What is the difference between Naxalite, extremist, Maoist and terrorist? Know where these words came from
Union Home Minister Amit Shah had claimed in the Rajya Sabha on 21 March 2025 that Naxalism will end from the country by 31 March 2026. After this, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai told the Lok Sabha on Tuesday (25 March 2025) that Rs 196.23 crore has been released by the Center to the Central Armed Police Forces since the year 2014-15. The goal of the Center is to eliminate Naxalites from the country by March 2026. Let us know what is the difference between Naxalite, extremist, Maoist and terrorist? How did they get different names and what is their history?
Naxalism started in West Bengal
There is a difference between Naxalite or Naxalite, Maoist, extremist and terrorist. Naxalism is an ideology, which is associated with the movement of farmers against the landlords in West Bengal. This is about the 1960s. In Naxalbari, a village located in Darjeeling district in Bengal, Charu Majumdar, a leader of the Communist Party of India, along with Kanu Sanyal, started leading the peasant revolt against the government and the landlords.
This Naxalbari rebellion shook the youth and the rural people badly and with time similar movements spread to Bihar and Jharkhand. Then people in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra also revolted against atrocities. Through this, the demands of the poor and landless farmers were put forward. This movement was called the Naxalite movement and the people involved in it were called Naxalites.
Those who believe in Mao Tse Tung’s ideology are called Maoists
Maoism, as the name suggests, is associated with the ideology of Mao Tse Tung, the founder of modern China. Mao’s ideology supports violence. Those who followed Mao’s ideology and used weapons in the struggle against the government were called Maoists.
Many times people make the mistake of considering Maoism and Naxalism as one. In reality it is not so. Even though both are related to communist ideology, their nature is different. The revolution led by Mao in China is considered the originator of Maoism. Maoist ideology got a boost in India after the war with China in the year 1962.
Although both Naxalism and Maoism are movements based on violence, the biggest difference is that Naxalism was born due to lack of development and poverty in Naxalbari. Whereas Maoism is a foreign political ideology.
militancy resorting to violence to achieve goals
Extremism simply means resorting to violence to achieve one’s goal. It is a broad term and Naxalism, Maoism etc. are examples of it. Whether it is the violence in India demanding Khalistan or the violence carried out by various extremist organizations in the Northeast, all are extremism. People involved in such activities are called extremists. Extremism can actually be inspired by any ideology. However, the Indian government has made a law and declared extremists as terrorists.
Those who terrorize are called terrorists
We can clearly deduce the meaning of terrorism as terrorizing someone or scaring them. People who do this are called terrorists, who resort to violence to achieve their right or wrong goals. Terrorists try to put pressure on a country or government through violence by going against it. There is a difference between terrorism and extremism that extremists have the support of local people. It is not necessary for terrorists to take the local people along with them. Terrorists can also be used for an indirect war by a country against another country.
The history of terrorism is quite old. It is believed that this word originated during the French Revolution. Modern terrorism is believed to have originated in the 18th century.
