazaar killing a policeman and a Home Guard |
| act as "a consolidated political vanguard of the | | | | on duty and looted the electronic voting machines |
| Indian Proletariat". After 'great debate and | | | | (EVM) and four rifles. Though termed as a |
| controversy', the term 'Maoism' was adopted | | | | 'spectacular' success by sections of the media, |
| upholding Mao Zedong's thought as the 'third and | | | | actually, the Maoists were successful to attack |
| higher stage in the qualitative development of | | | | just 71 of the 76,000 vulnerable polling booths. In |
| Marxism'. Following the unification, the cadre | | | | the second and third phase of the elections, the |
| strength and gun power of the alliance increased | | | | intensity of Maoist attacks has dropped |
| substantially and the group became the most | | | | substantially. |
| considerable Naxalite formation in the country to | | | | When the All India Coordination Committee of |
| secure its influence and control over a large | | | | Communist Revolutionaries (AICCCR) was formed |
| geographical spread - the 'Red Corridor'. | | | | by the Naxalites in May 1968, one of the first |
| From Andhra Pradesh's Telangana region to the | | | | resolutions passed by the body was not to |
| Tarai region of Nepal, the 'Red Corridor' stretches | | | | participate in elections. While the CPI (Maoist) is still |
| about 92,000 sq. km linking parts of Karnataka, | | | | carrying this legacy, Naxalite factions like the CPI |
| Tamilnadu and Maharashtra, the Bastar region of | | | | (M-L) Liberation has "corrected the mistake of |
| Chhattisgarh, Western Orissa, Jharkhand, Central | | | | completely rejecting parliamentary politics" in 1982. |
| and North Bihar, the far-eastern region of Uttar | | | | Kanu Sanyal, one of the founding leaders of the |
| Pradesh and the Bihar-Jharkhand border areas of | | | | Naxalite movement has "accepted parliamentary |
| Bengal. This vast stretch covers concentrated | | | | practice as one form of revolutionary activity". |
| tribal pockets and comprises some of the | | | | Even their counterpart in Nepal, the CPN (Maoist) |
| poorest, underdeveloped and oppressed regions | | | | which had once pledged to fight jointly with them |
| of the country. While the region is rich with | | | | have joined the mainstream political system and |
| mineral resources like coal and iron ore deposits, | | | | participated in elections. |
| natural gases and forests, the Indian state has | | | | Cocksure about their 'creative' application of |
| badly failed to deliver minimum social-economic | | | | Marxism-Leninism-Maoism, the CPI (Maoist) |
| amenities and to considerately attend the largely | | | | refuses to recognize any necessity of participating |
| unseen suffering of the local people, particularly | | | | in a bourgeois-democratic parliament. They are |
| the tribals. This is the key reason why the Maoist | | | | ideologically motivated in their belief that in a |
| movement has fairly succeeded to penetrate in | | | | country where bourgeois democratic revolution |
| this region. Displacement due to large scale | | | | has not yet been completed "the rule of the |
| projects, inability to avail the benefits from natural | | | | masses cannot be achieved through normal |
| resources, failure of law and order and regular | | | | political methods" and so it is absolutely necessity |
| exploitation by local landowners, traders, police and | | | | to propagate "extensively and concretely to |
| corrupt government officials has added to set the | | | | boycott the parliamentary elections". Based on a |
| ideal condition for the Maoists to exploit the | | | | personalized, narrow and distracted perception |
| people. | | | | about the 'objective conditions' of India, the group |
| In remote and rural areas where socio-economic | | | | believes that parliamentary institutions and |
| deprivation and exploitation are common, the | | | | systems are "discredited to a large extent in the |
| Maoist approach to address long existing | | | | eyes of the people" and there is no 'objective |
| grievances through the barrel of the gun deeply | | | | basis' for them to participate in this system just |
| influences the people to strike a sympathetic | | | | for "exposing the parliamentary system from |
| chord among them. It is therefore relatively easy | | | | within". Participation in election "neither helps in |
| to stir up the anger and resentment of the | | | | developing revolutionary class struggle, nor in |
| underprivileged, particularly the women and youth | | | | enhancing democratic consciousness among the |
| to join the guerrilla army and fight the 'class | | | | people." |
| repression, class exploitation and class rule' of the | | | | Instead, it only fosters 'constitutional illusions' and |
| Indian State. In their own way, the Maoists have | | | | distract from "intensifying revolutionary class |
| also dealt with a core grievance of the rural poor | | | | struggle and armed struggle against the state." |
| - their lack of land rights. By forcefully acquiring | | | | According to them, "promoting alternative |
| land from the oppressive landlords at gunpoint and | | | | institutions of people's power" is the only way to |
| redistributing them to the landless peasants has | | | | "enhance people's consciousness and to wipe out |
| significantly helped the growth of their support | | | | their illusions" about the present parliamentary |
| base among the poor rural peasantry. | | | | system. Answering to the question on why the |
| III. | | | | CPI (Maoist) declines to fight elections and refuses |
| After the massive counter-insurgency operations | | | | to participate in the democratic process, the |
| in Andhra Pradesh, the Maoists had suffered | | | | Maoist leader Ganapathy's has remarked, "You |
| considerable losses and have gradually shifted their | | | | think raising issues in the parliament is the |
| focus to Dandakaranya (a 35,600 sq. miles spread | | | | democratic way whereas we believe that people |
| over the states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, | | | | are raising their issues in a democratic way |
| Orissa, and Andhra Pradesh), Bihar and Jharkhand. | | | | through organized protests". (Interview with |
| However, in the Bastar and Dantewada districts | | | | Ganapathy, Marxist-Leninist parties and groups |
| of Chhattisgarh, the Maoists were harshly | | | | who participate in elections are accused for |
| confronted by a unique form of resistance from | | | | diverting 'revolutionary armed struggle into legal |
| the local tribals - the Salwa Judum. Steered by | | | | and peaceful channels'. Terming parliamentary |
| Mahendra Karma, a local tribal leader belonging to | | | | politics as a 'dog-eat-dog world' and the Parliament |
| the Congress party, the movement came up in | | | | as a 'talking shop', a recent Maoist released |
| the year 2005 as "a spontaneous reaction by the | | | | squarely blames all the mainstream Left parties |
| tribals to defend themselves against the reign of | | | | like CPI (M), CPI and even the Naxalite CPI (M-L) |
| terror unleashed by the Naxalites". (National | | | | Liberation, for playing the 'most dubious role in |
| Human Rights Commission of India report to the | | | | legitimizing the farce of parliamentary process'. |
| Supreme Court of India) The Salwa Judum | | | | The Maoists are particularly antagonized with the |
| recruited its members from the villages, built-up | | | | CPI (M) and have termed the largest communist |
| local vigilante groups and was supported by the | | | | party of India as 'social fascists'. |
| Chhattisgarh government as a counter insurgency | | | | The political theory of the Maoists seems to be |
| force. Its members, mostly tribal youths were | | | | more inclined towards anarchism than Marxism. |
| recruited as Special Police Officers (SPOs) by the | | | | The Maoist viewpoint on shunning elections as a |
| Chhattisgarh state Police and trained in using arms. | | | | matter of strategy is surprisingly similar with the |
| The secretive and illegal activities of the Maoists | | | | anarchist perspective. Anarchists believe that, |
| have kept their political outlook and motives | | | | "Utilizing the state, standing in elections, only |
| mostly distant from the larger Indian population | | | | prepares people for following leaders - it does not |
| living outside their sphere of influence. Though | | | | encourage the self-activity, self-organization, direct |
| there are instances which illustrate that the | | | | action and mass struggle required for a social |
| Maoists are trying to spread their influence outside | | | | revolution." Likewise, the Indian Maoists also |
| their customary stronghold, in reality, their | | | | believe that "participation in parliament does not |
| influences are still concentrated in the poorest | | | | help in developing the subjective forces. Rather it |
| regions inhabited mostly by the tribal population. | | | | will only drive them into legalism and divert them |
| For obvious reasons, the invisible Maoist leaders | | | | from ... intensifying revolutionary class struggle". |
| have kept their focus confined on the relatively | | | | Anarchists argue for the need of "creating |
| inaccessible rural belts. The reasons are not only | | | | alternative, libertarian, forms of social organization |
| tactical as stated in their party documents. | | | | which can become a force to resist the state, win |
| It is also due to the fact that for conducting their | | | | reforms and, ultimately, become the framework |
| acts of individual violence and terror these places | | | | of a free society." The Indian Maoists believe in |
| are good as safe shelters from the | | | | "promoting alternative institutions of people's |
| counter-insurgence forces. Except among the | | | | power" as the only way to enhance people's |
| habitual woolgathering intellectuals, so called | | | | consciousness. Anarchists reject the Leninist idea |
| human-right groups and sections of the | | | | that standing for elections immensely helps to |
| middle-class student population in the cities, the | | | | carry the agitation of the proletarian party among |
| Maoists have minimal influence among the urban | | | | the masses. The Indian Maoists reflect the same |
| petty bourgeoisie and the industrial working class. | | | | thought when it says that "participation in election |
| After the unceasing rise of Dalit politics and the | | | | will only sabotage the revolutionary movement". |
| ominous growth of Hindutva-communal forces, | | | | Will the Maoists also echo the anarchist wisdom |
| chances for the Maoists to make a greater | | | | that all Marxists are not Leninists? While |
| impact on the general course of Indian political | | | | mechanically theorizing their election boycott |
| sphere has become marginal and the prospect of | | | | stand, the Maoists has carefully kept aside the |
| expanding into unexplored zones is steadily | | | | indispensable polemics of Lenin. Long ago, in one |
| shrinking. | | | | of his most important writing 'Left-wing' |
| Killing a handful of 'class enemies', clashing with the | | | | Communism, an Infantile Disorder, Lenin has |
| mining and steel companies, attacking police posts | | | | categorically pointed out that participating in a |
| and jails, damaging vital infrastructures like roads, | | | | bourgeois-democratic parliament actually helps the |
| bridges, and railroads, blasting landmines to 'wipe | | | | revolutionary party to prove to the backward |
| out the armed forces of the | | | | masses why such parliaments 'deserve to be |
| counter-revolutionary Indian state' or establishing | | | | done away with'. Lenin had argued that far from |
| parallel governments of Janathana Sarkar in the | | | | causing harm, the parliamentary forum provides |
| 'liberated zones' of remote tribal pockets to | | | | opportunities to expose the system of capitalism |
| encircle cities while being isolated from the | | | | and facilitates the successful dissolution of the |
| majority of the people are the fantastic Maoist | | | | institution. |
| tactics to establish the People's Democratic State. | | | | Taking part in the election campaigning draws the |
| In the extremely complicated composition of a | | | | masses into the election struggle to "take the |
| multi-national, multi-religious, and caste-divided | | | | bourgeoisie at its word and utilize the machinery it |
| Indian society, the Maoist proposition to shape the | | | | has set up". To extend his argument Lenin had |
| revolution by 'seizure of political power through | | | | pointed out that "Communists should constantly, |
| protracted People's War' sounds thrilling and | | | | unremittingly and unswervingly utilize parliamentary |
| romantic but is far away the prevailing reality of | | | | elections ...and all other fields, spheres and aspects |
| contemporary India. | | | | of public life, and work in all of them in a new |
| Misinterpreting Mao's annihilation theory and | | | | way, in a communist way". Communists must |
| embracing the people's war theory of Lin Biao | | | | learn to "create a new, uncustomary, |
| which the Chinese Communist Party has | | | | non-opportunist and non-careerist |
| discredited long ago, the Maoists turn into a real | | | | parliamentarianism". Lenin though did not forget to |
| nuisance when they start forcing their erroneous | | | | ring his warning about the pseudo-revolutionaries - |
| doctrinarism on the masses to bear the brunt of | | | | those who are incapable of taking into account |
| their 'revolutionary' actions. Democratic struggle | | | | the rapid change of forms, become "hypnotized |
| and mass-political programs have no place in their | | | | by a definite form" and are "afraid to see the |
| credo. Instead, they are obsessed with armed | | | | break-up which objective conditions made |
| activities and military programs that include | | | | inevitable". |
| sabotage and annihilation of enemies through | | | | V. |
| individual assassination. Maoist leaders also have a | | | | Sudeep Chakravarti, the author of Red Sun: |
| typical tendency to justify their actions of | | | | Travels in Naxalite Country has said in an |
| individual terror by parroting quotations of Mao like | | | | interview that, "India's Maoists don't really need to |
| 'Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun' | | | | win; they just need to be there, to show us |
| out of context. | | | | where we have gone wrong". Chakravarti's |
| Most of the victims of their so called | | | | admiration towards the Maoists for their role as |
| 'revolutionary tactics' of crushing the heart of the | | | | conscience keepers of the Indian society is |
| enemy's state machinery is always the poor and | | | | simplistic and soaked with romanticism. This flabby |
| the ordinary. Their annihilation theory has also | | | | estimation might please the middle-class |
| been extended toward rival Naxalite groups and | | | | conscience of the Maoist sympathizers of India |
| members or supporters of mainstream Left | | | | but will definitely not help the Maoist movement |
| parties. To fund their revolutionary operations, the | | | | to advance any further from their present situate. |
| Maoists extract levy from the landlords, the village | | | | Unless the Maoists learn to shed their flawed |
| rich and government contractors, get involve in | | | | obsession with armed activities, remove the |
| racketeering of forest resources, force farmers | | | | dogmatic faith from their minds that guerilla |
| to cultivate poppy crops to harvest opium that | | | | warfare is the only path to liberation, realize the |
| fetches lucrative price and also helps the 'class | | | | necessity of democratic struggle and mass-political |
| enemy' bourgeois parties to win elections in | | | | programs, arrive on a common platform with |
| exchange for a substantial amount of money. | | | | other Left parties and develop tactical alliances |
| A classic example of this strange ultra-left | | | | with them to settle on issues pertinent to the |
| adventurism is evident from the role they played | | | | people, the movement will continue to remain |
| in the so called 'liberated zone' of Nandigram. Here, | | | | isolated and confined within the remote corners of |
| the outfit took the initiative on behalf of the | | | | the country and subsequently become |
| Trinamool Congress to build-up an armed | | | | marginalized. |
| resistance against the 'conspiracies and | | | | If the Maoist leaders cannot give up their old |
| treacherous policies' of the Left Front | | | | adventurist line and comprehend the major |
| government of Bengal. As claimed by Koteswar | | | | contradictions of Indian society, it will be |
| Rao, CPI (Maoist) politburo member in charge of | | | | extremely difficult, if not impossible, for them to |
| Bengal, Jharkhand and Orissa, the Maoists were | | | | make progress towards occupying the |
| armed by the Trinamool to spearhead the | | | | center-stage of Indian politics. By moving away |
| movement. (Trinamool armed us to fight in | | | | from their commitment to violent insurrection and |
| Nandigram: The Times of India, Apr 27, 2009) | | | | joining the democratic process, the CPN (Maoist) |
| According to the CPI (Maoist) General Secretary | | | | in Nepal has already shown a way to their Indian |
| Ganapathy, Maoist cadres were in the forefront | | | | counterpart. Whether the Indian Maoist leaders |
| to "lead the movement in the correct direction" | | | | can go for a major theoretical breakthrough and |
| and stall the alleged 'land grab' of the state | | | | 'take into account the rapid changes of forms' and |
| government which was acting at the behest of | | | | respond to the 'break-up which objective |
| the 'comprador' Salim Group. | | | | conditions made inevitable', whether they can |
| Eleven months of their stupendous effort has | | | | develop the subjective forces in a true Marxist |
| immensely helped the Trinamool Congress to | | | | way or remain blinded by misreading of the |
| seize political grip in the area. Soon after their | | | | objective conditions will determine their future |
| victory in the Panchayat polls, the Trinamool | | | | significance in the Indian political sphere. |
| Congress has completely disregarded them and | | | | Internet References: |
| pushed them out from Nandigram. Thereafter, no | | | | 1. Maoist Document: Strategy & Tactics of |
| news of any Maoist activity has been reported | | | | the Indian Revolution |
| from there. Since the 'revolution' in Nandigram is | | | | 2. CLSA Special Report: India's Naxalities |
| over, the Maoists have thus shifted their focus on | | | | 3. Anil Biswas 'Maoism': An Exercise in Anarchism |
| Lalgarh in West Midnapore leaving behind | | | | 4. Tilak D. Gupta: Recent Developments in the |
| Nandigram in the safe hands of Trinamool! | | | | Naxalite Movement |
| On November 2, 2008 a landmine was detonated | | | | 5. Venkitesh Ramakrishnan: The road from |
| on the convoy route of Chief Minister Buddhadev | | | | Naxalbari |
| Bhattacharjee and Union Steel Minister Ram Vilas | | | | 6. |
| Paswan who were returning from Salboni after | | | | |