Amit Shah Says India Free of Maoist Insurgency in Bastar

Union Home Minister Amit Shah declared on Monday that India is now free from the Maoist insurgency, making the announcement during a visit to the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, a former stronghold of the movement. Speaking at an event in Jagdalpur, Shah stated that the government had fulfilled its pledge, made in August 2024, to eliminate Left Wing Extremism by a March 31 deadline.

Shah credited security forces, specifically praising the District Reserve Guard and the CRPF's CoBRA commandos, for their role in achieving this milestone. He paid tribute at Amar Vatika to more than 1,000 security personnel who lost their lives fighting the insurgency over decades. The minister noted that the broader objective was not only security but ensuring the delivery of welfare services and public amenities to tribal communities.

The Home Minister outlined a comprehensive development plan for Bastar, pledging to reverse losses suffered during six decades of conflict over the next five years. A central element involves converting 70 existing security camps into public service centres, known as Jan Seva Kendras, within the next 18 months. These centres are intended to function as one-stop hubs...