Today in Politics: Amit Shah to begin two-day Chhattisgarh visit to review anti-Naxal ops

Sources said according to the tentative programme, the home minister will review the security situation and counter-insurgency operations during his visit to Jammu and Kashmir.

Shah is expected to give guidelines aligning with the Modi government’s push for zero-infiltration from across the border.

According to data prepared by the Union Home Ministry, at least 130 Naxalites have been killed in encounters in Chhattisgarh so far this year. Of them, over 110 were eliminated in the Bastar division, which comprises seven districts including Bijapur and Kanker.

Over 105 Naxals were arrested from different parts of the country and 164 have surrendered so far in 2025.

In 2024, a total of 290 Naxalites were killed, 1,090 were arrested, and 881 surrendered. As many as 15 top Naxal leaders have been neutralised so far.

PM Modi to participate in BIMSTEC Summit, head to Sri Lanka

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in the sixth BIMSTEC Summit on Friday in Thailand. It will be the prime minister’s third visit to Thailand, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said last week.

From Thailand, Modi will travel to Sri Lanka for a three-day trip to hold talks with top leadership of the island nation.

“The prime minister’s visit to Thailand and Sri Lanka, and his participation in the 6th BIMSTEC summit will reaffirm India’s commitment to its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, ‘Act East’ policy, ‘MAHASAGAR’ vision, and vision of the Indo-Pacific,” the MEA said.

In Colombo, Modi will hold discussions with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Disanayaka.

The two leaders will review progress made in the areas of cooperation agreed upon in the joint vision for “fostering partnerships for a shared future” that was adopted during the Sri Lankan president’s visit to India, the MEA said.

Modi will also have meetings with senior dignitaries and political leaders in Colombo. “As part of the visit, the prime minister will also travel to Anuradhapura for inauguration of development projects implemented with Indian financial assistance,” the MEA said.

TMC to protest high medicine prices

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said the TMC will stage demonstrations across the state on Friday to protest against the “Centre’s decision” to hike prices of medicines.

“I am shocked at the decision to hike prices of medicines as well as GST (rate) on medical insurance. It cannot be accepted. I call for immediate withdrawal of the price rise. Let good sense prevail,” she said.

Banerjee also demanded immediate rollback of the price rise of medicines. The CM claimed that prices of over 700 medicines have been hiked, and she had also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about her reservations on GST on insurance.

“I will also request the Parliament members of my party to take up this matter,” the CM added.

– With PTI inputs