Naxalism eradicated from country before March 31 deadline due to valour of forces: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah claims Naxalism has been completely eradicated from India ahead of the March 31 deadline due to the efforts of security forces.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said Naxalism has been completely eradicated from the country ahead of the March 31 deadline due to the valour, courage and supreme sacrifice of the security forces.

Addressing a press conference here, Shah said certain dates hold historical significance in the ''Naxal-Free India Campaign'' -- December 13, 2023, when the BJP government in Chhattisgarh took oath, the resolute campaign for the complete eradication of Naxalism began, he said.

August 24, 2024 when a meeting of the directors general of police (DG) from all states was convened to resolve to make the country Naxal-free by March 31, 2026, Shah said.

''The third date, which you all know - 31 March 2026 (deadline set by the Centre to eliminate Naxalism from the country). Due to the valour, courage, and supreme sacrifice of the security forces, Naxalism has been completely eradicated from the country ahead of the set deadline,'' Shah told reporters.

The home minister said that he could say this without any hesitation that many non-BJP governments in different states have helped the Union government in its plans to eliminate Naxalism, but the previous Congress government in Chhattisgarh did not provide help.

''It was after December 2023, when the BJP government was formed in Chhattisgarh that we could eliminate Naxalism in Bastar,'' he said.

The minister said some intellectuals have been arguing for years that ''Naxalism flourished because development could not reach these areas.''.

''But the truth is exactly the opposite... Development could not reach these areas because Naxalism was there,'' he said.

He said there were many areas in the country that were even more backward than the Naxal-affected regions, but there was no Naxalism there.

''Therefore, those areas gradually progressed on the path of development. On the other hand, our Bastar and other Naxal-affected areas remained deprived of development due to violence and fear,'' he said.

The current situation, Shah asserted, was that as of May 19, 2026, the areas that were in the grip of Naxalism at one point will witness a new vision of comprehensive development taking shape.