Question

Write a short note on the Maoist Movement in Chhattisgarh.

Answer 1

The Maoist movement refers to an ongoing conflict between the Maoist group or the Naxalites and Indian government. Naxalite is a broad term, referring to the various militant Communist groups active in different parts of India. The movement began in 1967, in a small village in West Bengal called Naxalbari, when a section of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), led by Charu Majumdar, Kanu Sanyal, and Jangdal Santhal, initiated an armed struggle to redistribute land to the landless.

Causes of the Maoist Movement:
Started as a peasant uprising against exploitation like:

• Poverty, economic dissatisfaction.
• Lost control over their lands.
• Deprivation of means of subsistence.
• The apathy of the government.
• Nationalization of the forests.
• The partiality of Judiciary.

Consequences of the Movement:

• Various factors contributed to the failure of this movement.
• Selfish political interest.
• Too much faith in violence.
• Lack of consensus among the leaders.
• The illusion of heralding a revolution.
• Leading to loss of many lives including innocent villagers.
• Too ambitious.
• No much change in circumstances