Shah was replying to a debate in Lok Sabha on ‘Efforts to free the country from Left Wing Extremism (LWE)’, a day before his deadline for elimination of Maoist violence ends. Last year, he had announced that LWE would end in the country by March 31, 2026.
During the debate, the Opposition members cautioned the government against “patting itself on its back”, underlining the importance of winning people’s trust. They emphasised that LWE is not just a law and order problem, and the core issues need to be resolved first.
“Humne lakshya kiya tha ki March 31, 2026, ko Naxal-mukt karenge. Main poori vyavastha hone ke baad, desh ko bhi soochit karunga, magar aisa bol sakta hoon, dhadalle se bol sakta hoon, ki hum Naxal-mukt ho gaye hain; aisa kehne mein koi taqleef nahin (We had set a target of March 31 for becoming Naxal-free. I will inform the nation after the final arrangements have been made, but I can say, without hesitation, that we have become Naxal-free; I have no problem in saying so),” Shah said.
Giving details of the success achieved by the security forces against Maoists, Shah said all members of the state committees of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh have surrendered, and of the four remaining in Odisha, one has surrendered and three have been killed. He said in Telangana, six have surrendered, three have been killed and not a single one remains. “Their Politburo and central structure have been almost completely dismantled,” he said.
Citing Bastar’s development as evidence of his government’s efforts to uproot LWE, he said: “Today, Naxalism has been more or less wiped out from Bastar. There was a movement to construct a school in every village, a ration shop… there are Aadhaar cards, ration cards, five kilograms of ration is being distributed…I want to ask those who were speaking in favour of Naxalism here, why was this not the case from 1970 till now?”
“Why were the people of Bastar left behind? The truth is being hidden. They were left behind because there was a shadow of red terror there. That is why development could not reach it…today, that shadow of red terror has been removed and Bastar is getting developed,” he said.
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“Several significant works that the people of the country wanted since Independence…have been done under Narendra Modi’s rule in the last 12 years and now, the creation of a Naxal-free India is also happening under Narendra Modi’s rule…Today, Left Wing Extremism is about to end,” he said.
Shah blamed the Congress for the long spell of Maoist violence, saying it did “nothing” during its rule to end the menace despite acknowledging the gravity of the problem. He said that earlier, 12 states had turned into a ‘Red Corridor’ with no rule of law, 12 crore people lived in poverty for years, and 20,000 people, including 5,000 security personnel, were killed due to Maoist violence, but “nobody paid any attention”.
“Some people were disabled for life…(they) are living a hellish life and were not touched by development…who is responsible for this? The root cause of Naxalism is not the demand for development, but ideology, the ideology which Indira Gandhi accepted to win the presidential elections… and it is because of this Leftist ideology that Naxalism spread,” he said.
The Home Minister alleged that for 60 years, the Congress “did not give the tribals houses, didn’t give them water, didn’t build schools, didn’t extend bank facilities”. “So first look a little into your own reign and see who is at fault,” he said, in response to some Opposition members blaming the Modi government for the violence.
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Shah said the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had acknowledged that Maoist violence was a bigger challenge than the Kashmir and North-East problems, but the “Congress did nothing about it”.
Citing comparative statistics, he accused the Congress of being unable to confront the issue despite being in power for six decades. “I believe this should be the approach of the government… Those who want to have a dialogue should be engaged with, and those who fire upon our jawans, farmers, Adivasis and children, should be answered with a bullet,” he said.
“Rahul Gandhi ji, in his long political career, has been seen with Naxals and their sympathisers. In the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the fact that many frontal Naxal organisations took part is a matter of record,” he said.
“When (CPI-Maoist Central Committee member Madvi) Hidma was killed…the Hidma who killed 172 (security) jawans, India Gate witnessed sloganeering of ‘kitne Hidma maroge, har ghar se niklenge Hidma (How many Hidmas will you kill, Hidmas will come from every home)’; this video was personally tweeted by Rahul Gandhi,” Shah said.
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“From 1970 until March 2026, they (the Congress) have supported Naxalism, supported its massacres and if there is anyone guilty of the deaths of 20,000 people, it is the Left Wing ideology of the Congress. By spending time with Naxals, this party and its leaders have become Naxalites themselves; they will have to answer to the people of this country in the elections…this will go to the people’s court,” he said.
Warning that the Modi government would not spare anyone who picks up arms, he said the solution for addressing injustice is prescribed in the Constitution. Taking up arms is not the answer, he said. “It is the policy of our government that talks are held only with those who lay down their arms and a bullet is answered with a bullet,” he said.
Shah also said that all credit for the success against Maoists goes to the Central Armed Police Forces personnel, especially the soldiers of Cobra and CRPF, security agencies, Chhattisgarh Police, DRG personnel and tribal inhabitants.
