Decimation of Naxalite forces due to the Modi Government’s Firm Policies

Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently announced during a special parliamentary debate that the problem of Naxalism, a highly dangerous form of internal terrorism confronting the nation, has been brought to an end. Naxalites posed a threat to the country just as grave as that of Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. Over the past 12 years, the Modi government has demonstrated immense resolve in effectively dismantling the Naxalite menace.

The Modi government certainly deserves to be congratulated for this achievement. Naxalite violence has claimed the lives of 20,000 people, 5,000 of whom were police personnel and security forces jawans. These figures provide a clear indication of the severity of the violence perpetrated by the Naxalites. Exploiting the innocence and ignorance of poor tribal communities, Naxalite forces sowed seeds of hatred in the minds of their tribal brethren. These Naxalite forces projected a narrative claiming that they alone could deliver justice to the tribals and fulfill all their aspirations. They fostered a false narrative, claiming that the people in this country were being subjected to injustice and that they, the Naxalites, would fight to rectify it. Through deceit and fabrication, Naxalite forces systematically sowed seeds of poison in the minds of the tribal population regarding this nation and its established systems.

The entire country had to endure the adverse consequences of these actions for many years. Over the past 12 years, the Modi government has undertaken systematic efforts, driven by a firm resolve to completely eradicate Naxalism. As a result of these efforts, Naxalism has been almost entirely eliminated from the Bastar region, an area where Naxalite forces once wielded their greatest influence. This outcome did not occur suddenly or overnight. Rather, success in dismantling the Naxalite threat was achieved through a concerted campaign launched by the Modi government, in collaboration with state governments, over the last 12 years; by equipping security forces with state-of-the-art weaponry and modern technology; and, simultaneously, by initiating development projects in Naxal-affected regions. Since 1970, thousands of people have lost their lives due to the violence that has plagued this region.

Hundreds of youths were killed. Numerous police personnel from both the Central and State governments also perished in this violence. Naxalism had emerged as an extremely grave challenge facing the nation. However, forces opposed to the Congress and the BJP failed to grasp the true gravity of the situation. For years, many continued to justify this violence. Those who support the Naxalites offer no answer when asked who is responsible for the deaths of the innocent victims claimed by this violence. It must always be borne in mind that the violence in the ‘Red Corridor’ was not a consequence of being deprived of development; rather, it was fueled by Leftist and Communist ideologies.The then Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, had publicly stated that the problem of violence in the ‘Red Corridor’ was more serious than the terrorism prevailing in Kashmir and Northeast India. However, his government did nothing to eradicate Naxalism. To eradicate Naxalism in the ‘Red Corridor’, Central Reserve Police Force personnel, especially ‘Cobra’, police from various state governments including Chhattisgarh, and local tribal people made tremendous efforts. Without the support of our tribal brothers, the concept of a Naxalism-free India would not have been realized.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the Central Government has sanctioned the construction of 17,589 kilometers of roads in Naxal-affected areas since 2014; of this, the construction of 12,000 kilometers has already been completed. Development works are progressing rapidly precisely because Naxalism is being gradually eradicated. The Modi government has erected nearly 5,000 mobile towers at a cost of Rs 6,000 crore. During Prime Minister Modi’s 12-year tenure, 596 well-equipped and secure police stations have been established.

The number of Naxal-affected districts, which was 126 in 2014, has come down to just two today. The number of most Naxal-affected districts, which was 35 in 2014, has now come down to zero. The number of police stations within whose jurisdiction Naxal-related incidents were previously recorded has today declined from 350 to 60. Over the past six years, 406 new Central Armed Police Force camps have been established, 68 helipads capable of facilitating night landings have been constructed, 400 bullet-proof and mine-resistant vehicles have been provided to security personnel, five hospitals have been built for the troops, and the entire communication network has been significantly strengthened. The Modi government has adopted an attractive rehabilitation policy, under which an incentive of Rs 50,000 is provided upon surrender; in the event of a mass surrender, this amount is doubled. The government provides mobile phones to all such individuals.

Additional compensation is offered for the surrender of weapons. Skill training and toolkits are provided at rehabilitation centers. They are provided with a monthly stipend of Rs 10,000 for a period of up to 36 months. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has gifted homes to all of them under the ‘Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana’. As soon as a village becomes free of Naxalism and a Panchayat is established there, a sum of Rs 1 crore is allocated for that village’s development. After the Modi government came to power in the country in 2014, concerted efforts were made to provide every poor person with a home of their own; gas cylinders were distributed to millions of women, and schemes were launched to ensure access to drinking water in every household. Against this backdrop, a mischievous question was frequently raised: why had the people of Bastar not received the benefits of the Modi government’s schemes? The people of Bastar were unable to access the benefits of the Modi government’s pro-poor schemes because the region was under the immense grip of terror unleashed by Naxalite forces. Thanks to the efforts of our government, the shadow of terror over Bastar has now been lifted. The Bastar region is currently undergoing rapid development. The Naxalites used to claim that they had taken up arms because the tribal population was being subjected to injustice. This implies that the Naxalites had no faith in the Indian Constitution.

Our Constitution possesses the inherent capacity to establish the necessary mechanisms to redress the injustices faced by the common man. However, instead of placing their trust in the Constitution, these groups resorted to violence. The Modi government has demonstrated through its actions that such violence will not be tolerated under any circumstances. The Modi government’s efforts to integrate the Bastar region into the developmental mainstream have met with success. Concerted efforts were undertaken to establish schools and fair-price shops (ration outlets) in every single village across the region. Efforts were made to start primary health centers in every taluka and panchayat. Aadhar cards and ration cards were given to tribal brothers. Through this, they have started getting 5 kg of food grains every month. Furthermore, gas stoves are being distributed to households across the region. The Modi government has exerted its full strength and made every necessary effort to bring the poor and underprivileged tribal communities into the developmental mainstream. These efforts have yielded positive results. Once again, we congratulate the Modi government on this commendable achievement.

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