Union Home Minister Amit Shah made it clear that there would be no dialogue with Maoists, insisting that they must surrender before they can contribute to the development of Bastar. He also mentioned that the central government, under Narendra Modi, has provided over 4 lakh crore rupees for developmental projects in Chhattisgarh over the past decade, in addition to various schemes aimed at honoring the tribal communities.
During the Bastar Dussehra Lokotsav, 2025, and Swadeshi Mela event held in Jagdalpur’s Lalbagh Parade Ground, Amit Shah reiterated the resolve to eradicate Naxalism from the nation by March 31 of the following year.
Shah expressed a firm stance against the Naxalites, stating that security forces are prepared to respond decisively to those who disrupt peace in Bastar through violence. He urged the tribal communities to convince the youth in their villages to surrender their weapons and join the mainstream, thereby contributing to the development of Bastar.
He stressed that the governments of Chhattisgarh and the central government are committed to the development of Bastar and all Naxal-affected areas. He emphasized the attractive surrender policy and urged the Naxalites to surrender. He cautioned that the armed forces would respond strongly to any attempt to disrupt the peace of Bastar, with the goal of eliminating Naxalism from the country by March 31, 2026.
The Home Minister highlighted that Naxalism hinders development, noting that some individuals in Delhi had falsely portrayed Naxalism as a struggle for development. He informed the tribal communities that their progress had been hampered by Naxalism. He pointed out that now, every village in the country has access to essential services like electricity, clean water, roads, toilets, health insurance, free rice, and a fair price for their paddy. He asserted that Bastar has been left behind due to Naxalism.
Amit Shah announced that Naxal-free villages would be provided with one crore rupees.
He assured the people that after March 31 of the following year, Naxalites would no longer be able to impede development or rights, emphasizing the progress made and the tasks that remain.
He appealed to the people of Bastar to distance themselves from Naxalism and encourage the misguided youth in their villages to surrender their weapons. He acknowledged the success of Chhattisgarh’s surrender policy, with many surrenders already recorded, and reiterated that Naxalism benefits no one.
Additionally, Amit Shah visited the Dantewari temple in Jagdalpur to offer prayers and seek blessings, hoping for strength for the security forces to free the entire Bastar region from the ‘red terror’ by March 31, 2026.
Before this, he participated in the traditional Muriya Darbar, which is part of the renowned Bastar Dussehra festival, engaging with priests and tribal community leaders.