Amit Shah said in Bastar that India is now free of Naxalism after decades of insurgency. He linked the claim to security forces’ sacrifices and outlined rehabilitation and development plans.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday declared that India has become free from Naxalism, saying the decades-long insurgency had finally been defeated after immense sacrifices by security forces.
“I can say with my chest puffed out that India is now free of Naxals,” Shah said while addressing an event in Jagdalpur, once considered the epicentre of Maoist activity in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region.
Shah, who is on a three-day visit to Chhattisgarh, said both the Centre and the state government were committed to ensuring permanent peace and rapid development in Bastar, adding that the tribal belt would emerge as the country’s most developed tribal region within the next five years.
Addressing people at the Bastar Academy of Dance, Art and Literature (BADAL) campus, the Home Minister described the occasion as a “historic day” and credited the achievement to the sacrifices made by security personnel over the years during anti-Naxal operations.
“This was a dream that has been achieved after numerous security personnel sacrificed their lives in operations,” Shah
Furthermore, the senior BJP leader said Left Wing Extremism, which began spreading in the 1970s, had “consumed three generations” through violence and denied people access to basic facilities and development.
“In 2014, when the Modi government took charge, there were challenges (related to internal security) in Jammu and Kashmir, the Northeastern states and Left Wing Extremism. Today, I can say that by and large, the country has overcome all three challenges,” he said.
During the programme, Shah also interacted with families of civilians killed in Naxal violence, security personnel honoured for bravery in anti-Maoist operations, and tribal community leaders who shared their experiences from the insurgency-hit years.
The Home Minister also paid homage at Amar Vatika memorial to more than 1,000 security personnel who lost their lives fighting Maoists. “The sacrifices of our jawans in bringing peace, security and development to Bastar will never be forgotten,” he said.
Urging society to support the rehabilitation of former rebels, Shah appealed to community leaders across Bastar’s seven districts to accept surrendered Naxals into mainstream society by setting aside past bitterness.
“About 3,000 Naxals have surrendered in the state. We have made a comprehensive plan to get them a respectable place in society. The Narendra Modi government will leave no stone unturned in this context,” he said.
