The origins and spread of Naxalism, and how the government has responded to it over the decades.
The movement takes its name from Naxalbari, a village in West Bengal, where a peasant uprising began in 1967, inspired by Maoist ideology and demanding land redistribution. It later evolved into an armed movement led by groups eventually consolidating under the Communist Party of India (Maoist), formed in 2004.
Left-Wing Extremism has historically been concentrated in a belt of forested, tribal-dominated, and economically underdeveloped districts, often called the "Red Corridor," spanning parts of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, and neighbouring states — though the geographic extent and intensity has significantly reduced in recent years.
Underlying causes commonly cited include land alienation of tribal communities, lack of access to basic services (health, education, infrastructure), and a perceived absence of the state in remote regions — creating conditions the movement has historically exploited.
The response has combined security operations (coordinated central-state police action) with development initiatives — infrastructure building, welfare schemes, and efforts to improve governance presence in affected districts — recognising that a purely security-based approach alone is insufficient.
Download this topic's notes as a PDF, or search uploaded materials.
