Why In News?

• Ten personnel of the Chhattisgarh Police’s District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the civilian driver of their vehicle were recently reported killed in an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) attack by Maoists in the state’s Dantewada district.

Highlights

• Left-wing extremism (LWE) is a political ideology that advocates for radical socialist, communist, or anarchist ideas and is characterized by the use of violence and terrorism as a means of achieving its goals.
• It often Involves opposition to capitalism, imperialism, and the established political and social order, and seeks to establish a revolutionary socialist or communist state.
• LWE groups may target government institutions, law enforcement agencies, or private property to further their agenda.
• LWE is often opposed by governments and law enforcement agencies, who view it as a threat to national security and stability.
• Chhattisgarh is the only state in India where Maoists continue to have a significant presence and retain the capability to mount big attacks.
• In the last 5 years (2018-22), Chhattisgarh has accounted for more than 1/3^rd of all Maoist-related violence and had a share of 70%-90% of total deaths due to same.
• Chhattisgarh continues to remain troubled. Through the active involvement of state police in Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand, the states were able to end their Maoist problem.
• However, this process of eradicating LWE has started comparatively late in Chhattisgarh and by the time, the police of neighbouring states had already pushed Maoists from their states to Chhattisgarh, making it a concentrated zone of Maoist influence.
• The absence of roads, connectivity and infrastructure and minimal presence of the administration in Bastar has ensured that Maoists continue to have influence in the region and enjoy local support through a mix of fear and goodwill.
• The government needs to focus on improving socio-economic conditions in areas affected by left wing extremism such as investing in infrastructure, creating employment opportunities, and providing better access to education and healthcare.
• The security forces need to conduct targeted operations against LWE groups, using intelligence-based approaches and avoiding collateral damage
• The government needs to provide rehabilitation and reintegration support to former extremists who have renounced violence by providing them with education, training, employment as well as psychosocial support