With the naxalite almost wiped out from most parts of the country, urban naxals have hatched a plan to surreptitiously revive the movement, according to sources in the intelligence community. A meeting of about 50 senior activists was held in Mumbai on October 28 to work out a strategy.
Using ideologue Antonio Gramsci’s theory of communism, these urban naxals’ plan now is to target the cultural fabric of the country, specially in Maharashtra and south Indian States in a bid to establish new cultural hegemony, sources said.
Shift from Koregaon Bhima to Raigad
After their success of past two decades to bring the Koregaon Bhima War memorial on to the naxal map the urban naxals are apparently planning to create a fresh pivot at Raigad, the capital fort of Chhatrapati Shivaji.The first report in this regard was prepared in May – June 2025. The urban Naxals in Maharashtra, with the tacit support of regional and national left political parties are trying to hijack the legacy of Chhatrapati Sambhaji too.
This is called the Shiv-Shambu Mohim (or movement). These elements are also trying to use the Warkari movement to their advantage. The aim is to embed a distorted view of history in the minds of lakhs of Warkaris by creating a cadre of kirtankars specially in western Maharashtra and the Konkan.
Western Maharashtra has remained extremely motivated and aligned with selfless nationalism due to the sustained efforts of Sambhaji Bhide and his movement. “The urban naxals have rightly recognised that unless the Sambhaji Bhide phenomenon is neutralised by using his own formula, their nefarious design would never succeed in the region,” sources said.
With Sambhaji Bhide (92) ageing, his movement remains vulnerable to be replaced by urban naxals occupying the social space.
Campaign to Begin at Raireshwar Temple
The plan is to start this campaign by offering prayers at Raireshwar Temple where Chatrapati Shivaji in 1646, had taken an oath to establish Swarajya. This temple is located at Bhor tehsil in Pune district. Later the activists plan to converge at the Raigad fort and offer multi-religious prayers at the samadhi of Chatrapati Shivaji.
