Naxalbari movement in Punjab 19671980 a historical analysis

Abstract

The Punjab had been home to a number of significant movements before and after the partition of Punjab in 1947. After the partition of Punjab, the region became the focal point of three main movements: 1) The Punjabi Suba Movement (1960-1966) 2) The Naxalbari Movement (1967-1980) 3) The Khalistan Movement (1980-1984). The present study focuses on the period 1967-1980 during which Naxalbari Movement began which was and is basically against landlordism, imperialism and exploitation by local comprador classes led by the Indian state. The Naxalbari movement which follows the ideology of Marxism, Leninism and Maoism, seeks to overthrow the Indian state by armed struggle which they agree, is the representative of landlords, imperialists and comprador bureaucratic bourgeoisie and replace it with the dictatorship of proletariat. In Punjab Naxalbari Movement can be divided into three phase. The first phase was of mass work (notably three struggles i.e. land struggle in the village of Bhikhi-Samaon, struggle of Birla Farm and Qilla Hakima struggle), in the second phase the policy of annihilation and the third phase again included the mass work. To sum up, the Naxalbari Movement was crushed by ruthless repression by the state. newline