Amit Shah hails Chhattisgarh policy as 500 Naxals lay down arms

New Delhi: Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday said the Chhattisgarh government has formulated the country's most effective surrender policy, noting that more than 500 Naxalites have surrendered in the past month alone.

He urged more Naxalites to surrender, announcing that every village that would become Naxatile-free would get ₹1 crore from the Chhattisgarh government for development. Shah was speaking at the annual Bastar Dussehra event in Chhattisgarh which lasts for 75 days.

Emphasising that Naxalism has not brought any benefit, instead turning into a menace, the home minister has set a deadline of March 31, 2026 to bring an end to Naxalism. He debunked the misconception propagated by some in Delhi that Naxalism arose from a struggle for development, asserting that Naxalism itself is the primary reason for Bastar's deprivation from progress.

Shah further highlighted that while every village in the country now has access to electricity, drinking water, roads, toilets, health insurance up to ₹5 lakh per person, and free grain distribution, with rice procurement at ₹3,100 per quintal, Bastar has lagged in this race for progress.

"After March 31, 2026, Naxalites will no longer be able to hinder Bastar's development or the rights of its people," he said.

Shah said the youth from Bastar who have misled into Naxalism belong to local villages. He appealed to the people of Bastar to convince these misguided youth to lay down their arms and join the mainstream to contribute to the region's development.

He also said that both the Union and Chhattisgarh governments are fully committed to the development of Bastar and other Naxal-affected areas, with attractive policies in place.

In the past decade, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has provided about ₹4.40 lakh crore for Chhattisgarh's development. Shah said the state is progressing at an unprecedented pace, with new industries, educational institutions, healthcare centres, and small-scale industries.