Extremism in India, Forms, Causes, Challenges, Measures

• Extremism in India is a multifaceted challenge, shaped by the diversified socio-political terrain of the country and the differential socio-economic status of the people. Extremism in India includes left-wing extremism, religious radicalism, and ethno-nationalist movements, etc. These extremist ideas are generated as a result of deep-seated grievances, socio-economic inequality, and identity politics.
• The extremism in India puts strains on the nation’s democratic and cultural foundation, leading to violence and civil instability. To address these issues, a sophisticated understanding of India’s unique cultural and historical background, as well as a balanced approach that blends security measures with socioeconomic development and inclusive political dialogue, is required.

Extremism Meaning

Extremism is defined as any ideology that is deemed to be significantly far from society’s mainstream attitudes and conventional moral norms. It can be seen as either good or evil based on political and philosophical beliefs. There are several perspectives on extremism, such as:

• Political Perspective: In politics, extremism is often broadly defined as ideologies or actions that are far from the societal norm. This can include radical views on the left or right of the political spectrum.
• Sociological Perspective: Sociologists may view extremism as a deviation from a society’s accepted norms and values.
• Psychological Perspective: Extremism can be seen as a result of certain cognitive and emotional processes, such as the need for identity, certainty, and security.
• Legal perspective: Legally, extremism is often defined in the context of actions, such as terrorism, hate crimes, or incitement to violence.
• Extremism in India Forms
• Extremism in India has several forms and expressions, ranging from separatist movements in Kashmir and the Northeast to Maoist insurgencies, all of which reflect profound sociopolitical and cultural divides within the country.

Left-wing Extremism (LWE)

Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) is considered India’s most severe internal security threat, primarily concentrated in the “Red Corridor,” spanning 70 districts across 10 states, including Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha.

Objectives:

• Originating as peasant movements, these Maoist or Naxalite groups aim to seize state power through prolonged armed struggle. Their core demands revolve around rights over forests, water, land, and mineral resources (jal, jungle, zameen, and khanij).
• Government Response: Despite ongoing counterinsurgency efforts by the Indian government, including military operations and development initiatives, a lasting peace agreement remains elusive.
• The conflict has claimed over 20,000 civilian lives since 1980, making it a persistent challenge for national security.

Religious Extremism 

• Religious extremism or radicalism justifies violence or intolerance based on religious lines. India has been experiencing this menace even before the partition, which was based on the bedrock of the Two-Nation theory.

Examples: Radicalisation in Punjab, Terrorism and militancy in Jammu & Kashmir. The recent Pahalgam terror attack is an example of religious extremism.
Reasons: The reasons for internal security challenges in India are multifaceted, including historical factors like the Two-Nation Theory and Partition of India, contemporary issues such as religious fundamentalism, religious nationalism, etc.

Ethnic Extremism

• Ethnic extremism is a type of extremism built on strong feelings of ethnic identification, and it frequently incorporates the notion that one’s ethnic group is superior or has the right to govern or dominate other ethnic groups.

Reasons:

• Ethnic extremism is frequently motivated by a combination of historical grievances, cultural anxieties, socioeconomic reasons, and political ambitions.
• Impact: It leads to the rise of conflict, bigotry, and violence in society.
• Examples:
• Manipur violence in 2023, due to conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo tribal communities.
• Problems faced by the people from Northeast India in various regions of India.
• North India – South India divide, perpetrated by the political parties and leaders, etc.
• Secessionist Movements
• Secessionist movements are campaigns or initiatives by a faction within a country to secede and form an independent nation. India too has faced such ideologies in its certain parts.

• Reasons: Ethnic, cultural, religious, or linguistic division, perceived economic or political marginalisation, historical grievances, and the role of external states are common motivators for these movements.
• Examples: India has witnessed several such movements, such as the Kashmir Separatism, the Khalistan movement, etc.
• Further, groups in states like Nagaland, Manipur, and Assam have at various times sought independence.