Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday reiterated the government’s commitment to eradicating maoism in Chhattisgarh by March 31, 2026. He lauded the state police for their efforts in combating Left-wing extremism over the past year.
Speaking at an event in Raipur to commemorate the President’s Colour Award being conferred on the Chhattisgarh Police, Shah urged maoists to join the mainstream and take advantage of the state government’s surrender policy.
“I have worked closely with the Chhattisgarh Police on anti-Naxal operations and can confidently say that they are among the most courageous forces in the country, fighting Naxals and improving the lives of citizens,” he said.
The home minister highlighted that in the past year, 287 extremists were neutralised, nearly 1,000 arrested, and 837 surrendered. He also noted that the top 14 Naxal leaders were eliminated during this period. For the first time in four decades, fatalities among troops and civilians have dropped below 100 in a single year.
Shah credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for a significant reduction in violence, stating that fatalities among security forces decreased by 73%, and civilian deaths dropped by 70% over the past decade compared to the previous one.
He added that the motto of “Viksit Chhattisgarh, Viksit Bastar” would receive a renewed push from the state police, who achieved the rare distinction of receiving the President’s Colour Award before completing 25 years of service.
Referring to the state’s political journey, Shah recalled that when Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee established Chhattisgarh in 2000, the BJP-led government served for 15 years. “Now, with Vishnu Deo Sai as Chief Minister, I assure you that we will free Chhattisgarh from Naxalism by March 31, 2026,” he declared.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai congratulated the police force on the honour and highlighted initiatives by both the central and state governments to rehabilitate surrendered extremists. These include providing 15,000 houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, financial aid, land grants for agriculture, and reservations in educational institutions for surrendered extremists and their families.
The chief minister also detailed welfare measures for victims of Maoist violence, including technical education reservations, skill development programs for women, and land allocation for housing and agriculture.
(Ians)