As per Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, subjects of Police and Public Order are with the State Governments. However, to address Left Wing Extremism (LWE) menace holistically, Government of India (GoI) approved ‘National Policy and Action Plan to address LWE’ in 2015 envisaging a multi-pronged strategy involving security related measures, development interventions, ensuring rights and

entitlements of local communities etc. Steadfast implementation of this policy has resulted in consistent decline in LWE related violence and it’s geographical spread.

GoI has enacted the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJ Act) for children in distress situation including children in conflict with law (CCL) and children in need of care and protection (CNCP). As per provisions of JJ Act, a child who is victim of or affected by any armed conflict, civil unrest or natural calamity, is included as a “child in need of care and protection”, among others. The act mandated a safety net of service delivery structures including institutional and non institutional care mechanisms, to ensure the best interest of children.

As per the JJ Act, any non-state, self-styled militant group or outfit declared as such by the GoI, if recruits or uses any child for any purpose, shall be liable for criminal prosecution.

Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing a centrally sponsored Child Protection Services (CPS) scheme, for supporting the States/Union Territories (UTs) in providing a framework for care and protection of children in distress conditions. Under the scheme, institutional care is available for CNCP and CCL, including provisions for boarding, lodging and holistic development of children. The scheme also provides for non-institutional care wherein support is extended for adoption, foster care and sponsorship. The primary responsibility of implementation of the scheme rests with the States/UTs.

During the period from 2004 to 2014 there were 17,679 LWE related incidents and 6,984 deaths. During the period from 2014 to 2023 (till 15 June 23) there have been 7,649 LWE related incidents and 2,020 deaths. Year-wise details are annexed.

A comparison of various statistics of LWE violence over last nine years (May 2014 to April 2023) with preceding nine years (May 2005 to April 2014) indicates a significant improvement in the LWE scenario in the country. The incidents of LWE related violence reduced by 52% from 14,862 to 7130 and the total number of deaths reduced by 69% from 6035 to 1868 in the said period.

The figures are a reflection of the efficacy of operations being conducted by the Security Forces and the capacity building measures undertaken by the Ministry of Home Affairs. At the same time, the developmental outreach by Government of India has seen an increasingly large number of LWE cadres shunning the path of violence and returning to the mainstream.

LWE Related Incidents and Deaths From 2004 To 2023 (Till 15 June 23)

 

* Incidents perpetrated by Left Wing Extremists

** Incidents initiated by Security Forces

From 2022, data is maintained separately for number of incidents perpetrated by Left Wing Extremists and incidents initiated by Security Forces.

This was stated by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Nityanand Rai in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

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