We do not use the phrase ‘urban naxals’, Minister tells Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI: Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai told the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that the government does not use the phrase “urban naxals”, but when it comes to left-wing extremism (LWE), be it in urban areas or any other place, a vigil is kept and strict action is initiated.

Mr. Rai, during the question hour in the Upper House, said the Maoist ideology had always been inspired by international groups and whenever action was taken against them “some international groups raise objections and come forward to help them”. He said: “CPI-Maoist is a part of the Maoist ecosystem.”

Mr. Rai was responding to a question by Bharatiya Janta Party’s (BJP) Rakesh Sinha who said that “Maoism thriving due to extra parliamentary forces and urban naxals who are sitting in universities and under the garb of journalism are breaking the country”. He said that some mainstream political parties were supporting them.

CPI counter

Mr. Rai’s statement on LWE having foreign roots was countered by Communist Party of India’s Binoy Viswam. “Unlike rightwing extremism, which has a foreign influence and emanates from Italy and Germany, the LWE has socio-economic roots, it is there due to social deprivation. Is the government aware of the fact,” Mr. Viswam asked.

The Minister stated that LWE was a dangerous ideology and under Prime Minister Narendra Modi that ideology was crushed as “he is a messiah of the poor”.

Violence dips

In a written reply, Mr. Rai stated that the geographical spread of the violence had also been reduced and only 46 districts reported LWErelated violence in 2021 as compared to 96 districts in 2010.

He said the the number of districts contributing approximately 90% of the LWE violence had come down to 25 districts in 2021. The reply stated that the incidents of LWE violence had reduced by 77% from an all-time high of 2,258 incidents in 2009 to 509 in 2021. “Similarly, the resultant deaths (civilians + security forces) have reduced by 85% from an all-time high of 1,005 in 2010 to 147 in 2021,” it said. It added that more than 10,000 km roads had already been constructed in LWEaffected areas and 2,343 mobile towers installed.

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