Hyd:VIF book examines Maoist insurgency, calls for security-development strategy
The book, India’s Maoists: Glimpses into Red Insurgency, authored by internal security expert P V Ramana, was released by the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF), New Delhi, here on Wednesday evening in the presence of senior police officials and security experts.
Telangana State Security Advisor and former DGP B Shivadhar Reddy, former Andhra Pradesh DGP Ch Dwaraka Tirumala Rao, Telangana DGP (Law and Order) Mahesh M Bhagwat, DGP (Operations) Anil Kumar, Hyderabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar and Telangana Today Editor K Sreenivas Reddy were among those present.
Speaking on the occasion, Shivadhar Reddy said the decline of Maoism was the result of coordinated efforts by various government departments and security agencies.
He stressed the importance of constitutional awareness, social justice and Ambedkarite ideology in countering Maoist propaganda and promoting democratic values and inclusive development.
Dwaraka Tirumala Rao said sustained vigilance and accelerated development were necessary to prevent extremism from regaining ground despite the successes achieved by security forces.
He called for a calibrated withdrawal of Central Armed Police Forces, supported by forward operating bases in critical areas, and stressed the need to recover looted police weapons and mining explosives, dismantle urban Maoist networks and disrupt illicit financial channels.
He also called for preventing the 196 historically Maoist-affected thrust and legacy districts from relapsing into insurgency, emphasising that security operations should be complemented by responsive governance, economic inclusion and development.
Ramana said the book examined the organisational structure of the CPI (Maoist), its mass fronts, urban networks, women cadres and links with the Northeast. It also contained geographical information system (GIS) maps and datasets on Naxalism-affected districts, besides analysing Maoist financial networks, clandestine dumps, major arms raids, ambushes, failed peace negotiations and shortcomings in surrender and rehabilitation policies.
Based on field research in Naxalite-affected regions since 2004 and interviews with security personnel, policymakers, researchers and surrendered cadres, the book includes an epilogue covering security developments during 2025-26.
The author advocated a public-private-people partnership involving the Centre, state governments, industry, non-governmental organisations, local communities and surrendered cadres to accelerate development in affected regions.
He called for strengthening surrender and rehabilitation policies through timely delivery of benefits, housing and land assistance, financial management training and speedy disposal of pending legal cases under a high-powered committee headed by the Chief Secretary.
The book also recommended involving village collectives in local road connectivity and timber works, providing employment to local graduates and indigenous people in infrastructure and mining projects, and ensuring that Corporate Social Responsibility and District Mineral Foundation funds were spent in project-affected areas on education, drinking water and healthcare.
Other proposals included deploying bike ambulances to provide timely treatment for cerebral malaria, expanding Eklavya schools and using vernacular media to highlight successful rehabilitation stories.
Ramana writes on Left-Wing Extremism at the Vivekananda International Foundation.
He holds a PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University and has authored Understanding India’s Maoists: Select Documents and edited The Naxal Challenge. He has also advised government bodies on surrender policies and contributed to research on internal security.
TNT TS
