Table Of ContentMAOISTS AND GOVERNMENT
WELFARE
This book systematically analyses state responses towards Maoism in India and
studies the role of state policies in prolonging conflict. It looks at how the structural
maladies that once gave rise to conflict have now found a place in the government
responses meant to address it. The book studies the socio-political conditions
of Adivasis and lower caste groups that make up large sections of the cadre and
highlights the exclusionary nature of the Indian political landscape. It discusses
various themes such as state legitimacy, the political landscape through exclusion,
the agency of Maoist foot soldiers, limitations of government welfare responses and
the idea of the marginalised in India.
Rich in empirical data, the book will be useful for scholars and researchers of
development studies, political studies, political sociology, minority studies, exclusion
studies, sociology and social anthropology. It will also be of interest to policy-makers.
Suparna Banerjee has a PhD in Political Science from Zentrum für
Entwicklungsforschung, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn
(Center for Development Research, University of Bonn), Germany. She was a
senior research fellow at International Strategic and Security Studies Programme,
National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore, India. In this position, she
worked on Myanmar ethnic conflicts and conducted field work in the country
in 2015 during its transition phase. She completed her M.Phil. in Foreign Policy
Studies from the Institute of Foreign Policy Studies, University of Calcutta, during
which she wrote her thesis on Iran’s Nuclear Programme. It has been published as
an Issue Brief by Centre for Land Warfare Studies, New Delhi. She has a Master’s in
Sociology from the University of Calcutta and a Bachelor’s degree from Presidency
College, Kolkata, India. She has been working on conflicts, violence, legitimacy
and Maoism for a decade now. She has travelled across India interacting with
Maoists, Adivasis and other marginalised groups. Her writings have been published
as issue briefs, web articles, as well as journal articles.
MAOISTS AND
GOVERNMENT WELFARE
Excluding Legitimacy or
Legitimising Exclusion?
Suparna Banerjee
Designed cover image: Suparna Banerjee
First published 2023
by Routledge
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
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605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2023 Suparna Banerjee
The right of Suparna Banerjee to be identified as author of this work has
been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright,
Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in
any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or
registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation
without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 978-0-367-70352-3 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-367-70415-5 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-14617-9 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003146179
Typeset in Bembo
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
This book is dedicated to my parents Dipak and Manisha
and my husband Nabarun for their unconditional support and
encouragement.
CONTENTS
List of Figures viii
Acknowledgements ix
List of Abbreviations x
1 Introduction 1
2 The Question of Positionality 10
3 Conceptualising the Political Legitimacy of India 36
4 Reimagining the Political Landscape Through Exclusion 58
5 Contextualising the Excluded 89
6 State Responses – Too Little Too Late 119
7 Conclusion 141
Bibliography 148
Index 156
FIGURES
2.1 Representation of the mid-sider 15
2.2 Representation of VSS 16
2.3 Representation of the interconnected loop 20
2.4 Characteristics of the responses 30
4.1 Half busts statues of Maoist leaders with their names 83
4.2 The names of the dead villagers of 22 May 1967 85
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Life is a journey. We have always been fascinated by the end of it; it is the process
which we have often overlooked. The end of the journey is this book. But the
process to meet so many people and learn from them has been the highlight.
First, I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude towards my respondents
who have unhesitatingly allowed me to make their life the subject of discussion. It
is never easy to come forward when life is filled with uncertainty and risks. Their
grit and dedication to survive is a life lesson in itself that has taught me to carry
forward despite hurdles and challenges. They are my teachers, guides and mentors.
Second, the book is incomplete without the government officers, members of
the executive and paramilitary forces. We often romanticise their insurmountable
sacrifices and dedication towards following orders with discipline without consid-
ering the personal cost they or their family are bearing. They were cordial enough
to patiently discuss the various aspects and the practical challenges in a conflict
scenario.
Third, this book would never have seen the light of the day without the services
of the autorickshaw driver who made me feel safe in his vehicle inside the forest,
the shop owner who allowed me extra time to finish my notes before closing his
shop, the librarian who stayed behind to explain the importance of yet another
book that I could refer, the food stalls’ owner in the middle of nowhere whose hot
serving allowed to fill my belly before I can move ahead and finally the roadside
stationery shop in College Street, Kolkata, from whom I regularly satisfied my
writing requirements.
Last but not the least, my parents Manisha and Dipak Banerjee who kept on
enquiring about the end product. My husband Nabarun Banerjee whose patience
I should admire amidst my constant frustration and incessant complaints.
