In an “anti-Naxal” operation on Wednesday (May 21, 2025), security forces killed twenty-seven Maoists, including Nambala Keshav Rao, also known as Basavaraju, the general secretary of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist), in the Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh. The Prime Minister and Home Minister expressed their jubilation and pride regarding the success of Operation Kagaar.
Alternative Viewpoint strongly condemns this targeted killing. The underlying motive appears to be a longstanding campaign aimed at seizing the land, water, and forests of adivasi communities in Chhattisgarh, presented under the guise of anti-Maoist operations that truly benefit corporate interests. The Indian Maoist movement initially emerged as a response to land alienation. However, it has since evolved into a broader movement opposing the alienation of natural resources, particularly forests. The state has been responsible for orchestrating massacres to suppress resistance, with the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh serving as just one notable example.
The government bears responsibility for the deaths of its citizens, with the prime minister and home minister seemingly taking pleasure in the targeted killings occurring under their watch. Since the start of “Operation Kagaar”, the mere suspicion of Maoist affiliations has led to the death of 31 individuals, including 15 women, in just 21 days. Additionally, there have been numerous reports of human rights violations throughout Chhattisgarh.
It is essential to acknowledge that Maoism is associated with regions suffering from endemic poverty, exploitation, encroaching corporations, and the loss of land and livelihoods, alongside issues related to tribal dignity and agency. This matter extends beyond a simple law-and-order issue; it encompasses broader themes of deprivation and alienation. The home minister has set a deadline for the eradication of Naxalites by 31 March 2026. This reductionist and self-serving perspective, which assumes that alienation can be resolved solely by eliminating those who are alienated, raises significant concerns.
Despite the proposal for a peace agreement by the CPI (Maoist), the government has escalated its repression. The indiscriminate killing of indigenous people for appropriate natural resources is a troubling phenomenon with deep historical roots. The Modi-Shah government has pursued this repressive approach with renewed vigour since the Congress Party’s “Operation Green Hunt.” “Operation Kagaar” stands as the most egregious manifestation of this ongoing violence.
Although we do not necessarily endorse Maoist politics, Alternative Viewpoint condemns the targeted and inhumane killing of CPI (Maoist) members and tribal peoples, as well as the undemocratic authoritarianism that has enabled these actions. We stand against the war waged by the state against citizens in order to deprive indigenous communities of their rights. We call upon all democratic people to resist every instance of state repression and killing.
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