Government reports significant decline in Left Wing Extremism

NEW DELHI: In a landmark review meeting on Left Wing Extremism (LWE), Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on Friday, disclosed a remarkable reduction of over 52 per cent in LWE-related violence, 69 per cent in fatalities, 72 per cent in security forces’ casualties, and 68 per cent in civilian deaths between 2014 and 2023. This positive trend comes in contrast to the period from 2005 to 2014, indicating significant progress in the government’s efforts to combat extremism.

The meeting, chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, brought together Chief Ministers, Deputy Chief Ministers, and other officials from states affected by LWE. It also saw the participation of central ministers, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, and top police and security officials.

Shah emphasised that the current government, incumbent Modi government has successfully curtailed leftist extremism and that the fight against extremism has entered a decisive phase. He praised the collaborative efforts of affected states and the central government in achieving this milestone. Maintaining constant surveillance in areas liberated from LWE was highlighted as a crucial strategy to prevent any resurgence of extremism. Shah stressed the need to prevent extremists from taking shelter in other states after being eliminated from their original areas. He further noted that 2022 marked the lowest levels of violence and deaths related to extremism in the past four decades.

The Home Minister announced that 2022 and 2023 have witnessed substantial successes in the ongoing battle against LWE, designating this year as pivotal in the resolution to eliminate it entirely within the next two years.

One of the key strategies discussed in the meeting was the reduction of vacuum areas since 2019. The government has already established 195 new camps of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), with plans for an additional 44 new camps. The deployment of CAPFs, coupled with rationalised development efforts and the establishment of camps in vacant areas, remains a top priority for the Modi government.

Shah also highlighted the collaborative efforts of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the Enforcement Directorate (ED), and state agencies to crack down on the financing of extremism. He urged affected states to form joint teams of civil and police administration to dismantle the network of financial support for extremism. The government has substantially increased the ex-gratia amount for victims of LWE from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 20 lakh in 2017, with a further increase to Rs 40 lakh.