Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday inaugurated the Shaheed Veer Gundadhur Seva Dera Jan Suvidha Kendra in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, describing the development as a historic milestone in the region’s transformation after the decline of Naxalism.
Addressing the gathering in Netanar village – the birthplace of tribal freedom fighter Veer Gundadhur – HM Shah said the village is revered as a “pilgrimage site” for every Indian because of its role in the 1910 Bhumkal Rebellion against British rule. He said the newly inaugurated public service centre symbolises a shift from conflict to development in Bastar.
HM Shah noted that the site earlier functioned as a security camp since 2013 amid intense Naxal activity, but will now serve tribal communities through welfare and public services. He said the Chhattisgarh government has named the centre after Shaheed Veer Gundadhur to honour his contribution to the tribal freedom movement.
Recalling the violence once witnessed in the region, HM Shah said six policemen had been brutally killed at the same location in the past, while schools, hospitals and public infrastructure were destroyed by Naxals. He added that the new service centre represents the government’s commitment to replacing violence with development and public welfare.
The Home Minister said the Centre’s objective in eliminating Naxalism was not limited to security operations but also aimed at ensuring that tribal populations receive the same opportunities and facilities available in urban areas. He highlighted initiatives under the “Niyad Nellanar” scheme, including affordable ration shops, primary schools, drinking water facilities, Aadhaar enrolment, ration cards and healthcare benefits under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s health insurance scheme offering treatment up to ₹5 lakh.
HM Shah rejected the long-standing narrative that underdevelopment had forced people in Bastar towards extremism. Instead, he argued that development had been obstructed because of armed violence and insurgency. He assured residents that within a year, facilities available in Raipur would be extended to villages across the region.
HM Shah also announced that nearly 70 out of around 200 security camps in Bastar would be converted into similar service centres over the next one-and-a-half years. These centres will provide banking services, Aadhaar and ration card facilities, and access to benefits from 371 state and central government schemes through Common Service Centres (CSCs).
Highlighting the government’s broader development push, HM Shah said programmes such as the Bastar Olympics and Bastar Pandum have been launched to promote tribal sports, culture, literature, music, cuisine and traditional art forms at the national and global levels.
In a strong political message, HM Shah declared that while India attained independence in 1947, “the sun of freedom” truly rose in Bastar only after March 31, 2026, following the end of Naxal influence in the region. He said both the Centre and the Chhattisgarh government are committed to compensating for decades of damage caused by insurgency and transforming Bastar into a vibrant and developed tribal region over the next five years.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan and Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka were also present at the event.
