Maoism has been a thorn in the flesh of the Indian state for over five decades. From the struggle against feudalism at Naxalbari in West Bengal to the present, the armed movement recruited many disillusioned youngsters and oppressed tribal communities—all the while unleashing violence in the name of a class struggle. It splintered into groups, carried out high-profile assassinations and an attempt on the life of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, and spilled the blood of innocent people as well as security personnel. The Maoists, too, lost several leaders in clashes with the security forces and is now confined to a few districts in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Maharashtra.
In this backdrop, the death of CPI (Maoist) general secretary Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basavaraju in an encounter with the District Reserve Guard at Abujhmad in Chhattisgarh is a massive victory for the state and an inflection point for the Maoists. As outlined by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Centre is determined to eradicate Naxalism by March next year. The death of a high-ranking Maoist such as Basavaraju is a step in that direction. We must, however, contemplate whether an all-out assault is the only way forward. It is tragic that while both sides claim to fight for the well-being of the people, many innocent members of backward communities have been killed by both sides over the years of conflict.
Thanks to the welfare measures taken up alongside building an elite anti-Naxal force, the Maoists have lost the plot and perhaps ideals too, not to speak of support among the middle classes. Very few, if any, get inspired by the Maoists’ cultural tropes nowadays. Nestled in forests, hiding behind locals, and with violence their only option, they and their sympathisers need to question their ideology. Democracy, despite its flaws, has shown that it works in our country and that people want prosperity. Joining the mainstream is in the Maoists’ and the country’s larger interests. The Centre would be well advised to welcome them back into society. It would also be prudent not to dismiss the economic issues raised by the Maoists. The feudal practices that are now seen as morphing into a political-corporate nexus have the devastating potential of igniting a spark that can start another fire.