What's the deal with CPI/Naxalites? Critical or uncritical support?
They have a bitter disagreement with the CPI (Marxist) over both strategy and tactics, so that’s something to keep in mind. They’re either heroic revolutionaries or harmful adventurists depending on who you ask. Personally I don’t hold them in a favorable light because their strategy has been a more-or-less complete failure and studies show that the overwhelming majority of the Indian people viscerally hate them.
I thought the CPI/CPI(Marxist) was ok (if a bit electorialist) and it was the CPI(Maoist) that was Naxalite. That said I find the left politics of India makes me long for the rustic simplicity of 1970s Trot splits.
What gives you the impression that the overwhelming majority of Indians hate them?
There are lots of studies showing 70%+ of the population sees them as a dangerous terrorist organization. Leaders of the CPI (Marxist) regularly mention this.
What studies, I can only find one from 2010 that says they are very popular in the regions they operate