Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during his visit to Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region on Saturday, made a heartfelt appeal to Maoist insurgents to abandon violence and embrace the path of peace and development.
Speaking at the vibrant Bastar Pandum festival, Shah reviewed the government’s anti-Maoist efforts, reiterating the Centre’s mission to achieve a Maoist-free India by 2026.
“No one celebrates loss of life — not even that of a Naxal,” Shah said, emphasizing that peace is essential to realizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a prosperous Bastar. He painted a hopeful future for the region: children attending schools, villages equipped with healthcare, and access to food and insurance for all.
“These goals can only be achieved when the people of Bastar resolve to end Naxalism,” he said, urging militants to surrender and rejoin mainstream society.
To encourage this shift, Shah highlighted Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai’s promise of ₹1 crore to any village that declares itself Maoist-free, signaling strong incentives for community-led peace efforts.
He also spotlighted the Modi government’s commitment to empowering the marginalized, referencing the rise of Odisha’s tribal daughter Droupadi Murmu to the Presidency as a symbol of hope. Shah expressed a desire to see President Murmu attend the festival next year, calling it a moment of pride for the region.
Contrasting BJP-led governance with previous Congress regimes, Shah cited key national achievements: construction of 4 crore homes, 12 crore toilets, tap water to 15 crore homes, free rations for 80 crore, and medical coverage for 70 crore citizens — all under PM Modi’s leadership.
Shah’s message was clear: peace is the key to unlocking Bastar’s full potential.
