Jagdalpur

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday claimed that India had become free from Naxalism even before the government’s March 31, 2026 deadline, crediting the achievement to the “courage, valour and sacrifice” of security personnel.

Addressing a press conference in Jagdalpur, Shah said the atmosphere in the Bastar region had changed significantly and that residents were now living without fear.

“An atmosphere of enthusiasm, confidence and assurance about the future is visible everywhere in Bastar. The fear and suffocation caused by life under the shadow of guns has ended, and Bastar is breathing freely now,” he said.

Shah recalled that during a meeting on August 24, 2024, the Centre had announced its target of eliminating Naxalism from the country by March 31, 2026.

“Thanks to the bravery and sacrifices of our security forces, Naxalism was eradicated before the deadline,” he said.

The Union minister also criticised the previous Congress government in Chhattisgarh led by Bhupesh Baghel, alleging that it did not cooperate with the Centre’s anti-Naxal campaign.

“Many non-BJP state governments supported us in the mission to make India Naxal-free, but the earlier Congress government in Chhattisgarh did not support us,” Shah claimed.

Highlighting a new development initiative for Bastar, Shah said 70 security camps established in the region during anti-Naxal operations would now be transformed into “Veer Gundadhur Seva Dera” centres aimed at delivering government services and welfare schemes directly to people.

He described May 19 as an important day for Bastar’s development journey and said the initiative would help ensure holistic growth in areas previously affected by insurgency.

“Some intellectuals used to say Naxalism spread because development did not reach these areas. But the truth is that development could not reach because of Naxalism,” Shah said.

He added that around 200 security camps had earlier been established in Bastar by the Union Home Ministry, where personnel from the CRPF, DRG and Chhattisgarh Police were stationed to maintain security.

“Now that Bastar is Naxal-free, we have decided that in the first phase, 70 of these camps will be converted into Veer Shaheed Gundadhur Seva Dera centres,” he said.

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On Monday, Shah inaugurated the Shaheed Veer Gundadhur Seva Dera Jan Suvidha Kendra in Bastar. According to officials, the centre will provide access to benefits under 371 central and state government schemes from a single location.