Union Home Minister Amit Shah kicked off a power-packed visit to Chhattisgarh today in Bastar, the heart of recent anti-Naxal offensives, blending spiritual reverence with a stern message.

Starting his day at the 14th-century Maa Danteshwari Temple alongside CM Vishnu Deo Sai and deputies Arun Sao and Vijay Sharma, Shah offered prayers on the penultimate day of Chaitra Navratri. The Dantewada shrine, 400 km from Raipur, set the tone for a visit steeped in symbolism and strategy.

Shah, on a two-day tour after landing in Raipur Friday night, didn’t mince words. “I urge Naxals to lay down arms and join the mainstream—no one feels happy when they’re killed,” he said, addressing the conflict that’s claimed 350 Naxal lives in Bastar since January 2024. “Those who surrender will be welcomed; others will face our security forces.” In Dantewada, he added, “Naxals can’t halt Bastar tribals’ development—they must join the growth journey.”

His itinerary reflects this dual focus: after the temple visit, Shah will attend the ‘Bastar Pandum’ festival’s closing ceremony, then meet anti-Naxal operation commanders. By evening, he’ll chair a review meeting in Naya Raipur before jetting back to Delhi.

With the BJP intensifying its crackdown since 2023, Shah’s March 2026 deadline to end Naxalism looms large—bolstered by a recent milestone reducing India’s worst-affected districts from 12 to six. Fresh off killing 18 Naxals on March 29, Shah’s Bastar show of strength signals no let-up in sight.