Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], April 22 (HBTV): Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma expressed confidence that Naxalism will be eradicated from the Bastar region within the next year.
In a podcast with ANI, Sharma, who also holds the Home Ministry portfolio in the state, said that Naxalites do not have any legitimate demands but aim to form a government by force in Chhattisgarh.
‘Protests occur across the world over specific demands, and governments address them within constitutional limits. Prime Minister Modi had enacted the farmers' law, which was ultimately repealed because the farmers opposed it. But what are the demands of Naxalites in Chhattisgarh? They have never submitted any formal demands to the government. They merely want to establish rule at gunpoint and dismantle democracy. Their goal is to create Maoist rule, similar to China's past. This is unacceptable and why eliminating Naxalism takes time,’ Sharma said.
Highlighting past initiatives, Sharma pointed to the Modi government's actions in other regions.
‘Union Home Minister Amit Shah resolved to end insurgency in the northeastern states. Our party also abrogated Article 370 in 2019. Earlier, there were frequent bomb attacks in the country, but this has stopped. There was a time when terrorists were treated with leniency. This will not happen under the Modi government,’ he said.
Sharma said the government is committed to bringing infrastructure and development to Bastar, which still lacks basic facilities such as water, electricity, roads, mobile connectivity, and schools.
‘Bastar is now determined to uproot Naxalism. I have met thousands of residents who want peace and progress. We bring youths from Bastar to Raipur to show them development and infrastructure. Many have never even seen a television. The government is dedicated to improving these conditions,’ he said.
He reiterated that there is a policy in place to rehabilitate Naxalites willing to surrender and return to the mainstream.
‘Several governments have tried negotiations through committees, but all failed. Still, if Naxals wish to negotiate or send a representative, we will guarantee their safety,’ he said.
Sharma accused Naxalites of using violent methods and indoctrinating children from villages.
‘This is not a revolution. It is an attempt to force their ideology. In China, students were crushed in the Tiananmen Square massacre. In India, Naxals carried out the Errabore massacre, killing innocent tribals. They did not attack security forces but burnt villages and killed people. This is Maoist strategy,’ he said.
Referring to intelligence reports, Sharma said, ‘Some may claim these reports are fabricated, but Naxals themselves admitted to taking away a nine-year-old child for training. We have their letter as proof.’
He also highlighted the role of initiatives like the Niyad Nellanar Yojana in transforming the region.
‘Now, even people in remote villages say the police camps must remain or Naxals will return. Naxals have declared their plan to take one boy and one girl from every household,’ Sharma said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has pledged to eliminate Naxalism from Chhattisgarh by March 2026. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, significant progress has been made in reducing violence.
There has been an 81 per cent decline in Naxal violence since 2010, when the country recorded 1,936 incidents. In 2024, only 374 incidents were reported. The number of deaths, including civilians and security personnel, has fallen by 85 per cent, from 1,005 in 2010 to 150 in 2024.
Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai informed the Rajya Sabha that incidents of Left Wing Extremism violence fell from 501 in 2019 to 374 in 2024 — a 25 per cent reduction.
(ANI)