Union Home Minister Amit Shah Hails Success of Anti-Naxal Operations, Commends Chhattisgarh’s Development Progress

Raipur
Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that the government has shifted from a defensive policy to an aggressive one. He highlighted that the ongoing campaign against Naxalites is witnessing unprecedented success. Shah was addressing a meeting in Delhi on Monday focused on the eradication of Naxalism, which was attended by the Chief Ministers of eight states including Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnudeo Sai.

The meeting, held at Vigyan Bhawan, was attended by Chief Minister Sai and Deputy CM Vijay Sharma, along with the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police (DGP). Additionally, the Chief Ministers of other Naxal-affected states, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana, Odisha, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh, were also present.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphasized that development has now reached every village in Chhattisgarh, with several villages participating in elections for the first time.
Shah praised the Chhattisgarh government for its work on the Naxal front, particularly for the successful operation on September 4. He mentioned that the Chhattisgarh government is setting new benchmarks in development and has curtailed the financial support for Naxalites.
Shah added that the success in Chhattisgarh serves as an inspiration for all and that new developmental initiatives have been launched in Naxal-affected areas. The goal is to extend the benefits of both state and central government schemes to the people, resulting in the opening of schools and ration shops in villages.
Shah also noted that some villagers voted in the Lok Sabha elections after 30 years. Since 2019, 280 new camps have been established, and 15 new joint forces have been created. Six new CRPF battalions have been deployed to assist state police forces.

Shah appealed to the youth involved in Naxalism to surrender their arms and join the mainstream.

He assured that the central government is committed to providing all possible assistance to Naxal-affected states, including Chhattisgarh. He urged other states’ chief ministers to replicate Chhattisgarh’s success by using intelligence and coordination for their own operations.
CM Sai shared that in the past nine months, actions against Naxalites have intensified. He detailed an operation where 1,000 personnel surrounded a hill over 15 kilometers and neutralized 31 Naxalites.
Sai emphasized that the pace of development in Naxal-affected areas has increased, with a focus on delivering basic amenities, including education, healthcare, and women’s empowerment, to the villages. He mentioned that 32 new camps have been set up in core Naxal areas.
The CM shared that they have established a camp in the village of Hidma, the commander of the Naxalite battalion, and are even providing health services to his mother. The government’s main goal is to eradicate the remaining Naxal strongholds and ensure lasting peace and development. In the near future, 29 new security camps will be set up in South Bastar.
This progress, according to the CM, signals change, with Bastar’s youth joining the forces and driving out the Maoists.
Shah is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi this evening. The PM has specifically invited CM Sai to congratulate him for the successful Naxal operation. During the meeting, Sai will brief the PM on ongoing developmental works and initiatives in the state.
The Ministry of Home Affairs is preparing a major plan with the states to counter Naxalism. Sources suggest that similar to how terror funding was curbed in Jammu and Kashmir, a large-scale action plan is being prepared to cut off Naxalite funding.
According to a report by the central government, Naxal violence in the country has decreased by 72% since 2010, and deaths have dropped by 86%. This year, 202 Naxalites have been killed, and in the first nine months of 2024, 723 Naxalites have surrendered. The number of Left-Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected districts has now reduced to 38.
The anti-Naxal campaign will continue relentlessly, aiming for peace in Bastar. CM Sai visited Bijapur on October 4, meeting with police personnel and locals affected by Maoist terrorism. He expressed confidence that the violence will soon come to an end, and the region is rapidly advancing toward development and peace.
Residents of Bastar now have new hope due to the government’s efforts, with increasing trust that Chhattisgarh will soon be free from Maoist terrorism.