At the turn of this century, almost 200 districts in India had been afflicted with Maoism, described as the nation’s principal internal security challenge by the former prime minister, Manmohan Singh. Over two decades later, only two districts, the Union home minister, Amit Shah, has stated remains afflicted by left-wing extremism. This success must be attributed to the combination of improved security interventions and incentives made available by the State. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party will, understandably, claim credit for the neutering of Maoism. The genesis and the resilience of Maoism can be explained by the persistence of a vacuum — administrative, political and developmental — in India’s hinterland.

Source: The Telegraph April 02, 2026 02:02 UTC