People’s Movement under a Revolutionary Brand: Understanding The Maoist Movement in Odisha

A dominant narrative understands the Maoist movement in Odisha as a spillover effect from the neighbouring state of Andhra Pradesh. On the contrary, the Maoist movement in Odisha can be well understood through the resistance movements led by the communists, tribals, peasants and the labourers. Along with these movements, the Maoists in Odisha have evolved through many forms and shades. While the Maoist movement in Odisha, in its present form, claims to have brought together multiple people’s movements under its brand fold, many of these movements continue to be functioning without any link with the Maoists. Despite their independence in nature, these people’s movements are mostly engaged with and understood through the prism of the Maoists. The process of linking the people’s movements with the Maoists converts the ‘social’ aspects of the issues, grievances and demands to ‘security’ centric. Drawing from such understandings of the people’s movements and their interactions with the Maoists, the article critically engages with the Maoist movement in Odisha. A major objective of the article is to identify issues and contenders around people’s movements and the process through which they interact with the Maoists.