Raipur, February 8: Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated on Sunday that the primary cause of left-wing extremism in India is Maoist ideology. This destructive ideology has adversely affected the lives of three generations of tribals in several states, including Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.
The Home Minister emphasized that Maoist ideology has coerced innocent tribals into taking up arms, fabricating a false narrative that Naxalism stems from a lack of development and law-and-order issues.
“I appeal to those involved in Naxalite activities to surrender to the security forces. I especially urge young tribal women to consider that the BJP government has better plans for their future,” he said.
Shah expressed strong disagreement with those who claim that Naxalism is a consequence of developmental and law-and-order failures. “The origin of Naxalism was a conspiracy based on Maoist ideology, and I have evidence to prove this. If it were a developmental issue, many districts would be in worse condition than Bastar. If it were a law-and-order issue, the situation in many districts would be even more dire,” he added.
He urged the public to recognize that the Maoist ideology, which has destroyed the lives of innocent tribal children by arming them, demolishing schools, and obstructing development, is a path of destruction.
Shah also spoke about the strong relationship between neighboring states Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, noting that both states are progressing together and standing by each other like brothers.
It is noteworthy that since January 2024, over 500 Naxalites have been killed in encounters in Chhattisgarh, including senior leaders like CPI (Maoist) General Secretary Nambala Keshava Rao, also known as Basavaraju. During this period, approximately 1,900 Naxalites have been arrested, and over 2,500 have surrendered.
Remarkably, Madhya Pradesh, which was affected by Naxalism for nearly four decades, has been declared Naxal-free well ahead of the March 31, 2026 deadline.