Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday hailed a major breakthrough in the government’s decades-long fight against Naxalism, declaring North Bastar’s Abujhmarh region in Chhattisgarh as “Naxal-free.”
Shah said the development marks a landmark day in India’s battle against Left Wing Extremism, with 170 Naxalites surrendering to authorities.
“Our policy is clear – those who want to surrender are welcome, and those who continue to wield guns will face the wrath of our forces,” Shah stated.
He appealed to remaining extremists to lay down arms and join the mainstream.
Bastar, one of India’s worst-affected Naxal regions for decades, has witnessed a sharp decline in insurgent activities in recent years due to intensified security operations and development efforts.
Shah asserted that while traces of Naxalism persist in South Bastar, “they will soon be wiped out completely.”
