The origin of Naxalite/Maoist terrorism in India can be traced back to urban minds who owed allegiance to Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong, or ‘Chairman Mao’. Apart from Maoists preparing for a full-scale war with democratically and Constitutionally established Government in India, they have been focussing on spreading their fangs to urban areas. Though it has come to the fore time and again, even the latest inputs suggest that the Red terrorists are working on plans that they have devised at the end of the last year.

As per the inputs with the security grid of the country, the Maoists held a meeting in the last quarter of the year 2022 for Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC). In the meeting several resolutions were planned. Some of these were about spreading network in urban areas and to lure the disgruntled elements and particularly youths and students from cities and towns. As per one reference, Maoists are planning to form ‘mass organisations’ with focus on students, employees, farmers, and ‘businessmen’. The reference to ‘businessmen’ may surprise many, as the Maoists often claim to be working for the ‘workers and labourers’ and opposing the businesses.

The resolutions pertained to formation of ‘Central/City Organisers’ (COs) in urban areas, formation of new front organisations in urban areas, strengthening of wings in DKSZC areas where Maoist network suffered setbacks due to alertness of security forces. One more important resolution was about recruitment of ‘one cadre from each house’ in DKSZC area. Besides, the Maoists have devised plans to form new commands during Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign (TCOC) against the security forces. The TCOC period they referred to was January 2023. The new commands that the Red terrorists devised plans about included Darbha, Maded-National Park (Bijapur), Kistaram-Konta, Kerlapal, and Bairamgarh-Gangalur. According to sources, the Red ultras also had planned to kill security forces and snatch their weapons.

The said meeting for DKSZC was followed up by a Central Committee meeting and Special Zonal Committee meeting. In this meeting also, the decision-makers in the banned CPI (Maoist) organisation, came up with a plan to form a three-member team of COs in urban areas ‘to move in civil dress’ and ‘carry shot weapons’. Since the Maoists move in civil dress in urban areas, they get a cover and it becomes very difficult for the security agencies to track them. Another challenge is that the Maoists operate with ‘aliases’, which makes it difficult for the security agencies to establish conclusively the identities of the Red terrorists even if they are arrested and produced before the court of law.

In the said meeting, the Central Committee is also believed to have released a book titled ‘Means of Production’ mentioning about ‘Town COs’. This is quite interesting, as the Maoists have the goal to ‘encircle the cities’ in the ‘protracted war’ against the Government. Now, the reference to ‘Town COs’ suggests that they might be finding shelter or operating in smaller cities or towns to stay ‘below the radar’ of the security agencies. Whether or not one believes in the usage of the term ‘urban Naxals’, but the resolutions passed in Maoists’ own meetings indicate that ‘urban Maoists’ do exist, said a source.