No Naxal violence-hit districts in India anymore: Home ministry to state govts

New Delhi: In a first such official communication after its extensive operations, the Centre has informed state governments that there are no Naxal violence-affected districts in the country after more than five decades of Left Wing Extremism (LWE) having originated in India.

The declaration followed a high-level security review held early this month by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) under the mandated 'National Policy and Action Plan to Address Left Wing Extremism (LWE)' formulated in 2015.

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Officials told PTI that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued a communication on April 8 to nine states, saying that a comprehensive security review completed after March 31 established that "no district in the country falls under the LWE-affected category".

Union Home Minister Amit Shah informed Parliament on March 30 that India was free from Maoists.

The high-level security review meeting was necessitated as the deadline set by the central government to end LWE in India ended on March 31.

The review ascertained the status of armed Naxal cadres, their capability to execute violence, the presence of "liberated" zones and the frequency of violent incidents in the affected states after March 31.

"India becoming free of Naxal violence is a historic achievement obtained through the continuous and coordinated efforts of the central and various state governments," the ministry said, adding that the categorisation of LWE-affected districts in India has been done away with.

The last such security review undertaken and notified on March 27 listed two districts under the LWE-affected category -- Bijapur in Chhattisgarh and West Singhbhum in Jharkhand.

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In its latest communication, the MHA also informed Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana and West Bengal that 37 districts have been categorised as "Legacy and Thrust districts" while one district has been designated as a "District of Concern".

The MHA said this action was taken because these 38 districts require continuity in security and development efforts as they were affected by LWE violence for many years.

A "Legacy and Thrust district" is one completely free of Naxal insurgency. However, sustained security and development measures are required to strengthen the current situation and prevent the menace from resurfacing, according to the National LWE Policy.

A "District of Concern" is one where Naxal violence has been controlled and their organisational setup decimated but sustained security and development coverage is required for the near future.

West Singhbhum in Jharkhand is the only "District of Concern" after March 31.

The districts under the latest "Legacy and Thrust" category include Alluri Sitharamaraju in Andhra Pradesh; Aurangabad, Gaya, Jamui and Lakhisarai in Bihar; Bastar, Bijapur, Kanker, Narayanpur, Dhamtari, Kabirdham, Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai, Kondagaon, Rajnandgaon, Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki, Gariyaband, Sukma and Dantewada in Chhattisgarh.

In Jharkhand, the districts are Bokaro, Chhatra and Latehar; Mandala and Balaghat in Madhya Pradesh; Boudh, Sundergarh (Rourkela police district), Kalahandi, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Rayagada and Kandhmal in Odisha; Bhadradri-Kothagudem and Mulugu in Telangana; and Jhargram in West Bengal.

The Naxalite movement emerged in India in 1967 at Naxalbari, a village in West Bengal located at the tri-junction of India, Nepal and Bangladesh.

The movement began on the bedrock of social injustice, economic inequality and the system's failure to redress the grievances of indigenous tribals and villagers residing in remote forest areas.

The 'red insurgents' unsuccessfully declared their intent to create a corridor from Pashupati in Nepal to Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh wedging a "liberated" territory along India's eastern flank.

According to official records, LWE violence claimed more than 17,000 lives including those of civilians and security forces personnel.