First Diwali with no district under Naxal violence
On 8 November 2026 the Prime Minister celebrated Diwali with security forces at a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) base in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, and said this is the first Diwali when every district of the country is free from Naxalism. The movement once gripped over 230 districts. Read it to revise Left Wing Extremism, the Fifth Schedule and the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act.
- Claim
- First Diwali with no Naxal-affected district
- Peak spread
- Over 230 districts in nearly 20 States
- Feb 2026 review
- Only seven affected districts
- CRPF deaths
- None on duty in the past year (first in 47 years)
UPSC has already asked about this. Read the story with these questions in mind.
Naxal-free districts: what happened?
For decades Diwali in Bastar meant fear. This year the Prime Minister said every district is free from Naxal violence.
- On 8 November the Prime Minister celebrated Diwali with security forces at the CoBRA Operations Base at Karanpur in Bastar, Chhattisgarh.
- He said this is the first Diwali when every district of the country is free from Naxalism.
- He recalled that the movement once gripped over 230 districts in nearly 20 States, with up to 2,000 attacks a year; in 2010 alone, 76 CRPF personnel and, in a separate attack, 44 civilians were killed in Dantewada.
- For the first time in 47 years, he said, not a single CRPF jawan lost his life on duty in the past year.
- He credited a squeeze on Naxal funding, a free hand for the forces, and over 15,000 km of roads and 9,500 mobile towers; a February 2026 Home Ministry review had listed only seven affected districts.
What is Left Wing Extremism?
Left Wing Extremism, or Naxalism, is an armed Maoist movement that began at Naxalbari in West Bengal in 1967 and later spread to the forest and tribal belts of central and eastern India.
Police and public order are State subjects, so the Centre backs States with central forces, money and intelligence.
The National Policy and Action Plan (2015) combines security operations, development and protection of local people’s rights.
How far has the fight come?
| Marker | Then / now |
|---|---|
| Spread | Over 230 districts → seven in Feb 2026 review |
| CRPF deaths on duty | High in peak years → none in the past year |
| Roads | Thin → over 15,000 km built |
| Mobile towers | Few → over 9,500 |
Which laws and Articles apply?
- Fifth Schedule: governs Scheduled Areas in all States except Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram (Sixth Schedule).
- Governor’s power: can adapt laws for Scheduled Areas and stop the transfer of tribal land; a Tribes Advisory Council advises.
- Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996: gives Gram Sabhas a say over land, minor forest produce and local disputes.
- Forest Rights Act, 2006: recognises land and use rights of forest dwellers.
Why does Left Wing Extremism matter?
| Angle | What to note |
|---|---|
| Security | End of armed rebellion in districts once cut off by fear. |
| Development | Roads, towers, schools and banks can now enter. |
| Rights | Fifth Schedule and PESA protect tribal land. |
| Prelims | Naxalbari 1967, 2015 policy, Fifth Schedule, PESA. |
What are the problems with Left Wing Extremism?
- Old land and forest-rights grievances can still feed unrest.
- Central forces cannot stay forever; State police must take over.
- Surrenders need real jobs and rehabilitation.
- Mining and displacement without consent can restart conflict.
What should be done next on Left Wing Extremism?
- Settle land and forest-rights claims under the Forest Rights Act.
- Rehabilitate surrendered cadres with skills and jobs.
- Shift from central forces to trained State police and community policing.
- Ensure fair compensation and consent for mining and displacement.
What can Prelims ask on Left Wing Extremism?
Prelims probability: High. Past-question trend: the Fifth Schedule (2022, 2025) and the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (2013) are asked often, and Left Wing Extremism came in Mains 2025. Freshness and scale: the first official “every district free” claim. Static link: Fifth Schedule, Forest Rights Act, 2006. Testable fact: once over 230 districts in nearly 20 States; seven districts in the February 2026 review. Upcoming hook: Home Ministry data on surrenders and development projects.
- Naxalbari, West Bengal, 1967: start of the movement.
- National Policy and Action Plan against LWE: 2015.
- Fifth Schedule and PESA Act, 1996.
- February 2026 review: only seven affected districts.
- Police and public order are State List subjects.
How to write about Left Wing Extremism in Mains
Practice question (15 marks, 250 words): The government says every district is now free from Naxal violence. Discuss the factors behind the decline and the steps needed to prevent a revival.
- Intro: first Diwali claim; peak of 230+ districts.
- Security, funding squeeze, roads and towers.
- Rights: Fifth Schedule, PESA, Forest Rights Act.
- Risks of revival without justice and jobs.
- Conclusion: clear the forest, then hold the peace.
Ready lines for your answer
- Guns can clear a forest; only rights and jobs can keep it clear.
- Security without justice leaves the roots of rebellion intact.
Quotable data pointPeak over 230 districts; Feb 2026 review: seven; first year with no CRPF death on duty in 47 years.
Photo: Ministry of Home Affairs, GODL-India, via Wikimedia Commons
Exam angle
Prelims: LWE, Fifth Schedule, PESA. · Mains GS-III: internal security and development.
Practice MCQs
Original practice questions (not PYQs).
Consider the following statements:
1. The Naxalite movement takes its name from Naxalbari in West Bengal, where it began in 1967.
2. Police and public order are subjects in the Union List of the Seventh Schedule.
3. The Prime Minister said no Central Reserve Police Force jawan lost his life on duty in the past year, a first in 47 years.
How many of the above statements are correct?
Answer (b) & explanation
Statements 1 and 3 are correct. Police and public order are in the State List, so the Centre supports the States.
Under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution, which of the following can the Governor do for a Scheduled Area?
Answer (b) & explanation
The Governor can make regulations for peace and good government, including stopping transfer of tribal land, and can direct that a law does not apply or applies with changes.
The National Policy and Action Plan against Left Wing Extremism, which combines security operations with development and rights protection, was adopted in:
Answer (d) & explanation
The national policy and action plan dates to 2015.
Questions students ask about this
What did the Prime Minister claim on 8 November 2026?
That this is the first Diwali when every district is free from Naxalism.
Where did Naxalism begin?
At Naxalbari in West Bengal in 1967.
What is the 2015 national policy?
It combines security operations, development and protection of local people’s rights.
Which constitutional schedule covers Scheduled Areas?
The Fifth Schedule (except the Sixth Schedule States of the North-East).
Whose subject are police and public order?
They are State List subjects; the Centre supports the States.