Hyderabad: The Maoist movement in the country has not died down as it is being stated by the government. During a 50-year period, it has revived after a downfall, said experts closely studying the movement.
They were speaking at a discussion on the book, The Naxal Movement in India, written by the former IPS officer Prakash Singh on Thursday. “The Naxal movement has grown from bow and arrow squads to full-fledged People Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA). Two times in the past, in the 1980s and again in the 1990s, it was on decline. Gradually, it became more aggressive and cropped up after 2001 and even stronger in 2004 after the merger of the People’s War Group (PWG) and the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC),” Mr Singh said. “I do not think the movement is dead or going to die. They are on the retreat,” he added.
There were several factors which could again give a fillip to the movement like land reforms, tribal alienation, socio-economic factors and inequalities. “About 50 crore people in the country are living below poverty line. In such circumstances, one cannot rule out their comeback,” said former DGP, Sahastra Seema Bal (SSB), M.V. Krishna Rao.
Former CBI director K. Vijay Rama Rao said that the Indian political system seemed to absorb things. “It will be no surprise if Maoists come to power through political system in a democratic manner,” he indicated. Additional DGP (Law and Order) Anjani Kumar said that despite the proclamation of violence by the Maoists, the problem was largely contained.
