In interview to ThePrint, the surrendered leader said the movement had departed from its foundational principle that the political party would guide the actions of its military wing.
Decline of Maoist violence should not obscure the possibility that discontent could resurface—whether as renewed insurgency, localised agitation, or any other form of resistance.
Papa Rao's surrender marks a crucial turning point in history of armed Maoist movement & its presence in Dandkaranya region, once considered the den of the banned outfit.
Among first PWG cadres sent to Dandakaranya in 1980s, Devuji went on to lead Maoists’ armed wing. His surrender now is seen as a milestone in the outfit’s 'imminent collapse'.
In February 2025, Home Minister Shah fixed 31 March, 2026 as the deadline to end Naxalism in the country. As many as 2,167 Maoist cadres surrendered in 2025 alone.
From a tribal hamlet in Giridih to the central committee of CPI (Maoist), carrying a bounty of Rs 2.4 cr, Manjhi’s rise was built on ambushes & explosives—until security forces killed him Friday.
Since the bulk of citizens did not regard drinking as a crime, they had no respect for the prohibition laws and did not cooperate with the police, wrote MV Venkata Rao in 1962.
We now live in a world order that will keep shifting. India must use this window. This also means we remain disciplined enough not to be knee-jerked into reacting to what Pakistan sees as its moment in the sun.
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