- Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced complete eradication of Naxalism ahead of March 31, 2026 deadline
- BJP government formation in Chhattisgarh in December 2023 marked start of resolute Naxal elimination campaign
- Naxalism hindered development; areas under Naxal influence lacked basic services and employment opportunities
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said Naxalism has been completely eradicated from the country ahead of the March 31 deadline due to the valour, courage and supreme sacrifice of the security forces.
Addressing a press conference here, Shah said certain dates hold historical significance in the "Naxal-Free India Campaign" -- December 13, 2023, when the BJP government in Chhattisgarh took oath, the resolute campaign for the complete eradication of Naxalism began.
The second date is August 24, 2024, when a meeting of the directors general of police (DG) from all states was convened to resolve to make the country Naxal-free by March 31, 2026, Shah said.
"The third date, which you all know - March 31, 2026 (deadline set by the Centre to eliminate Naxalism from the country). Due to the valour, courage, and supreme sacrifice of the security forces, Naxalism has been completely eradicated from the country ahead of the set deadline," Shah told reporters.
The home minister said he could say this without any hesitation that many non-BJP governments in different states have helped the Union government in its plans to eliminate Naxalism, but the previous Congress government in Chhattisgarh did not provide help.
"It was after December 2023, when the BJP government was formed in Chhattisgarh, that we could eliminate Naxalism in Bastar," he said.
The minister said some intellectuals have been arguing for years that "Naxalism flourished because development could not reach these areas." "But the truth is exactly the opposite... Development could not reach these areas because Naxalism was there," he said.
The home minister said that due to the Naxalites, the entire region had been deprived of development.
"They neither received ration cards, nor benefited from the free grain scheme, nor availed the benefit of health insurance up to Rs 5 lakh. Employment was nowhere to be seen," he said.
He said there were many areas in the country that were even more backward than the Naxal-affected regions, but there was no Naxalism there.
"Therefore, those areas gradually progressed on the path of development. On the other hand, Bastar and other Naxal-affected areas remained deprived of development due to violence and fear," he said.
The current situation, Shah asserted, was that as of May 19, 2026, the areas that were in the grip of Naxalism at one point will witness a new vision of comprehensive development taking shape.
The home minister gave details of development programmes being launched in the region.
"To free the vast Bastar division from Naxalism, the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Government of India had established about 200 security camps here, out of which about 70 camps... i.e. nearly one-third of the camps will be converted into 'Veer Shahid Gundadhur Seva Dera'," he said.
He said the objective of the 'Veer Shahid Gundadhur Seva Dera' vision is to connect the entire Bastar region with development and service.
Shah said a Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) will also be established here, and a village dairy will also be set up in the region.
"Every tribal woman will be able to bring milk to the dairy. By utilising this service, we are going to provide every tribal citizen in Bastar with one cow and one buffalo, through which they will be able to market their milk across India in a cooperative model," he said.
The home minister said the forest's non-timber produce will also be linked in a cooperative model, and ensure that its entire profit reaches the tribal people.
"We have launched the 'Bastar Pandum'. Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji had called for special efforts to formulate schemes to preserve and promote tribal culture," he said.
Under the initiative, a very large platform has been provided for all dimensions of tribal culture, including dance, song, language, attire, cuisine and handicrafts, Shah said.
He added that two Bastar Olympics have already been organised here, in which 3.94 lakh players had participated, including a very large contingent of Naxals who had accepted rehabilitation.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
