File photo: Union Home Minister Amit Shah (Photo: PTI)
New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah Maoism has never benefited any society and only causes destruction wherever it exists, it said on Monday, citing countries including Colombia, Peru and Cambodia. He reiterated that the Naxalite menace will be completely eliminated from India by March 31.Addressing the closing ceremony of the three-day provincial Bastar Pandum 2026 cultural festival in Jagdalpur, Shah urged the Naxalites to surrender and return to the mainstream and ensure their respectful rehabilitation, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.He said the Chhattisgarh government’s Maoist revival policy is one of the most attractive in the country, especially for young tribal girls who are still involved in the movement to lay down their arms. “They have to be sent to rehabilitation centers because they have their whole lives ahead of them,” Shah said.
Warning to armed cadres, assurance to surrenderers
The Home Minister made it clear that while surrendering Naxalites will not be harmed, armed violence will be dealt with firmly. “If someone has weapons, the response will be weapons. Maoism has never benefited any society, it has caused destruction everywhere, including in countries like Colombia, Peru and Cambodia,” Shah said, adding that Maoists who plant IEDs or attack schools and hospitals will not be spared.Such acts often harm innocent tribesmen and children, causing them to die or be permanently disabled, he said, questioning the cruelty behind such violence. Shah also blamed the Maoists for decades of school closures, leading to widespread illiteracy in the area.
Development push changes Bastar
Shah said Bastar is now undergoing rapid development with schools reopening, roads being built, mobile towers being installed and villages getting electricity and drinking water. “We are determined to make Bastar the most developed tribal-dominated district in the country in the next five years,” he said.He outlined a roadmap covering seven districts of Bastar with the aim of providing electricity to all villages by December 2027, ensuring ubiquitous mobile connectivity and opening a post office or bank branch within every five kilometers. Paddy will be procured from tribals at Rs 3,100 per quintal, LPG cylinders will be provided to households and piped water connection will be ensured in every household, he added.
Tourism, industrial and irrigation schemes
Shah said that with the decline of Naxalism, the government is promoting new tourism initiatives such as adventure tourism, homestays, canopy walks and glass bridges to strengthen Bastar’s economy. He also announced the construction of a new industrial area covering 118 acres to create employment opportunities for tribal youth.On irrigation, Shah said the project on the Indrawati river will irrigate 2.75 lakh hectares of land in Dantewada, Bijapur and Sukma districts and generate 120 MW of electricity.
Preserving the culture and heritage of Bastar
Stressing that guns and explosives do not define Bastar’s identity, Shah said the true identity of Bastar lies in its culture and tradition. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s aim is to take the culture of Bastar to the rest of the country and the world, he said.Shah thanked security forces such as Chhattisgarh Police, CRPF, ITBP and BSF and expressed gratitude to the families of those who lost their lives in anti-Naxal operations.He said President Droupadi Murmu had inaugurated the Bastar Pandum event on February 7 and agreed to invite the top three winners of all 12 categories to showcase their art at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and have meals there.The scale of the festival has been significantly expanded this year with competitions spanning 12 disciplines involving participants from 7 districts, 1,885 gram panchayat and 32 janpad headquarters as compared to 7 disciplines last year.
Center confident of meeting March deadline
Yesterday, Shah said the Centre’s strategy against left-wing extremism was bearing fruit and Naxalism would be eradicated by March 31. After the recent security review meeting in Raipur, he said a combination of security operations, infrastructure development, disruption of Maoist funding and an effective surrender policy had weakened the insurgency.More than 500 Naxalites have been killed in clashes in Chhattisgarh since January 2024, around 1,900 have been arrested and more than 2,500 have surrendered, according to police data, reflecting the impact of ongoing operations and aftermath efforts.
