Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Monday addressed an interaction session with Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), CoBRA units, District Reserve Guard (DRG) troopers and senior officials of Chhattisgarh Police in Nava Raipur, declaring March 31, 2026 as the Government’s targeted date for a Naxalism-free India. Terming Left Wing Extremism (LWE) as a decades-long internal threat, Shah said nearly 40,000 people have lost their lives to Maoist violence over the past 35 years.

 

“This movement has crippled the poorest sections in tribal areas and deprived them of basic development,” he noted. “But we are now seeing a turning point, thanks to the combined efforts of our security forces and development institutions.” Praising the operational capabilities of the forces, Shah said Indian troopers have neutralised Maoist hideouts with professionalism, patience, and strategic clarity. “What our troopers set out to do, they accomplish with precision,” he stated, adding that international security observers have also recognised the effectiveness of India’s counter-insurgency operations. Highlighting the government’s development-first approach, Shah said that once security is established, State and central agencies are ensuring uninterrupted delivery of food grains, electricity, healthcare, education, housing, and clean drinking water.

 

“Governance is entering spaces that were once dominated by fear,” he said. He remarked that the most significant symbol of change lies in education. “When a child in a formerly Naxal-hit area picks up a pencil instead of a weapon, it marks not only personal transformation but national progress.” During the event, the Union Home Minister also released “Leor Oyna” – a book detailing the lives and losses of civilians impacted by Naxal violence. He said the publication would serve as a sobering reminder of the cost of extremism and counter false narratives under the guise of human rights advocacy. The programme, titled ‘Sankalp’, was attended by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma. It aimed to strengthen coordination between policymakers, administrators, and operational commanders in LWE-affected areas.