A few months ago, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that the country would be free from the Naxal menace by March 31, 2026. Following the recent killing of CPI (Maoist) General Secretary Basavaraju, also known as Nambala Kesava Rao, in a security forces operation, Shah reiterated his statement. Rao was killed in Bastar, Chhattisgarh—India's largest Naxal-influenced region—along with 26 other Maoist insurgents. This marks the first time in the four-decade history of the Maoist movement that a General Secretary has been killed in an armed confrontation. Since 2018, Basavaraju, a 70-year-old leader, had been at the helm of the movement, leading numerous missions and carrying a bounty worth crores on his head declared by the government. He entered the radical leftist sphere in the 1980s through the Radical Students’ Union. His rise to the top of the CPI (Maoist) came after the resignation of prominent leader Ganapathy. The CPI (Maoist) formally took shape 21 years ago when various factions united under a common front. Now, one of its senior-most leaders has been killed. Perhaps that is why the Home Minister, who has vowed to eradicate Maoism, personally announced Basavaraju’s death to the public. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai remarked that the Maoist movement is taking its last breath. In a sense, that is true. Reports have long indicated a leadership vacuum within the movement. On one hand, a large number of Maoist leaders have already been either killed or arrested; those remaining are in a situation where they could be captured at any moment. With Basavaraju’s death, the movement has lost its top leadership. In that context, the killing of Basavaraju and 26 others marks a decisive moment in the history of India’s anti-Maoist operations.
The Modi government has intensified its anti-Maoist operations as a continuation of Operation Green Hunt, which was first launched by the UPA government in 2009. One of the most shocking incidents in India's Maoist conflict occurred in March 2007, when Maoists carried out a deadly attack on a police camp in Abujhmarh, Chhattisgarh—a dense forest region spanning over 50,000 hectares, considered their strongest bastion. The assault resulted in the deaths of 55 security personnel, prompting the UPA government to adopt a more aggressive approach toward Maoist-affected areas. At one point, the then Prime Minister declared Maoism as the greatest internal security threat to the country. This led to the initiation of Operation Green Hunt, which first targeted Gadchiroli in Maharashtra, followed by Bastar, Abujhmarh, and Raipur. Large-scale anti-Maoist operations were carried out, leading to numerous casualties—many of whom belonged to indigenous tribal communities. Operation Green Hunt was criticised early on by figures like Arundhati Roy, who viewed it as an assault on human rights and democracy. Beyond ideological sympathy for the Maoists, these critics highlighted the human rights violations committed by the state in tribal regions and called for resistance against such actions. Despite these concerns, the government continued its relentless crackdown. After the UPA, the NDA government carried forward the anti-Maoist operations, particularly in Chhattisgarh.
With the BJP assuming power in the state in December 2023, the number of encounter killings surged. That year, 149 people, including 56 Maoists, were killed in clashes. The following year, the toll rose to 397, with 296 Maoists among them—marking one of the highest fatality rates since the launch of Operation Green Hunt. As of the first five months of the current year, 230 Naxals have already been killed, according to data from the South Asia Terrorism Portal. The central government has provided a pathway for Maoists operating within the banned organisation to surrender and integrate into mainstream political parties. Many have taken advantage of this opportunity. However, parties like the CPI(M) allege that even those willing to surrender are being killed. Recently, the CPI(M) Politburo issued a statement condemning the ongoing clashes as anti-democratic, urging the government to engage in dialogue with the Maoists. While Kerala—where the CPI(M) is in power—has witnessed the killing of eight Maoists in encounters, this poses a contradiction, but still it is a political statement that warrants discussion. Despite strong opposition to the far-left ideology espoused by Maoists, there is broad acknowledgement that the marginalised communities they represent have long suffered state discrimination and injustice. Additionally, the conflicts with these groups, which have evolved into parallel governing entities in several regions, have resulted in thousands of civilian deaths, with reports indicating over 4,000 fatalities in the past 25 years. Given this history, the government must explore solutions beyond unilateral suppression. A dialogue-driven approach could pave the way for a more sustainable resolution—one that aligns with democratic principles. Otherwise, the echoes of gunfire will persist.