Day not far when India will be free from Maoist terror: Modi

RAIPUR: Stressing upon the importance of practical policies and actions in the mission for global peace, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said India has always come forward as a first responder during any global crisis.

“Whenever a crisis or a disaster occurs anywhere in the world, Bharat steps forward as a trusted partner,’’ he said, adding the nation has always reached out immediately to help.

Speaking at various events in Chattisgarh to mark the state’s 25th anniversary celebration of the formation of the state which was carved out of Madhya Pradesh, PM Modi dwelt at length on the left-wing extremism and the government efforts to eradicate the menace, often described as the most grave challenge to the internal security.

He said the number of districts affected by Maoist terror has come down from 125 to just three in the last 11 years, and the day is not far when the country will be freed from the Naxal menace.

In his address at the ‘Chhattisgarh Rajat Mahotsav’ in Nava Raipur, Modi hailed the state’s growth journey and said the seed sown 25 years ago has grown into a “vat vriksh” (banyan tree) of development. In all, the PM inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for development projects worth over Rs. 14.260 crore.

Modi said he was deeply satisfied that Chhattisgarh was breaking free from the clutches of Naxal violence which had caused immense suffering to the state for over five decades.

“For 50 years, the people here suffered unbearable pain (because of Naxalism). Those who flaunt the Constitution today and shed crocodile tears in the name of social justice have committed injustice on you for political interests,” he said while taking a dig at opposition leaders.

The Maoist ideology deprived tribal regions of basic facilities, the PM said. “For years, tribal villages lacked roads, schools and hospitals. The existing ones were blown up with bombs. Doctors and teachers were killed. Those who ruled the country for decades abandoned you while they enjoyed life in their air-conditioned offices,” Modi said.

The Prime Minister said that he could not just stand by and watch his tribal brothers and sisters being destroyed by violence. “I could not (bear to) see mothers crying for their children. In 2014, when you gave us the opportunity, we resolved to free India from Maoist terror. Today the results are before the nation,” Modi said.

“I guarantee that the day is not far when every corner of Chhattisgarh and India will be completely free from Maoist terror,” he said. In the past few months, dozens of Maoists, including many carrying rewards of lakhs and crores of rupees on their heads, have surrendered across the country, Modi noted.

“In Kanker, more than 20 Naxals laid down arms recently. Earlier in October, over 200 Maoists surrendered in Bastar. They have now accepted the Indian Constitution and chosen the path of peace,” he said. Where once there was the fear of guns and bombs, the situation has changed, the PM said.

Electricity reached Chikapalli village of Bijapur for the first time in 70 years, while a school opened for the first time since Independence at Rekawaya village in the Abujhmad region, he said.

Development work was in full swing at Puvarti village, once known as a terror hub, and the tricolour flies proudly where the red flag (of the Naxals) once stood, the prime minister said.

“Despite facing the challenge of Naxalism for 25 years, Chhattisgarh kept moving forward. Now, with the end of Naxalism, our pace of development will accelerate,” he asserted.

Addressing a gathering after inaugurating the Shanti Shikhar centre for spiritual learning and meditation of Brahma Kumaris in Chhattisgarh’s Nava Raipur, Modi said his government’s mantra is to ensure the country’s development through development of the states.

“Today’s day is very special. Today, Chhattisgarh is completing 25 years of its establishment. Jharkhand and Uttarakhand are also completing 25 years. Many other states are also celebrating their foundation day today,” Modi said.

Earlier, as part of the ‘Dil Ki Baat’ programme, Modi interacted with 2,500 children successfully treated for congenital heart diseases in the ‘Gift of Life’ ceremony at Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospital in Nava Raipur. Former India cricket captain Sunil Gavaskar was present.

He also inaugurated and laid foundation stones of Rs 14,260 crore projects across key sectors such as roads, industry, healthcare, and energy in the state.

Modi also inaugurated the new building of the Chhattisgarh Assembly and unveiled the statue of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

The legislative assembly is not merely a place for framing laws but a vibrant centre for shaping the state’s destiny, he said, after inaugurating the new Chhattisgarh legislative assembly building.

“The true significance of the new assembly building’s inauguration lies in our collective resolve to perform our duties with sincerity and uphold the spirit of democracy,” he said.

“All of us need to remember that this legislative assembly is not just a place for making laws but a vibrant centre and a powerful force in shaping the destiny of Chhattisgarh.

“Therefore, we must ensure that every idea emanating from here reflects the spirit of public service, the resolve for development, and the belief in taking India to new heights,” Modi said.

At the Chhattisgarh Rajat Mahotsav event, Modi said that in the last 11 years, houses have been provided to four crore poor people. “Our resolve is to give them three crore more houses,” he added.

Modi also handed over house keys to some beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana in Chhattisgarh at an event in Nava Raipur. He inaugurated the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Memorial and Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum in Nava Raipur.

He also inaugurated 12 new Start-Up Village Entrepreneurship Programme blocs across nine districts of Chhattisgarh. He released Rs 1,200 crore instalment to three lakh beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin).

Modi laid the foundation stone of the four-lane greenfield Pathalgaon–Kunkuri highway, being developed under the Bharatmala project by the National Highways Authority of India at a cost of Rs 3,150 crore.

The PM also laid the foundation stone for the Narayanpur–Kasturmeta–Kutul–Nilangur–Maharashtra border highway, spanning segments across Bastar and Narayanpur districts.