In Bastar, PM calls this the first Diwali with every district free of Naxalism
In one line: On Diwali 2026, the PM told security forces in Bastar that every district is now free of Naxalism, after the Home Ministry ended the 'LWE-affected' category in April 2026.
Published 8 November 2026. Written by Pratidin from the reports linked at the end; every fact checked by a separate review before publishing. How we work
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spent Diwali, 8 November 2026, with security forces in the forests of Bastar, Chhattisgarh. According to the text of his speech released by PIB, he said this was the first Diwali when every district in the country is free of Naxalism. He recalled that at one time more than 230 districts in about 20 States were in its grip, and that 76 CRPF personnel were killed in an encounter with Naxalites in Dantewada in 2010. He said that in the past year, for the first time in 47 years, not a single CRPF jawan lost his life on duty.
The speech claimed that more than 15,000 km of roads and over 9,500 mobile towers were built in areas affected by Left Wing Extremism (LWE), and that nearly 175 Eklavya schools, about 50 ITIs and around 50 skill development centres were opened. He said surrendered Naxalites were given a chance and rehabilitation schemes were framed, and that Bastar now hosts the 'Bastar Olympics', where children play sport instead of carrying guns. The official background: the Centre's deadline to end LWE was 31 March 2026. After a review under the 2015 National Policy and Action Plan, the Home Ministry wrote to nine States on 8 April that no district now falls in the LWE-affected category, and discontinued that category.
The decline is large by any measure. DD News, citing official data, says LWE-affected districts fell from 126 in 2014 to 2 by early 2026, violent incidents from 870 in 2014 to 234 in 2025, and deaths from 310 to 100. Its figure for roads built since 2014 is 12,249 km, lower than the PM's 15,000 km, so the two counts may use different bases. The Home Ministry itself has not declared the job done: it placed 37 districts in a 'Legacy and Thrust' category, free of insurgency but needing sustained security and development to prevent a comeback, and kept West Singhbhum in Jharkhand as a 'District of Concern'. The test now is whether development and rights reach these areas fast enough to close the space the movement once used.
Prelims facts
- The PM addressed security forces in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, on Diwali, 8 November 2026, calling it the first Diwali with every district free of Naxalism.
- He said over 230 districts in about 20 States were once affected, and that in the past year no CRPF jawan died on duty for the first time in 47 years.
- On 8 April 2026, the Home Ministry told nine States that no district remains in the LWE-affected category, after the 31 March 2026 deadline.
- The Home Ministry placed 37 districts in a 'Legacy and Thrust' category and West Singhbhum (Jharkhand) as a 'District of Concern'.
- The 2015 National Policy and Action Plan to Address LWE combines security operations with development and rights.
Quick recall
- Where did the PM spend Diwali 2026?
- With security forces in the forests of Bastar, Chhattisgarh.
- How many districts did the PM say were once in the grip of Naxalism?
- More than 230 districts in about 20 States.
- What was the Centre's deadline to end LWE?
- 31 March 2026.
- What did the Home Ministry tell nine States on 8 April 2026?
- That no district now falls in the LWE-affected category; the category was discontinued.
- Which is the only 'District of Concern'?
- West Singhbhum in Jharkhand.
- How many 'Legacy and Thrust' districts are there?
- 37.
- When and where did the Naxalite movement begin?
- Naxalbari, West Bengal, in 1967.
- What did the PM say about CRPF deaths in the past year?
- For the first time in 47 years, no CRPF jawan lost his life on duty.
Prelims practice question
With reference to the Home Ministry's classification of districts after the March 2026 review of Left Wing Extremism, consider the following statements:
1. The 'LWE-affected district' category has been discontinued.
2. A 'Legacy and Thrust' district is one that is free of insurgency but needs sustained security and development measures.
3. No district has been placed in the 'District of Concern' category.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only. Statements 1 and 2 are correct as per the Home Ministry's 8 April 2026 communication. Statement 3 is wrong: West Singhbhum in Jharkhand was placed in the 'District of Concern' category.
Use this in UPSC Mains: previous-year questions
Recurring theme: Left Wing Extremism: causes, government response and preventing resurgence
- How to use this
Show that the strategy that ended LWE combined security, development and rehabilitation, and that the emerging issue is now preventing resurgence.
- Home Ministry's 8 April 2026 letter: no district is LWE-affected; 37 'Legacy and Thrust' districts and West Singhbhum as 'District of Concern' still need attention.
- Development layer: over 15,000 km of roads, over 9,500 mobile towers, nearly 175 Eklavya schools and about 50 ITIs in LWE areas, per the PM.
- Violent incidents fell from 870 in 2014 to 234 in 2025; deaths from 310 to 100.
- How to use this
Describe the 2015 policy's two tracks and give the 2026 outcome as evidence of the downward trend reaching its end point.
- The 2015 National Policy and Action Plan joins CAPF operations, targeted funds and development; the April 2026 review was held under it.
- LWE-affected districts fell from 126 in 2014 to none after April 2026.
- Surrender and rehabilitation schemes and the 'Bastar Olympics' show the shift towards integration.
Displacement and rehabilitation in tribal areas were among the root causes of LWE, but the story does not examine tribal development policy in depth.
Mains practice question
India has declared that no district now falls in the 'LWE-affected' category. Examine the combination of security and development measures behind the decline of Left Wing Extremism, and suggest what must be done to prevent its resurgence. (250 words)
Model answer
Naxalism began at Naxalbari in 1967 and at its peak gripped more than 230 districts in about 20 States. After a review following the 31 March 2026 deadline, the Home Ministry said on 8 April 2026 that no district remains in the LWE-affected category.
Security measures
- The 2015 National Policy and Action Plan gave one framework for security, development and rights.
- CAPF camps, fortified police stations and CoBRA units carried operations deep into core areas such as Bastar; funding networks were targeted.
- Casualties fell: violent incidents dropped from 870 (2014) to 234 (2025), and no CRPF jawan died on duty in the past year for the first time in 47 years.
Development measures
- Over 15,000 km of roads and over 9,500 mobile towers, by the PM's count, opened up isolated areas.
- Nearly 175 Eklavya schools, about 50 ITIs and around 50 skill centres gave youth alternatives.
- Surrender and rehabilitation schemes offered cadres a way out.
Risks of resurgence
- The Home Ministry still lists 37 'Legacy and Thrust' districts and one 'District of Concern' (West Singhbhum).
- The root causes, land alienation, displacement and weak governance in tribal areas, need lasting fixes.
Way forward
- Keep security presence while shifting to civil policing and local recruitment.
- Implement PESA and Forest Rights Act fully, so Gram Sabhas control resources.
- Track schools, health centres and livelihoods in the 38 listed districts, and integrate surrendered cadres.
Security cleared the ground; only governance and rights can keep it clear.
The basics
Why this matters
Left Wing Extremism (LWE) was for decades called India's gravest internal security threat. GS3 asks about the link between development and extremism, and about the role of security forces. The PM's claim of a Naxal-free Diwali, and the Home Ministry's April 2026 reclassification, give you the end point of that story and the risks that remain.
Where the movement came from
LWE, also called Naxalism or Maoism, is an armed movement that seeks to overthrow the state through 'people's war'. It is named after Naxalbari and the CPI (Maoist), the West Bengal village where an uprising began in 1967. It spread through forested, mineral-rich tribal belts where the state was thin.
- 1967Uprising at Naxalbari, West Bengal
- 2004Groups merge to form the CPI (Maoist)
- 201076 CRPF personnel killed in Dantewada
- 2015National Policy and Action Plan to Address LWE
- 31 March 2026Centre's deadline to end LWE
- 8 April 2026Home Ministry: no district left in the LWE-affected category
Two tracks: security and development
The National Policy and Action Plan on LWE (2015) put security operations and development on the same plan. Security forces such as the CRPF's CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) units cleared core areas, while roads, mobile towers and schools followed.
- 1RoadsMore than 15,000 km built
- 2Mobile towersMore than 9,500 installed
- 3Eklavya schoolsNearly 175 opened for tribal children
- 4ITIs and skill centresAbout 50 each
- 5RehabilitationSchemes for surrendered Naxalites
The numbers
Not over yet
The Home Ministry replaced the old label with two new ones. Legacy and Thrust districts are free of insurgency but still need support; one district, West Singhbhum, is a 'District of Concern'. The development side, explained in Development as counter-insurgency, is what decides whether the gains last. In Mains, argue that security forces win territory, but rights, land and local governance keep it.
Go deeper
Why it matters for UPSC
LWE sits at the centre of GS3's "linkages between development and spread of extremism" and "security forces and their mandate". Questions in 2018 and 2022 asked about the government's approach to LWE. You now need the endgame: what worked, what the data say, and what could bring it back.
The core idea
The movement grew from Naxalbari and the CPI (Maoist) into a belt across central and eastern India. The National Policy and Action Plan on LWE (2015) joined security operations with development. As violence fell, the Home Ministry stopped classifying districts as LWE-affected and created Legacy and Thrust districts instead. The PM's speech stressed roads, towers, schools and rehabilitation, the core of Development as counter-insurgency.
Numbers and dates to remember
- 8 November 2026: PM's Diwali address to security forces in Bastar.
- Over 230 districts in about 20 States once affected (PM).
- 2010: 76 CRPF personnel killed in Dantewada.
- First time in 47 years: no CRPF jawan died on duty in the past year (PM).
- 31 March 2026: deadline to end LWE; 8 April 2026: Home Ministry letter to nine States.
- 37 Legacy and Thrust districts, 1 District of Concern (West Singhbhum).
Where to go next
- Naxalbari and the CPI (Maoist): where the movement came from.
- National Policy and Action Plan on LWE (2015): the framework that guided the response.
- Legacy and Thrust districts: the new categories after April 2026.
- Development as counter-insurgency: why roads and schools matter as much as operations.
Go deeper: was it security, development, or both?
The security argument. Official accounts credit a sustained security push: more fortified police stations and CAPF camps in core areas, targeting of funding networks, and units such as CoBRA operating deep in forests like Bastar. The fall in violent incidents from 870 in 2014 to 234 in 2025, and in deaths from 310 to 100, tracks this push. The PM's claim that no CRPF jawan died on duty in the past year, a first in 47 years, is a measure of how far the threat has receded.
The development argument. Roads and mobile towers do more than bring services. They let police move, let administration reach villages and break the isolation the movement relied on. Schools, ITIs and skill centres give youth other paths. This is the logic of Development as counter-insurgency, and it is why the National Policy and Action Plan on LWE (2015) put the two tracks together.
The caution. The Home Ministry did not simply declare victory. It kept 37 Legacy and Thrust districts and one District of Concern under watch. The movement's roots, described in Naxalbari and the CPI (Maoist), lay in land alienation, displacement and an absent state in tribal areas. If mining, dams or forest diversion displace people without consent or fair rehabilitation, grievances can return. Strong use of PESA and the Forest Rights Act, and honest grievance redress, are the long-term guarantees.
A data caution. Counts differ by source. The PM cited over 15,000 km of roads; DD News cites 12,249 km since 2014. Use figures with their source in answers.
Naxalbari and the CPI (Maoist)
Where the movement came from and how it organised.
In one line: Left Wing Extremism takes its common name from Naxalbari in West Bengal, where an armed peasant uprising began in 1967, and its main organisation became the CPI (Maoist), formed in 2004.
From uprising to insurgency
The 1967 uprising grew into several armed groups that rejected parliamentary politics and sought to capture power through 'protracted people's war'. In 2004, the main groups merged to form the CPI (Maoist). Its stated aim was a 'red corridor' from Pashupati in Nepal to Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, which it never achieved.
Why it spread
It took root in forested, mineral-rich and largely tribal areas of central and eastern India, where land alienation, displacement and weak administration created grievance. Over five decades, LWE violence claimed more than 17,000 lives, including civilians and security personnel, according to official records.
Why it is in the news
By April 2026, the Home Ministry said no district remained in the LWE-affected category.
Where to go next
National Policy and Action Plan on LWE (2015)
The framework that combined security, development and rights.
In one line: The National Policy and Action Plan to Address Left Wing Extremism, adopted in 2015, is the Centre's framework that combines security operations with development and protection of local rights.
What it does
It replaced earlier, more ad hoc approaches. It brought together deployment of Central Armed Police Forces, targeted funding for affected districts, and development as a tool of counter-insurgency. Policing remains a State subject, so the Centre supports States with forces, funds and coordination.
How it was used in 2026
The Home Ministry's review in early April 2026 was held under this policy. It assessed armed cadres, their capacity for violence, so-called 'liberated' zones and the frequency of incidents. On that basis it decided that no district remains LWE-affected.
Why it matters
It is the answer to "what is the Government of India's approach to LWE", a question UPSC asked in 2018.
Where to go next
Legacy and Thrust districts
The new categories that replaced 'LWE-affected' in April 2026.
In one line: After April 2026, the Home Ministry stopped calling any district 'LWE-affected' and used two new labels: 'Legacy and Thrust' districts and 'District of Concern'.
The two categories
- Legacy and Thrust district: completely free of Naxal insurgency, but needing sustained security and development measures to prevent a comeback. There are 37 such districts.
- District of Concern: violence is controlled and the organisation decimated, but sustained security and development coverage is needed for the near future. West Singhbhum in Jharkhand is the only one.
How it changed
At a review on 27 March 2026, two districts were still LWE-affected: Bijapur in Chhattisgarh and West Singhbhum in Jharkhand. After the 31 March deadline, a fresh review led to the 8 April letter to nine States: Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana and West Bengal.
Why it matters
The new labels show the state expects a long tail of risk, not an instant end.
Where to go next
Development as counter-insurgency
Why roads, towers and schools were as important as operations.
In one line: Development as counter-insurgency means using roads, telecom, schools and jobs to end the isolation and grievance that armed groups feed on.
What was built
In his Bastar speech, the PM listed more than 15,000 km of roads, over 9,500 mobile towers, nearly 175 Eklavya schools for tribal children, about 50 ITIs and around 50 skill development centres in LWE-affected areas. DD News reports over 12,249 km of roads and 9,600 mobile towers since 2014, with connectivity in 96% of villages in the most affected regions.
Why it works
Roads let police and administration reach villages. Phones end information blackouts. Schools and skills give young people alternatives to joining armed groups. Rehabilitation for surrendered cadres gives fighters a way out.
Limits
Infrastructure can also bring mining and displacement. If tribal communities lose land without consent, the same projects can create new grievance.
Where to go next
Take the 8 November 2026 quiz: 30 Prelims-style questions with answers