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    OPINION                                                             OCTOBER 24, 2025  |      The Indian Eye 11

            pre-existing anti-Naxal strategies, and   into mainstream society. Since 2018,   rules. These included attaining tribal   which any organisation disrupting
            a zero-tolerance policy was adopted   Gadchiroli, a part of the union gov-  consent, undertaking social impact   public order or inciting violence can
            towards  LWE.  Under  this,  advance   ernment’s Aspirational Districts Pro-  assessments and providing full com-  be declared unlawful by the advisory
            disbursement of SRE was increased   gramme, has provided basic utilities   pensation to displaced locals.  board. Its activities will be classified
            for Maharashtra by 138 per cent in   such as health, education, connectiv-  Although this amendment facil-  as cognisable, non-bailable offences
            2014–15, and significant funds were   ity and financial inclusion.  itated land acquisition and develop-  resulting in imprisonment for up to
            disbursed under MPF in 2017. CAPF     The Recognition of Forest     ment, it weakened the laws consti-  seven years and a fine of up to INR
            were deployed for longer durations   Rights Act (FRA), 2006, was passed   tuted to strengthen tribal rights. As   five lakh. This bill received backlash
            and undertook frequent coordinated   to grant legal rights to forest-dwell-  such, planned mining projects span-  from opposition and civil society
            operations with other state forces.  ing tribal communities and other tra-  ning across 5,000 hectares in Gad-  groups due to concerns over its vague
                Between 2014 and 2016, the gov-  ditional forest dwellers to use land   chiroli  have  induced  fear  amongst   language, potential misuse and hu-
            ernment made better use of Central   and forest resources for their liveli-  the tribals over loss of livelihood and   man rights violations.
            government funds. C-60 commandos   hood and socio-cultural needs. This   triggered protests. Moreover, allega-  The bill was revised and rein-
            were highly trained in guerrilla war-  law, in turn, strengthened the Pan-  tions of slow-paced resettlement of   troduced after receiving over 12,000
            fare, UAVs were utilised for better   chayat Extension to Scheduled Areas   displaced tribals in already acquired   suggestions (9,000 demanding com-
            operational  efficiency,  the  fortifica-  (PESA) Act, 1996, which empowered   land have also been reported.  plete removal). It was passed in both
            tion of police stations was sped up,   Gram Sabhas by supporting self-gov-  Compensation is mainly provid-  houses of the state legislature in July
            the Army imparted skill training,   ernance through traditional systems.   ed through jobs to displaced locals.   2025 and sent to the Governor, who
            the police’s arsenal was significantly   Moreover, in 2013, the Right to Fair   Although companies operating in   has reserved it for the President’s
            upgraded, and all police posts were   Compensation and Transparency   the area have been doing so, allega-  consideration. Despite being passed,
            connected via video conferencing for   in Land Acquisition, Rehabilita-  tions of only unskilled/security-relat-  the opposition’s walkout in the Leg-
            real-time intel-sharing. Informers   tion  and  Resettlement  Act  (RFCT-  ed jobs being assigned to them have   islative Council, open letters to  the
            and their children were rewarded,   LARR), 2013, was passed to regulate   surfaced. This is due to a skill gap,   Governor to withhold assent, and
            and financial incentives for SF were   land acquisition for public purposes   leading to increased migration from   state-wide agitations against the bill,
            enhanced.                         by laying down rules for granting   other states, causing locals to face a   have now become impending chal-
                A central-level multi-disciplinary   compensation and resettlement to   perceived threat of loss of opportuni-  lenges for the government.
            group was constituted to choke terror   affected families, thus safeguarding   ties and increased pressure on their   Maharashtra has witnessed a sig-
            funding, and coordinated action with   locals against unfair land acquisition   already scarce natural resources.  nificant decline in Naxal violence, as
            State Intelligence Departments was   and subsequent displacement.       Problems remain regarding legal   the number of armed cadres has gone
            increased. C-60 commandos are also    In  2015,  Maharashtra  became   and administrative delays in deliver-  down from 550 in 2014 to 56 in 2024,
            being deployed at crossing points and   the first state to deregulate non-Tim-  ing promised incentives to surren-  while 24 currently remain active in
            camping sites during tendu collection   ber Forest Products rules, thus al-  dered Naxals, as mandated under the   Gadchiroli and parts of Gondia. The
            seasons to bust extortion activities by   lowing decentralised negotiations so   S&R Policy. Additionally, some sur-  former government’s policies, along
            Maoists, undertaken on the pretext   tendu collectors could directly trade   rendered Naxals have faced insecuri-  with the current government’s own
            of fighting against tribal exploitation.   with beedi companies. Although   ties, social stigma and bias when rein-  strategies, primarily those of offen-
            Commandos also increased border   the implementation of 18 per cent   tegrated into civilian life. It has been   sive  operations  and  development,
            patrolling and encounter operations,   GST on tobacco products in 2017   noted that surrendered cadres often   have been successful, bringing down
            which led to the dismantling of pri-  reduced tribal incomes, the deregu-  face harassment from Naxals and   the number of annual deaths from
            mary drug and extortion syndicates   lation, to a certain extent, led to the   security authorities over suspicions   93 and incidents from 154 in 2009
            run by Maoists.                   empowerment of Gram Sabhas. As    of aiding  the  opposing  side.  Thus,   to only 3 and 5, respectively, until
                Major central government-led   they earned crores in annual reve-  while the S&R Policy can encourage   August 2025. However, while coun-
            initiatives were implemented un-  nue through tendu product sales, the   disengagement, its improper imple-  tering  Urban Naxalism remains  a
            der the Backwards Regions Grant   funds generated could be directly   mentation and unaddressed insecu-  predominance of  the current state
            Fund, 2006, for the socio-economic   utilised for community development   rities can cause dissatisfaction, and   government, the possibility of the re-
            development of affected areas. Skill   initiatives. Sustainable initiatives   Maoists may potentially exploit this.  surgence of rural Naxalism stemming
            Development Centres for vocation-  such as Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan for   According to authorities, edu-  from  unaddressed  tribal  grievances
            al training were set up, and road   water  conservation,  regulated  tree   cated ‘Urban Naxals’ have been in-  must not be ignored. With the gov-
            connectivity projects were launched   cutting for construction, plantation   directly involved in advocating LWE,   ernment aiming to make Gadchiroli
            under the Road Requirement Plan,   drives and green mining projects are   by providing clandestine financial, le-  the ‘steel hub’ of the country by 2030,
            2009. Although centrally funded   also being undertaken. However,   gal and ideological support, without   which would require cooperation
            public infrastructure and skill devel-  the provision of tribal rights has not   being directly involved in violence.   and support of the locals, inclusive
            opment plans were envisioned, their   been sufficient in addressing the root   This issue came to prominence par-  policymaking with community lead-
            implementation on the ground was   causes of grievances, raising multiple   ticularly after the Elgar Parishad case   ers for addressing deep-rooted con-
            slower than anticipated. This was due   challenges for the government.  in 2017 and the Bhima Koregaon vi-  cerns is imperative.
            to difficulties in land acquisition and   Striking a balance between un-  olence in 2018, which led to the ar-
            environmental clearances, poor con-  dertaking developmental projects   rest of 16 individuals from across the   Anushka Chavan, Research Intern,
            tractor performance, and a lack of   for public welfare and providing ad-  country, allegedly sharing links with   Internal Security Centre, MP-IDSA
            contractor response to tenders due   equate rights and compensation to   Maoists. State authorities, on multi-  Views expressed are of the author and
            to workers’ security concerns.    displaced tribals has been an issue   ple occasions, have accused Urban   do not necessarily reflect the views of
                In Maharashtra, police forces   in the recent past. As per PESA and   Naxals of spreading propaganda and
            have played a crucial role in public   RFCTLARR, Gram Sabhas, which   brainwashing youth. In 2025, Fadna-  the Manohar Parrikar IDSA or of the
                                                                                                                         Government of India.
            perception  management to counter   are affected by land acquisition,   vis stated they were operating out-
            Naxal propaganda. The C-60 com-   must  be  consulted  before  finalising   side the state and using foreign funds   The full version of this article
            mandos have proactively undertaken   projects. However, an amendment   to disrupt development in Gadchiroli   first appeared in the Comments
            community outreach and awareness   by the Maharashtra government in   by spreading misinformation.     section of the website (www.idsa.in) of
            drives to interact with tribals, address   2018 allowed private companies to   In response to this growing   Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defense
            grievances and encourage the sur-  undertake particular strategic proj-  threat, the Maharashtra government   Studies and Analyses, New Delhi, on
            render  and  reintegration  of  cadres   ects by bypassing specific compliance   tabled the MSPS Bill, 2024, under   October 8, 2025

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