Amit Shah Claims Maoist Menace is Over, Blames Indira Gandhi for the Spread of Naxalism

Manas Dasgupta

NEW DELHI, Mar 30: The Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday claimed that the spectre of Maoist menace had been lifted from the country and its last bastion, Chhattisgarh’s Bastar, was treading the “Path of development.”

Speaking in the Lok Sabha during a debate on ‘India’s decisive fight against Naxalism,’ a day ahead of the deadline set by the government for the eradication of Maoist violence in the country, Mr Shah said, “Naxalism in the country is now on the verge of extinction.” The greatest credit for this goes to the personnel of the security forces, the state police forces, and the local tribal communities. The people too, have played a pivotal role in this achievement, he added.

Paying tribute to the civilians and the security personnel, who lost their lives due to red terror. Shah claimed Naxalism or Maoism is not related to development, but only to grab power using arms. This ideology was spread among the Adivasis to grab power, he said.

He squarely blamed the former prime minister Indira Gandhi for the spread of Maoist culture and said the root-cause of Naxalism was not the demand of development, but it was an ideology that was embraced by Mrs Gandhi to win the presidential elections and lambasted the Congress for the spread of Maoism in as many as 12 states, including Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Odisha, that has claimed thousands of lives across India.

However, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government worked continuously to end Naxalism, Shah said, recounting the work done in the past 12 years. Pointing out that Maoist violence has cost the lives of 20,000 young people and affected 120 million people, Shah said it was a failure of the Congress government that tribals and several other communities were deprived of development.

“Over the last 75 years, the Congress party governed for 60 years. Why, then, did the tribal communities remain deprived of development? Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had said within the country, Naxalism posed a far greater challenge than the militancy in Kashmir and the north-east… despite this, nothing was done,” he said.

“Today, Naxalism has been almost eradicated from Bastar,” Shah said. “The people of Bastar were left behind precisely because the shadow of ‘Red Terror’ loomed over the region; that is why development failed to reach them. Today, that shadow has been lifted, and Bastar is now on the path of development.”

The union home minister said the Constitution has provisions for injustice that people might face, but taking up arms was not the solution. He further said those advocating Naxalism should know that people who take up arms will have to pay a price. The Modi government would hold those accountable who take up arms, Shah asserted.

Continuing his attack on Congress, Shah said the grand old party didn’t allow the implementation of schemes that benefited the tribals because it disturbed their ideology’s illicit rule. “Out of the 75 years since independence, power remained in your (Congress) hands for 60 years. Why, then, have the tribal communities remained deprived of development to this day?” he said.

“It is only now, with the arrival of Narendra Modi, that actual development is taking place. For sixty years, you failed to provide them with homes or access to clean water; you built no schools for them; you prevented mobile towers and banking facilities from reaching their areas, and yet, now you are the ones demanding accountability?” Shah added.

In his remarks, Shah also criticised the opposition for comparing Bhagat Singh and Birsa Munda with the Naxalites. Wondering how can someone compare Bhagat Singh and Birsa Munda with the Naxalites who had taken up arms to slaughter innocent people, the BJP leader said the opposition must rise above narrow politics while addressing such important issues.

The Naxalites never considered Bhagat Singh, Subhas Chandra Bose, Tilka Manjhi or Birsa Munda as their ideals, but only idealised Mao, the union home minister said. He even alleged that the Communist Party of India (Marxist) was formed to back China, saying they are the Maoists of today.

Meanwhile, 9 members of the banned CPI (Maoists) including party Central Committee member (CCM) and secretary Andhra Odisha Border Special Economic Zone (AOBSZC) Chelluri Narayana Rao alias Suresh, surrendered before Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Harish Kumar Gupta on Monday.  (March 30).

Announcing their surrender, Mr Gupta Andhra Pradesh a Naxal-free State, and that there were no Maoists operating in the State. Along with Chelluri Narayana Rao, company platoon commander Kartam Lachhu, area committee member Podium Raje alias Rame and other party cadres Kartam Adame alias Nangi, Muchaki Masa alias Ajith, Madvi Jogi alias Rukuni, Muchaki Laxman alias Lakma, Madivi Adama and Kadithi Hurre alias Urra, joined in the mainstream.

Narayana Rao was carrying a reward of ₹25 lakh on his head, while Kartam Lachhu was carrying a reward of ₹5 lakh. Kartam Lachhu was involved in Tekkulaguda ambush in April 2021, in which 22 police were killed and attack on Dharmavaram camp in 2024, and Elamagunda camp attack in 2023, the DGP explained.

They surrendered before the police with an INSAS rifle, 2 BGL weapons, five 303, five SBBL and six single shot rifles, seven BGL shells, 22 ammunition, 13 detonators, five gelatin sticks and 13 man packs , the DGP said at a press conference.

On Sunday, a Maoist carrying a reward of ₹5 lakh was killed in an encounter with the security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district. Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan said on the basis of intelligence about the presence of Maoists in the forest hills under the Polampalli police station area of Sukma district, the Sukma District Reserve Guard (DRG) team started a search operation.

During the operation, intermittent firing took place between the DRG team and the Maoists since Sunday morning, said Mr Chavan, adding that on searching the encounter site, the body of one male Maoist along with his weapon was recovered. The Maoist was later identified as Muchaki Kailash who was wanted for civilian killings, attacks, and conspiracy to carry out IED blasts and was carrying a reward of ₹5 lakh, Mr Chavan said.