Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday firmly ruled out the possibility of any talks with Naxals, stating that they must lay down their weapons and accept the government’s “lucrative surrender and rehabilitation policy.”
Addressing the ‘Bastar Dussehra Lokotsav’ and ‘Swadeshi Mela’ in Jagdalpur, the headquarters of Chhattisgarh’s Bastar district, Shah said the Central and Chhattisgarh governments are committed to development across all Naxal-affected regions.
नक्सली हिंसा और अस्थिरता के लंबे दौर को पीछे छोड़ कर बस्तर अपनी संस्कृति और विरासत को आगे बढ़ा रहा है। जगदलपुर (छत्तीसगढ़) में भव्य ‘दशहरा महोत्सव’ से लाइव… https://t.co/cUS0mCFk87
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) October 4, 2025
“Some people have called for talks (with Naxals). Let me make it clear again that both the Chhattisgarh and Central governments are committed to development across Bastar and all Naxal-affected areas. What is there to talk about? A lucrative surrender-and-rehabilitation policy has been put in place. Come forward and lay down your weapons,” he asserted.
He announced March 31, 2026, as the deadline to bid farewell to Naxalism in Bastar and said he had prayed at the Maa Danteshwari Temple for the strength of security forces to completely eradicate “red terror” from the region. “Security forces will give a befitting reply to those disrupting Bastar’s peace with weapons,” Shah warned.
‘Naxalism the Root Cause of Bastar’s Underdevelopment’
Amit Shah said that some people in Delhi had spread misinformation for years that Naxalism emerged as a fight for development. “But I have come to tell my tribal brothers that entire Bastar has been deprived of development. The root cause of this is Naxalism,” he said.
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He highlighted that while electricity, drinking water, roads, toilets, and health insurance of up to ₹5 lakh have reached every village in India, Bastar has lagged behind due to Naxal activities. “Narendra Modi govt has given more than ₹4 lakh crore to Chhattisgarh for development works in 10 years. On behalf of the PM, I want to assure you that after March 31, 2026, Naxalites will not be able to stop your development. They will not be able to stop your rights,” Shah declared.
He urged people to convince those misled by Naxalism to abandon violence and join the mainstream. The minister also mentioned several schemes launched by the BJP government to honour the state’s tribal communities.
Describing the 75-day-long Dussehra celebrations as one of the world’s longest and most culturally significant festivals, Shah praised the event for showcasing Bastar’s deep-rooted tribal heritage.
