NAGPUR: A day after the banned CPI (Maoist) sought a three-month pause in anti-Naxalite operations to allow its dispersed cadres to surrender and join govt rehabilitation schemes, the group’s Central Military Commission issued a sharp contradictory message, urging cadres to observe People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) Week from December 2 to 8 with “revolutionary fervour” and a commitment to “fight till the last breath.“The fresh statement, marking the 25th anniversary of PLGA, was a show of defiance against what Maoists described as a “brink war” waged by central and state govts. The CMC said the anniversary should be treated as “a moment of resilience after one of the bloodiest years for the revolutionary organization”.
The govt, which has repeatedly asserted that the insurgency will be crushed by March 2026, is preparing for intensified vigil. A senior police official said, “Whether Maoists agree to surrender or fight, security forces would take them on in conflict zones if found with weapons. There is no slowing down or wait-and-watch policy. Our adequate pressure is on, and intel-based operations would continue.”Maoists have admitted to losing 320 cadres nationwide over the past year, including eight Central Committee members, 15 state leaders and General Secretary Basavaraj, with the highest casualties — 243 — reported from Dandakaranya region. Though conceding a decline in intensity of armed actions, the CMC claimed to have killed 116 security personnel, which the anti-Naxal apparatus here said was fake data with no such casualty figure on the ground.In its internal critique, the CMC condemned the Bhupathi-Satish faction, accusing it of “betrayal after surrendering with over 227 weapons.” Calling the group “revolutionary traitors,” the leadership warned cadres against “revisionist arguments” and insisted the armed struggle remained “the only path to victory,” promising to continue operations “even beyond March 2026.”The directive for PLGA Week includes small meetings, poster campaigns and recruitment drives, with an emphasis on secrecy. “Celebrate the anniversary as part of fulfilling our duty to defend the party, the PLGA, and the revolutionary movement,” the statement said.This comes soon after senior Maharashtra officials indicated readiness to support large-scale surrenders without pausing anti-insurgency operations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah have also reiterated that security forces are on track to end the insurgency within months.Security agencies remain on alert, ahead of the anniversary week, concerned that the fresh call for mobilisation may signal an attempt by the CPI (Maoist) to rebuild morale and reassert relevance in its shrinking strongholds.Maoists have observed the PLGA week for the last two-and-a-half decades in memory of their slain comrades, highlighting the exploits of their fighters, and motivating cadres to join them. They are now vowing to fight till the last breath as a show of their resistance.
