File photo: Union home minister Amit Shah (Picture credit: PTI)
NEW DELHI: Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday said Maoism has never benefited any society and has only caused destruction wherever it existed, citing countries such as Colombia, Peru and Cambodia. He reiterated that the Naxal menace would be completely eliminated from India by March 31.Addressing the closing ceremony of the three-day division-level Bastar Pandum 2026 cultural festival in Jagdalpur, Shah urged Naxalites to surrender and return to the mainstream, assuring them of respectful rehabilitation, according to news agency PTI.He said the Chhattisgarh government’s Maoist rehabilitation policy was among the most attractive in the country and appealed especially for young tribal girls still involved in the movement to lay down arms. “They must be sent for rehabilitation as their whole lives lie ahead of them,” Shah said.
Warning for armed cadres, assurance for those who surrender
The home minister made it clear that while surrendered Naxalites would face no harm, armed violence would be dealt with firmly. “If someone holds weapons, the response will also be with weapons. Maoism never benefitted any society and spread destruction wherever it existed, including nations like Colombia, Peru and Cambodia,” Shah said, adding that Maoists who plant IEDs or attack schools and hospitals will not be spared. He said such acts often harm innocent tribals and children, leaving them dead or permanently disabled, and questioned the cruelty behind such violence. Shah also blamed Maoists for shutting schools for decades, leading to widespread illiteracy in the region.
Development push transforms Bastar
Shah said Bastar is now witnessing rapid development, with schools reopening, roads being built, mobile towers installed and villages getting electricity and drinking water. “It is our resolve that Bastar will become the country’s most developed tribal-dominated division within the next five years,” he said.He outlined a roadmap covering seven districts of Bastar, aiming to provide electricity to all villages by December 2027, ensure mobile connectivity everywhere, and open a post office or bank branch within every five kilometres. Paddy will be procured from tribals at Rs 3,100 per quintal, LPG cylinders provided to households and tap water connections ensured in every home, he added.
Tourism, industry and irrigation plans
With Naxalism declining, Shah said 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 a new 118-acre industrial area to generate jobs for tribal youth.On irrigation, Shah said projects on the Indravati river would irrigate 2.75 lakh hectares in Dantewada, Bijapur and Sukma districts and generate 120 MW of electricity.
Preserving Bastar’s culture and heritage
Stressing that guns and explosives cannot define Bastar’s identity, Shah said its true identity lies in its culture and heritage. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi aims to take Bastar’s culture to the rest of the country and the world.Thanking security forces including the Chhattisgarh Police, CRPF, ITBP and BSF, Shah also expressed gratitude to the families of personnel 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 in all 12 disciplines to Rashtrapati Bhavan to showcase their art and dine there.The festival has expanded significantly this year, with competitions across 12 disciplines involving participants from seven districts, 1,885 gram panchayats and 32 janpad headquarters, compared to seven disciplines last year.
Centre confident of meeting March deadline
Yersterday, Shah had said the Centre’s strategy against Left-Wing Extremism was delivering results and that Naxalism would be eradicated before March 31. After a recent security review meeting in Raipur, he said a mix of security operations, infrastructure development, disruption of Maoist funding and an effective surrender policy had weakened the insurgency.According to police data, since January 2024 more than 500 Naxalites have been killed in encounters in Chhattisgarh, around 1,900 arrested and over 2,500 surrendered, reflecting the impact of sustained operations and rehabilitation efforts. Go to Source
