ABSTRACT
The Left extremist or the Maoist movement in India is currently in its third phase. While the strongholds of the current movement are primarily in the tribal areas of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha and the party’s position reflects the demands of the tribals, the latter played a secondary but an important role in the first (1948–51) and the second phases (1967–71) of the movement also. The third and current wave of the movement is, however, conflated with the second and is often seen as a continuation of what began in Naxalbari. The current Maoist discourse, at the macro level, typically reflects, in its master narrative, the concern not only for universalist human rights but also indigenous rights. While demands have been rightly made that the government effectively address tribal problems, it also needs to be seen what the Maoist leadership has been able to achieve for the tribals, particularly in the areas where it has influence.
