Mao who wrote on Guerrilla warfare(1934) where he enunciated guerrilla warfare develops in three phases.Phase-I: Here guerrilla movements organize, consolidate, and concentrate on preserving their existence. This requires that guerrilla win the support of the population, which will play a pivotal role in their success.Phase-II: It calls progressive expansion of guerrilla forces. Here guerrillas begin expanding the territory within which they separate, increasing offensive operations and expanding the overall scope of their activity. It is in Phase-II that guerrillas begin steadily waging a war of attrition against enemy forces and martial, attacking in what Mao call “Lightening raids”.Phase-III: Many guerrilla movements make a strategic error by transitioning to connectional operations in order to strike a deciding blow to weakened Government forces. Guerrilla movements, in order to ultimately succeed, must topple the national government, which requires conventional operations. The Naxalbari movement and the Communist Party of India (ML) led by Charu Majumder that first raised the demand for radical land reforms, opposition to and confiscation imperialist capital, and at the same time, formulated the blueprint for an alternative development modelAt later period, the Maoists put into practice an alternative development programme in the Dandkaranya area covering some mineral rich states. The main elements of this programme are self reliance, , equitable distribution of resources and property among people, distribution of land to the tiller, all- round development in the countryside based on people’s initiative and voluntary labour etc.As in Dandakaranya, such attempts are being made at the rudimentary level even in Jangal Mahal area of west Bengal. This is evident from the following newspaper report captioned “Wel come to India’s Newest Secret State “by Snigdhenu Bhattacharya (Hindustan Times 10.June 2009):"Here across a 1,000 sq. km area bordering Orissa in West Miänapore district, the Maoist over the last eight months have quietly unlashed new weapons in their battle against the Indian state : drinking water, irrigation, roads and health centres—carefully shielded from the public eye, the Hindustan Times found India’s second ‘liberated zone’ a Maoist run state where development for more than two lakh people is unfolding at a pace not seen in 30 years of “Lift Front’ rule. Apart from taking over the organs of the state and most notably the executive and the judiciary, the Maoists have built at least 50 km of gravel path, dug tube wells and tanks, rebuilt irrigation canals and are running health centres, with the help of local villagers_ _ _ "Be it in Chattishgarh, Orissa ,West Bengal, Andhra, Madhya Pradesh or Jharkhand the Central Govt. has taken the initiative in the current round of anti-naxalite operations of 2009- 10. “Even the Salwa Jadum initiative against Naxalities-the arming of the civilian population and setting up of camps for them outside the movement areas in Chattishgarh1-was a centrally supported. This has come at a time when Maosits have argued that in areas such as Chattishgarh, Jharkhand, and Orissa, where the mineral wealth of the Indian people is located, the state is taking up the cause of the corporates. S. by that arguments they have captured the imagination of the oppressed people that the government offensive at against the Naxalities in Central India or Dandakaranya is to clear the area for mining and industrial projects such as steel plants and bauxite mines and aluminum industries of the giant companies like Tata steel, Arcelor Mittal, Vedanta Sterlite POSCO.The Maoists argue that the movement against POSCO in the Paradip area of Orissa is a resistance movement of the local people with the participation of many different parties and supported by Socialists and Sarvodaya workers.The Kashipur movement 1996 by Maoists is a resistance against Utkal Alumina project in Koraput and the anti-Vedanta struggle in Lanjigarh, Kalahandi to save Niyaamgiri. The Kalinganagar movement against Tata Steel, Maoists angree they say is likewise a people’s struggle.In Orissa Koraput’s Narayan Patna protesting against the combing operations in their area led to the death of two people November 20, 2009. This was a movement led by Chashi Mulia Adivasi Sangha.
The Tribal Nature of (Left Wing Extremism)
The roots of Naxalism, later termed as Maoism, or LWE as now officially labeled, pre-date India’s Independence. The Tebhaga and Telengana movements in Bengal and the Nizam’s Hyderabad took place in the mid-1940s. The issues were land reforms and rural exploitation. On 3rd March 1967, a group of peasants armed with bows, arrows and spears swooped on a piece of land at Naxalbari a small village in North Bengal, planted red flags and declared that it belonged to the Kissan Sabha (Farmers Community). Presently, it is said to extend across “15 states, with 170 districts under their influence, out of which 51are seriously affected.
Organization
Organizational structure Naxalites have a 13 member Politburo and a 35 member Central Military Commission (CMC). There five |Regional Bureaus(RB)– North, Southwest, Orissa/ Chhattishgarh, Eastern and Central” which provide them the ideological support and guidance. As far as their armed wing is concerned, they have zonal military commissions, each with a few divisions (company equivalent) and Dalams (platoon equivalent). At village level they have what is known as ‘Sangamn’-these are overground active supporters who are ideologically committed to their cause. In addition, they have a large number of frontal orgainsations, and a very effective propaganda outfit. Naxalites have some 10,000 armed cadres. The overground workers are estimated to 45,000 to 50,000. Overall holding of arms is 15,000 assorted weapons inclusive of 900 AK-56 rifles, 200 light machine guns, and 100 two inch mortars, besides local weapons and small arms looted from police armouries Notwithstanding its ideological moorings, there is a view that in many areas, the Naxalite movement has degenerate into an extortion racket through intimidation and terrorism.Compact Revolutionary Zone :- The Moaists “Compact Revolutionary Zone” starts stretching from Pashupati Temple in Nepal to Tirupati Temple in South India. This will encompass the tribal areas of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Chhattishgarh, Andhra Pradesh Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Kerala and give them access to the “Bay of Bengal” and the Indian Ocean.
Tactics : Naxalites Violence
Naxal violence started as an agrarian revolt in 1967 by Santhal peasants of Naxalbari in West Bengal. They formed the Communist Party of India-Marxist-Leninist [CPIML)J. It turned towards violent annihilation of class enemies through rural rebellion in Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal. In 1970-71, there were 4,000 incidents of Naxalite violence. Concerted police operations were launched. These culminated in Operation Steeple Chase I (01 July August 1971), in which the Army provided outer cordon in joint operations. This broke the back the movement. During the period 1972-77, it weakened further. The Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) emerged in Bihar. This led to formation of caste armies like the Ranvir Sena and the struggle degenerated into caste violence.In April, 1980 various Naxalite groups got merged to form the PWG.( Peoples War Group) Then realized that insurgency in the plains was easily combated by the security forces because of mobilization, fire power and movement.The PWG shifted the struggle towards forested tribal areas in Andhra Pradesh. The terrain was better suited for guerilla warfare. Forest committees and 'dalams' were formed. The struggle also spread to Maharastra, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa by 1991.From 1990 onwards, India began to globalize its economy. Liberalization was opposed strongly by the LWE. On 21 September 2004, the PWG and MCC merged to form CPI(Maoists). The spread of LWE thereafter has been dramatic. Estimates put the number of districts affected at 170 out of India’s total of 614.However, 51 districts are seriously affected. Naxalites have been targeting the government’s buildings and infrastructure like jails, police stations, railway stations and so on. For economic development, 300 Special Economic Zones (SEZS) have been planed in India. CPI (Maoists) views it as an attempt to grab lakhs of acres of prime agricultural land by foreign and local sharks. Naxalites have called on the people to resist seizure of their lands. Focus on economic warfare enables Naxalites access to large sums of money through extortion and ransom.
Early days of PWG:
The PWG and MCC (Marxist Command Centre)of Bihar had its first meeting in 1981 when Kondapally Seetaramaiah of PWG met Kabai Chateerjee of the MCC. To end the division of left wing extremists PWG had merged with CPI-ML (Party Unity) of Bihar in 1998. But the merger with MCC had to wait until 2004, and in between for turf war in undivided Bihar the two groups had spilled lot of blood until that time. Amidst the difference among the LWE groups they formed the All India Peoples Resistance Forum to carry on their class struggle in the states of Central India, Andhra and Maharashtra.The 2004 formation of the CPI Maoists and the drafting of the five documents by the Central Committee, Hold high the Bright Red Banner of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism, the Party Programme, Strategy and Tactics of the Indian Revolution, the Party Constitution and the Political Resolution of the International ND Domestic Situation bring Maoism to the centre-stage. The 2004 merger also made the PGA (People’s Guerrilla Army) of PWG and People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) of MCC merged to form the PLGA.On February 27,2013 Question Number 371,Union Minister of State, MHA ( Ministry of Home Affairs) stated that in India since 2001 LWE extremists have killed 5801 civilians and 2081 security personnel, making it the single largest security threat to the country. The Communist movement since its formation as CPI (Communist Party of India) on De ember 26th 1925, in Kanpur Uttar Pradesh had travelled a long way. From the demand of complete Independence to the Telangana Uprising (1946-51) and Tebhaga Uprising (1946) the slow demise of CPI was clearly written on the wall. The world Communist movement had shifted from Moscow to Beijing in 1949 and Mao Zedong emerged as the new face of the Communist movement. Andhra Pradesh was the epicenter of the new alignment of radical Communist forces in India. After the Naxalbari movement coming to an end Andhra comrades embraced the radical ideology of Maoism. The Andhra Pradesh Maoist movement had a new lease of life after Kondapally Seetaramaiah joined the Central Organizing Committee of CPI (Marxist-Leninist) as the Maoists were called them. The year was 1972.Joining the Krishna District CPI as Secretary he played an active role in the Telengana Uprising. He founded the PWG out of the COC (Central Organizinv Committee), (CPIML).Srikakulam Rebellion(1967-1970):The Telangana rebellion of 1944-46 waged by peasants of Warangal but which quickly spread to other areas of Andhra Pradesh. Thr peasants were groaning at the exploitative nature of the Doras (landowners)and a worsening food crisis that gripped the countryside after the second world war.The peasants organized themselves led by CPI and Andhra Mahasabha.The wane of Naxalbari movement, the Maoists had found a new ground at Srikakulam, in Andhra Pradesh. The peasants rse in revolt from 1967-1970. The Communist hardliners led movement of armed uprising was gaining ground since 1948,after the Telengana movement By the early 50s the next mass base for the Communists was Srikakulam, led by Venpatapu Satyanarayana and Adibhatla Kailasam They organized themselves under All Indoa CoordinationI Committee of Communist Revolutionaries (AICCCR). This AICCCR later became CPI,Marxist-Leninist). In 31st October 1967 a Girijan (‘hill dwellers’) Conference was underway in Levidi village and two persons Koranna and Manganna were killed by landlords, when they had gone to attend it. This was the spark that prompted the Communists to raise guerrilla squads and retaliate The revolt spread to more areas of Srikakulam district and the death tollon the security forces touched upwards of hundred. This uprising became a rallying point for the future radical Communist movement that was about to turn a new leaf in Andhra in the next decade.
