Amit Shah Says Naxalism Nearly Eradicated; Bastar Sees Schools, Health Centres, Ration Shops
Amit Shah announces near-eradication of Naxalism in Bastar, highlighting security efforts and tribal community participation.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday declared that the threat of Maoist insurgency in India has significantly diminished, with Bastar in Chhattisgarh emerging as a key example of progress. Speaking in the Lok Sabha ahead of the government’s March 31 deadline for eradicating Maoist violence, Shah said the region is now “on the path of development” following decades of disruption.
Shah highlighted several initiatives aimed at integrating Bastar’s tribal communities into the mainstream. “A campaign was launched to establish a school in every single village across Bastar. A drive was undertaken to open a ration shop in every village within the region. Primary Health Centres and Community Health Centres have been established in every Tehsil and Panchayat,” he said. He added that residents have received Aadhaar and ration cards, with access to five kilograms of food grains, marking a substantial expansion of social services.
“The people of Bastar were left behind precisely because the shadow of ‘Red Terror’ loomed over the region; that is why development failed to reach them. Today, that shadow has been lifted, and Bastar is now on the path of development,” Shah said. He credited security forces, state police personnel, local tribal communities, and the residents themselves for this achievement.
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Shah emphasized that Naxalism is “on the verge of extinction” in India, pointing to Bastar as a model of successful counter-insurgency and development efforts. According to him, Maoist violence over the decades has claimed 20,000 lives and affected 120 million people, underlining the human and social cost of the insurgency.
The Lok Sabha discussion also turned political, with BJP members attributing the rise of Maoist violence to the Congress party’s governance over 60 of India’s 75 years of independence. Shah criticized the previous administrations for failing to address tribal deprivation, citing former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s remarks that Naxalism posed a greater challenge than militancy in Kashmir or the northeast.
Shah’s comments come as part of a broader government narrative emphasizing security-led development as a tool for countering extremism. The government has framed the eradication of Maoist influence not only as a law-and-order victory but also as a pathway for sustainable socio-economic growth in historically marginalized regions.
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