Union Home Minister Amit Shah, speaking in Jagdalpur, ruled out any possibility of dialogue with Maoists, stating that they must first surrender and then participate in the development of Bastar. He also highlighted that the Narendra Modi government has provided over 4 lakh crore rupees for development projects in Chhattisgarh over the past 10 years, along with various schemes to honor the tribals. Addressing the Bastar Dussehra Lokotsav, 2025, and Swadeshi Mela, Shah reiterated the resolve to eliminate Naxalism from the country by March 31st of the following year.
Emphasizing a strict stance against the Naxals, the Home Minister asserted that security forces would give a befitting reply to those disrupting peace in Bastar through violence. He appealed to the tribal communities to persuade the youth in their villages to lay down their arms, join the mainstream, and contribute to Bastar’s development. Shah made it clear that the governments are dedicated to the development of Bastar and every Naxal-affected area and urged the Maoists to surrender, highlighting the attractive surrender policy. He warned that armed forces would strongly respond to any attempts to disturb the peace of Bastar through violence and reiterated the goal of eradicating Naxalism by March 31, 2026.
Shah criticized Naxalism for hindering development, stating that it prevented progress from reaching the tribal communities. He contrasted the situation with the advancements made in other areas of the country, such as electricity, water, roads, sanitation, health insurance, and subsidized food grains, while acknowledging that Bastar lagged behind due to Naxalism.
Shah assured the people of Bastar, on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, that Naxalism would not impede their development or rights after March 31st of the following year. He appealed to the people of Bastar to dissuade those who have been misguided by Naxalism, urging them to surrender and join the mainstream. He mentioned that the Chhattisgarh government has implemented the best surrender policy in the country, with over 500 people surrendering in a single month. He emphasized that no one benefits from Naxalism, and villages declared Naxal-free would receive one crore rupees from the Chhattisgarh government for their development.
Shah also shared that he had offered prayers at the Dantewari Mai temple in Jagdalpur, seeking blessings for the security forces to rid the entire Bastar region of ‘red terror’ by March 31, 2026. Before his address, the Home Minister visited the Dantewari temple for worship and participated in the traditional Muriya Darbar, held as part of the world-famous Bastar Dussehra festival. He interacted with priests and leaders of the tribal community during the Muriya Darbar.