Dantewada (Chhattisgarh) [India], April 11 (HBTV): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday highlighted a new initiative announced by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, under which villages that achieve the full surrender of all Naxalites will be declared Naxal-free and awarded an INR 1 crore development fund.

‘Vishnu Deo Sai and Vijay Sharma have made an announcement that the village which makes every Naxalite surrender, that village will be declared Naxal-free and one crore rupees will be given as development fund,’ said Amit Shah while addressing a public meeting in Dantewada on Saturday.

Shah reaffirmed the government's commitment to rehabilitating those who surrender, stating, ‘If you join the mainstream, the Government of India and the Chhattisgarh Government will ensure your full protection.’

‘Now the time has gone when bullets were fired and bombs exploded here. I have come to request all those people who have weapons in their hands, all the Naxalite brothers, to give up their weapons. No one is happy when a Naxalite is killed, but this area needs development...,’ he added, appealing to Naxalites to renounce violence and return to the mainstream.

Shah further asserted that Naxalism is nearing its end in Bastar, and the BJP government is determined to eradicate what he called Laal Aatank by March 2026.

‘In the last three months, 521 Naxals have surrendered. A total of 881 Naxals surrendered in 2024. I assure you that those who surrender will be inducted into the mainstream. But those who continue to bear arms will be dealt with by security forces. Bastar is no longer a symbol of fear but of a future,’ Shah said.

‘Agle March tak, hum poore desh ko is laal atank se mukt karne ka kaam Bharatiya Janata Party ki sarkar karegi (By next March, the BJP government will work to free the entire country from Naxalism),’ he added.

Recalling earlier restrictions on political outreach in the region, Shah said, ‘Leaders used to be stopped from giving speeches here. The Chief Minister would say, “Don’t go.” But now, we are celebrating Ram Navami and Ashtami with 50,000 Adivasi brothers and sisters.’

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma shared the stage with Shah. Cabinet Ministers Kedar Kashyap and Ramvichar Netam, along with BJP State President Kiran Singh Dev, were also present at the event.

(ANI)