Bomb blast kills 8 officers in Chhattisgarh: What is India's Maoist conflict?

At least eight policemen and a driver were killed in a bomb blast set off by Maoist rebels in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, police said on Monday.

The police vehicle in which the victims were travelling was hit by a blast in the Bijapur district of the state on Monday, a police statement said.

This is the latest in a series of sporadic attacks on security forces in the state. It follows frequent gunbattles between the forces and the rebels in which several rebels have been killed in recent months.

Chhattisgarh and its neighbouring states in central and eastern India have been affected by a decades-long insurgency by Maoist rebels, although the areas they operate in have reduced significantly over the years.

The rebels subscribe to a form of communism propagated by late Chinese leader Mao Zedong, and have waged a guerrilla-style offensive against the government, leading to periodic clashes and casualties on both sides.

Maoists say they are fighting to give poor Indian farmers and landless labourers more control over their land and a greater claim to its minerals currently exploited by major mining companies.

The Maoist issue

The Maoist issue is often referred to as the Naxalite movement, is a long-standing insurgency primarily in India’s rural and tribal areas.

Nevertheless, the movement is far from eradicated, and pockets of resistance continue to persist, especially in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha, where Maoist groups still have significant influence.

Origins and ideology

The Maoist insurgency in India has its roots in the 1967 Naxalbari uprising in West Bengal, which was inspired by Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong’s theories of revolution. The movement sought to address issues like economic inequality, land rights, displacement of tribals, and exploitation of the poor by wealthy landowners and government institutions.

It is rooted in Maoist ideology and is led by various armed groups that seek to overthrow the Indian government and establish a communist state through armed struggle.

The Naxalite movement quickly spread to other parts of India, forming various factions that were mostly centered around tribal areas, where the state was seen as failing to address the socio-economic needs of indigenous people.

Primarily their goals are land reforms and distribution, social justice and rights for the indigenous people. But they also want to overthrow the Indian government, which they see as an instrument of capitalist exploitation, and establish a communist, classless society.

The conflict

The Maoists have waged a guerrilla war against the Indian government and its security forces for decades. The conflict is often violent, with attacks on police stations, government officials, and infrastructure, as well as clashes between security forces and Maoist insurgents. The movement has also been responsible for ambushes, bombings, and abductions.

The Indian government considers the Maoists to be a terrorist organization, and it has deployed thousands of security personnel to combat the insurgency.

Present situation

The Maoist insurgency has fluctuated in intensity over the years. At its peak, it was one of the most severe internal security challenges faced by India, with large swathes of territory under Maoist control. In recent years, however, the Maoists have seen setbacks due to intensified counter-insurgency operations, internal divisions, and declining popular support in some areas.