'Will Liberate From Red Terror', Elevate It To Become No. 1 State: Shah Reiterates March 31 Deadline To Eradicate Naxalism From Chhattisgarh

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday called for the swift eradication of "destructive" Communist ideology from India, while simultaneously urging Naxalites to surrender their weapons. 

Speaking at a national conclave hosted by the Organiser titled ‘Chhattisgarh@25: Shifting The Lens’, Shah argued that the Maoist insurgency is strictly an ideological battle rather than a byproduct of socio-economic disparity or administrative failure. He said this problem should not be linked to either lack of development or a poor law and order situation.

Shah said, “Some thinkers spread the misconception that the Maoist issue is linked to development and that it is an issue of law and order. But it’s not the case,” as per news reports.

Maoist threat 

Shah warned that misinterpreting the true nature of the Maoist threat would be a grave disservice to future generations. He highlighted that by the 1980s, the insurgency had already expanded beyond its origins to the border regions of modern-day Telangana, as well as Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha.

He said, “At that time, there were more than 100 districts which were (more) backward than Bastar. If the root cause of the problem is development, then when the problem grew, why did it not grow in those 100 districts that were more underdeveloped than Bastar? Some people call it a law-and-order issue. I do not agree with this either. Before the emergence of the Maoist problem, Bastar’s law and order statistics were much better than those of many districts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.”

Shah on Bastar

Shah stated that he has no hesitation in claiming that, had it not been for the Maoist insurgency, Bastar would have likely become the most advanced district in India. He expressed total confidence in the region's future, asserting, “After 10 years, look at Bastar. It is going to become the most developed tribal region.”

When will Maoism be eradicated?

Accusing the previous Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government of providing a "safe haven" to Maoists, Shah stated that 90% of Naxal-dominated areas have already been liberated, with the remaining insurgency set to be completely uprooted by the March 31, 2026 deadline.

Shah noted that while Chhattisgarh was once a hotbed of Naxal violence, the current “double-engine government”, driven by Prime Minister Modi’s vision, has transformed the state into a model of development. He emphasized that the administration is leaving no stone unturned to permanently eliminate the Naxal threat from India.

He said, “Twenty-five years ago, when Chhattisgarh was formed, it was considered a state plagued by Maoism. For about eighteen of those twenty-five years, the Bharatiya Janata Party government was in power, and for seven years, the Congress government was in power. And when we look back after twenty-five years, the state, which was considered a backward state, is on the verge of becoming a developed state, and Maoism is on the verge of being completely eradicated. This qualitative change in Chhattisgarh has been brought about by the Bharatiya Janata Party government, which operates on the basis of its ideology.”

The Home Minister expressed confidence that the nation would soon be rid of Naxalism, a movement he blamed for trapping generations in a cycle of poverty and illiteracy.

Furthermore, Shah stressed that the offensive must remain unified and focused. He called for seamless coordination between state and central agencies to ensure that fleeing insurgents are not allowed to find refuge in neighboring states.

Red Terror

Shah further emphasized, "I am certain that the youth (Naunihal) of Chhattisgarh will eventually be recognized as the true mascots of India's progress."

Adding further, he said, "Prime Minister Modi has presented a definitive vision to 140 crore Indians to establish our country as the world’s leading nation by 2047, and that goal cannot be realized if Chhattisgarh is excluded from the development roadmap."

Stressing further, he said, "This state has long stood by our ideology, and today, I personally assure the people of Chhattisgarh that we will liberate this land from 'Red Terror' and elevate it to become the number one state in the country."

The Union Home Minister said on X that the security-centric strategy, strengthening of infrastructure, crackdown on Maoist financial networks, and the surrender policy have yielded positive results. 

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