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Contextualising Five Decades of Naxalbari
Even after five decades of the inception of the Naxalite (Maoist) movement, and after the various central and state governments’ attempts at curbing it, the movement has remained relevant and active mainly due to the deepening and widening socio-economic disparities, deprivation and exclusion of tribal people who have always been seen as a dispensable population.
An earlier version of this article had been selected for presentation at the 19th Annual Conference of the Indian Political Economy Association, 2015 held at the University of Goa. The author acknowledges ICSSR and the anonymous referee for valuable comments and suggestions, however usual disclaimer applies.
Revolution and terrorism are not the same thing; while the former thrives on mass support and uses arms only as an additional tool, the latter is solely dependent on arms and ammunitions. Hence, taking to arms for a cause does not necessarily mean one is treading the path of revolution; there is always the risk of straying into terrorism and that is what is happening to the Maoists.
— Kanu Sanyal as quoted in Paul (2014: 182)
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