Government policies resulted in over 3,500 Maoists surrendering during 2014-17, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that over 3,500 Maoists have surrendered in 2014-17 due to government policies, asserting there has been a drop of over 20 per cent in violence in Naxal-hit areas.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that over 3,500 Maoists have surrendered in 2014-17 due to government policies, asserting there has been a drop of over 20 per cent in violence in Naxal-hit areas.

"If we talk on the issue of violence in Naxal affected areas, then in the last four-and-a-half years it has dropped by 20 per cent," Modi said while interacting with BJP workers through video conferencing on NaMo mobile application.

"Due to the development work and the government policies over 3,500 naxals have surrendered between 2014 and 2017," the Prime Minister said.

He said that the government has improved development infrastructure in Maoist-affected areas.

Modi was responding a question by a party worker from Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur.

Modi also asserted that 'Mera Booth, Sabse Majboot; (my booth strongest) is not only a slogan or the name of a programme. "It is a resolve for every party worker," he said.

He also said that political parties rarely get a chance to interact with booth-level workers, who know the ground reality better, with the medium of technology.

The Prime Minister was interacting with BJP workers from Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur, Uttar Pradesh's Basti, Jharkhand's Dhanbad, Rajasthan's Chittorgarh and Madhya Pradesh Mandsaur Lok Sabha seats.