More than the visible enemies bordering a nation, it is the invisible enemies of the nation operating within the country that can hurt it profoundly. And India could be facing the resurgence of such a threat a over again. The urban naxals who were weakened due to crackdowns by government and security agencies following the Bhima-Koregaon incident.
Maoists regrouping:
Indianexpress.com has reported that as per sources, Maoists are trying to rebuild and strengthen their urban network across the country.
As per the Indian Express report, sources have said, “Following a heavy crackdown on their urban leadership during the Bhima-Koregaon strife in 2018, the Maoists have started rebuilding their urban networks and seven central committee members of the CPI(Maoist) have been deputed to implement the plan.”
The urban naxals are regrouping after law enforcement authorities carried out a series of crackdowns and arrests, following the Bhima-Koregaon incident.
Penetration of Maoists into premier Universities:
As per the Indian Express report, sources are concerned about Maoists moving beyond guerrilla warfare and penetrating premier Universities. Indian Express quoted sources as saying, “Maoists are trying to tap into the social and communal divide caused by politics of caste and religion. They are attempting to win the support of the members of the working class, Dalits and minorities, especially Muslims. The rebels want to radicalise youngsters and already have a strong network in premier universities of Delhi and Kolkata.”
So, the anti-India forces and maoists, who want to foment trouble in India, are actually trying to create new socio-economic divisions and manufacture new centres of anti-India sentiment.
Authorities ought to take a note:
The sources also said, “What is alarming, however, is that they are planning to use guerrilla warfare tactics in a big way by developing an urban militia. They are trying to infiltrate the government intelligence machinery and feel the time is ripe to capitalise on grievances arising out of Hindutva politics”.
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As per Indian Express, the sources warned, “If the authorities failed to grasp the seriousness of the Maoists’ urban plan on time, then our cities might suffer the same kind of violence that Red areas in the jungles have faced.”
In fact, the sources further revealed, “The Maoists have already reorganised their networks in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Delhi and Kolkata, among other cities. They have appointed organisers in urban areas and have been conducting regular Zoom meetings to discuss and implement the agenda.”
Security agencies up against a new challenge:
The maoist rebels are now using technology and using increasingly covert methods to expand their presence in the country. The security agencies therefore are no longer up against jungle-based left-wing radicals. In fact, they are relying on hideous method like forming a cross-border coalition of left-wing radicals.
The sources said, “The other major Maoist plan is to put in place a coordination network among like-minded outfits in India, Bangladesh and Nepal. They want to facilitate unhindered movement of left-wing extremists in these territories and exchange arms, ammunition and information.”
This is said to be a part of an effort to re-establish an arrangement like the Co-ordination Committee of Maoist Parties and Organizations of South Asia, which became inoperative after the Coronavirus pandemic outbreak.
The issue of Maoist radicalism is far from over. The Indian security agencies have managed to debilitate them sufficiently in areas that were once seen as naxal strongholds. But now invisible forces are gathering all over again in an attempt destabilise the country all over again, and now security agencies must adopt new methods to fight the resurgent naxal threat.