New Delhi, Nov 8: Prime Minister NarendraModi on Sunday said armed Naxalism had been eliminated from the country, but warned that the threat had not completely disappeared, alleging that “dimagiNaxals” had infiltrated several organisations and political parties and were continuing to incite people against the Constitution and democracy.
Addressing security personnel during Diwali celebrations with security forces in, Bastar, Chhattisgarh, PMModi said the country had won its decades-long battle against Naxalite-Maoist terror, but needed to remain alert against those spreading its ideology.
“The Naxalites have been eliminated, but the threat remains. Armed Naxalites have been eradicated from the forests, but the mindless Naxalites have taken over many organisations,” he said.
“These mindless Naxalites have infiltrated many political parties and various organisations. We must identify them, defeat them, and secure the country,” the Prime Minister said.
In an apparent political reference, PM Modi’s remarks on “dimagiNaxals” came as he accused such elements of working against the country’s constitutional and democratic institutions.
Calling the occasion a historic Diwali, PM Modi said this was the first time in several decades that the country was celebrating the festival after winning the battle against Naxalism. “This is the first Diwali when the country has won the decades-long battle against Naxalite-Maoist terror. This is the first Diwali when every district in the country is free from Naxalism. This is the first Diwali when millions of countrymen have defeated the fear of Naxalism,” he said.
He credited security personnel for the achievement, saying he had come to Bastar on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians to express gratitude for their sacrifice, dedication and spirit of service.
“This is the land once ravaged by Naxalite terror. Thanks to your sacrifice and dedication, the ravages of Naxalite terror have ended and the spring of development has begun,” he said.
Recalling the scale of Naxalite violence, PM Modi said more than 230 districts across nearly 20 states were once affected by Naxalism.
“Life in many areas would come to a standstill after sunset, while people were deprived of their right to vote,” he said.
“Thousands of villages, millions of people, and up to two thousand Naxalite attacks a year — 2000 attacks a year,” the PM said, recalling the 2010 Dantewada attack in which 76 CRPF personnel were killed.
He also referred to another incident in the same year in which 44 civilians lost their lives.
The Prime Minister said more than 1000 security personnel had been killed in Chhattisgarh alone during the decades-long fight against Naxalism.
He alleged that previous governments had treated Naxalism as an incurable problem and had not given security forces sufficient freedom to respond to attacks.
“The political will that the country lacked for this was overcome in 2014,” he said, adding that the situation and statistics had begun to change thereafter.
Highlighting the improvement in the security situation, PM Modi said, “For the first time in 47 years, not a single CRPF soldier has lost his life in the line of duty in the past year.”
He described it as a victory for the country’s policies, political will and the courage of security personnel.
PM Modi said the government had taken several steps to weaken the financial and logistical networks of Naxalites.
“The fake currency nexus was destroyed. This not only crippled their economic backbone but also choked their entire supply line. This halted the supply of weapons, curbing Naxalite movement and recruitment,” he said.
The PM said that security forces had been given the freedom to take necessary decisions on the ground and that efforts were made to stop support for left-wing extremism from individuals within the government and administrative system.
He said the objective of the campaign was not merely to eliminate armed cadres but also to prevent young people from taking up weapons and destroying their future.
“Our goal was to ensure that no mother’s lap is left empty, no family is trapped in the vortex of devastation, no child takes up arms and turns to violence, and no youth’s future is ruined,” the PM said.
Linking the fight against Naxalism with development, PM Modi said areas affected by left-wing extremism had suffered from the absence of basic facilities because Naxalites opposed roads, schools, hospitals and other infrastructure.
He said more than 15,000 km of roads had been constructed in Naxal-affected areas, while over 9500 mobile towers had been installed.
Nearly 150 Eklavya Model Residential Schools, around 50 Industrial Training Institutes and about 50 skill development centres had also been established, he said. Thousands of post offices, bank branches and ATMs were opened in these areas. Referring to the Bastar Olympics, PM Modi said children in the region were now moving towards sports instead of violence.
“Children are trying their hand at sports, not guns,” he said.
The PM also cited a World Bank report, saying 500 million people had come out of extreme poverty in India over the past 12 years.
He attributed the progress to welfare programmes, including Jan DhanYojana, PM AwasYojana, Mudra Yojana, Ayushman Bharat and free ration schemes.
PM Modi said the fight against Naxalism and poverty had to move together to ensure that tribal and deprived communities received the benefits of development.
PM celebrates Diwali with security personnel
The Prime Minister celebrated Diwali with personnel of the CoBRA force at its operations base in Karanpur and distributed sweets among them.
Recalling his tradition of celebrating the festival with security personnel, he said soldiers deployed on the country’s borders and those engaged in internal security were all part of his family. He specifically acknowledged the contribution of the CRPF, CoBRA, BSF, ITBP, SSB, state police and special forces, including Bastar Fighters.
PM Modi said the country’s achievements were not a reason to pause but a foundation for further progress towards a developed and self-reliant India.
“Today’s achievements inspire us, but they are not a pause. I repeat, this is not a pause. These victories, these successes, these are the stage for a new flight,” he said.
