The paper locates the genesis of the Naxalite movement on the failure of governance to eliminate structural violence inflicted on the Dalits and Adivasis, changes policies which are extremely detrimental to their interests, makes implementing bureaucracy sensitive and accountable, and establish a system for delivery of justice and grievance redressal suited to their needs and within their easy reach. It maps out an agenda of governance reform to cover these aspects including a contextualised understanding of the movement and a response to its violent manifestations within the framework of the rule of law and democratic safeguards.