Government intensifies efforts against urban Naxalites while maintaining pressure on traditional Maoist threats.
New Delhi: After controlling the infiltration of foreign terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir and the North-Eastern states, now the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is preparing to take strict action against the masked terrorists of the cities and the influential people who give them shelter through legal clampdown. In states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra, the Maoist Naxalite terrorist activities have come down to the minimum in the last few years. Simultaneously, improved coordination between central security forces and state police has led to the deaths, arrests, or surrenders of numerous Naxalites in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana. However, the government must remain vigilant to prevent Naxalites in remote areas from acquiring arms, funding, and cybercriminal resources from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and abroad. Two months before the announcement of elections, the Maharashtra government introduced the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill (MSPSA), 2024 to take action against ‘urban Naxals’. But this bill could not be passed due to the end of the session. If the government wanted, it could have given it the form of a law by bringing an ordinance. But this was not done because of the possibility of unnecessary criticism and judicial interference. The interesting thing is that such a law is applicable in Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. But as soon as the proposal of the law came up in Maharashtra, a section and some parties including the Congress party started opposing it. Can it be considered like the proverb ‘chor ki daadi mein tinka’ (a guilty conscience needs no accuser) that this lobby is directly or indirectly supporting the elements opposing the government through violent Naxalite activities and stopping development work?
When this law is implemented, the police will get the power to take action against those who provide logistics and safe havens to Naxalites in cities. There is no doubt that the illegal activities of Naxalite organisations need to be controlled through effective legal means. The laws currently in place are ineffective and inadequate to deal with Naxalism, its frontal organisations and individual supporters. The threat of Naxalites is not limited to the remote areas of the states. Naxalite organisations have also become active in urban areas. MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act), was implemented in Maharashtra in 1999 to control organised crime. This law was criticised a lot, but the government and the police benefited from it in controlling crime. Now, the Maharashtra government wants to implement a new law against those who run Naxalite activities in cities. Naxalite organisations active in cities are creating unrest by propagating their ideology. The aim of these organisations is to incite armed rebellion against the constitutional mandate. They run campaigns to disrupt public order. There are 18 sections in the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill (MSPSA), which will give power to security agencies to take action against urban Naxals. There are also adequate provisions to prevent its misuse. But it seems that during the Assembly elections, not only political parties but also domestic and foreign organisations supporting Naxal elements can make every possible effort to stop the victory of NDA. Perhaps that is why Prime Minister Narendra Modi has explained in detail the dangers of urban Naxals on Sardar Patel Jayanti and National Unity Day.
The Prime Minister has said that as Naxalism is ending in the forests, a new model of urban Naxals is raising its head.
He said, ‘We must identify such people who are dreaming of breaking the country. We must fight these forces. Today, urban Naxals also target those who say that if you stay united, you will be safe. We must identify and expose urban Naxals.’
He said that due to the efforts of the government in the last 10 years, Naxalism is counting its last breaths in India.
“When the history of the 21st century will be written, then there will be a chapter in it about how India uprooted a terrible disease like Naxalism in the second and third decade. The seeds of Naxalism were sown in the tribal society under a well-planned conspiracy, the fire of Naxalism was ignited. This Naxalism had become a big challenge for the unity and integrity of India.”
The Prime Minister’s argument is very important that some distorted forces, thoughts, and mentalities are very disturbed by India’s growing strength and sense of unity. Such people within and outside India are trying to spread instability and anarchy. They are engaged in harming India’s economic interests. Those forces want that the wrong message should go to the investors of the world, a negative image of India should emerge. They are even targeting the Indian army and running misinformation campaigns. They are engaged in dividing India in the name of caste. Their every effort has only one purpose – to weaken the Indian society and unity. These people never want India to progress, because the politics of a weak and poor India suits them. Such kind of politics was carried on for decades, weakening the country. Therefore, these people are working to break the country in the name of the Constitution and democracy.
“We must identify this alliance of urban Naxalites, my countrymen, as the Naxalism that flourished in the forests, the Naxalism that misled the tribal youth with bombs and guns, came to an end, the new model of urban Naxalites kept emerging. We must identify the people who dream of breaking the country, who work with the idea of destroying the country, who wear false masks on their faces, we must fight them”, said the Prime Minister.
The term ‘urban Naxal’, which has come into vogue since 2018, was first used to describe anti-establishment protesters and other dissidents in the wake of a crackdown on leftists and other liberals embroiled in the Elgar Parishad case in Maharashtra. It is one of two ongoing investigations related to the Bhima Koregaon violence on January 1, 2018. It is based on an FIR filed in Pune alleging that banned Naxal groups organised the Elgar Parishad on the evening of December 31, 2017, on the eve of the 200th anniversary of the Bhima Koregaon battle. The police claim that speeches delivered at the Elgar Parishad were partly responsible for inciting violence the next day. Moreover, the Pune police claim that during the investigation, it had found material that gave clues about the operation of a large underground network of banned Naxalite groups. Later, in the court, the Pune police claimed that the arrested activists had links with the banned CPI (Maoist) party, which was allegedly engaged in destabilising the country and working against national security. It had even claimed that those arrested were linked to a conspiracy to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi. For decades, the charge of conspiracy has been used by law enforcement agencies to secure long legal detention of suspects – in this case, high-profile activists and lawyers were first described as ‘urban Naxalites’ – while investigators build their case by piecing together crucial evidence in support of the allegations.
The enemies of the country are not only terrorists, jihadis and gun-wielding Naxalites, but the biggest threat are urban Naxalites who dream of hollowing it from within. The government, police and army can deal with terrorists and Naxalites, but urban Naxalites hiding in the guise of ‘intellectuals’ create a new army of anti-nationals. Therefore, if we want to strengthen the foundation of peace and progress in the country, then the group of urban Naxalites will have to be destroyed. For this purpose, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has asked the law enforcement agencies to attack the umbilical cord of the urban Naxalites which is the funding they receive from the enemies of the country.
Shah directed the law enforcement agencies to identify the supporters of left-wing extremism, urban Naxals, and investigate their funding thoroughly. Shah has given this strong message as a strategy to give a final blow to the ecosystem of left-wing extremism and to stop Maoist funding. The government has resolved to make the country free from left wing extremism by March 2026. In fact, along with the government, other social organisations and legal experts, courts, educational and media institutions will have to cooperate in this campaign. Evidence of terrorists and dangerous people and criminals operating from remote areas to metros is not easily found. Then the so-called human rights organisations and a section of the media try to defend themselves by taking legal refuge. Investigative agencies and diplomatic efforts will also be required to control the international network.