Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday ruled out a ceasefire with Maoists, while stating that a “red carpet” awaited those who give up arms. Reiterating that “violent Naxalism” would be eradicated by March 31, 2026, he stressed that confronting the ideology behind the movement was essential for complete success.
Referring to a purported letter by the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), which surfaced earlier this month in Chhattisgarh, Mr. Shah said, “They recently attempted to create confusion by issuing a letter, claiming that they want to surrender. There will be no ceasefire. Give up your arms if you want to surrender. You will be rehabilitated.”
He was addressing a summit on ‘Naxal Mukt Bharat: Ending Red Terror Under PM Narendra Modi’s Leadership’ organised by the Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation.
Mr. Shah said that when the government launched Operation Black Forest against the outfit, Left parties demanded it be stopped. “Why do you want to save them? Why are you selective in showing sympathy and sensitivity? Why don’t they and NGOs show the same sympathy and sensitivity towards the victims of Naxal violence?” he asked.
He added that those spreading the “falsehood” that lack of development was the primary reason behind the spread of Left-Wing Extremism were “misleading” the country.
“We all know that when our country got independence, resources were limited, and not all regions could develop simultaneously. However, the situation today is starkly different. I ask the Leftist intellectuals who support this movement: Who is responsible for preventing development in places like Bijapur and Sukma in Chhattisgarh?” he said.
Alleging that Leftist ideology and violence were “interlinked,” the Union Home Minister cited examples of Colombia, Peru and Cambodia. He said “Naxalism” began in the so-called “Red Corridor,” while 56 other districts that lagged far behind in development did not witness such unrest. “You want to create a vacuum at the level of the State, governance, Constitution, and security… you do not want development for the Adivasis; you are only concerned about keeping your ideology alive,” he said.
He stressed that, unlike the “scattered approach” of earlier regimes, the government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi since 2014 had pursued a “unified and ruthless” strategy against violence, while offering rehabilitation to those who surrendered and ensuring development in the affected areas. “We do not want bloodshed. However, if you want to kill innocent Adivasis, it is our dharma to protect them and take the Naxals head-on,” he said.
Mr. Shah said arms supply to the banned outfit had been reduced by 90% since 2019, with agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate and the National Investigation Agency cracking down on financial resources. Loopholes in security were addressed by setting up fortified camps, strengthening intelligence-sharing, enhancing capacity, and improving coordination between Central and State forces. Operations such as Octopus and Double Bull had delivered heavy blows to the group, he said.
“As a result, there was a 73% and 74% reduction in the deaths of security personnel and civilians during 2014-24 compared to 2004-14. In Chhattisgarh, when the Congress was in power, we did not achieve that level of success. After the BJP government took over in 2024, 290 Naxals were neutralised that year. The fact that 1,090 were arrested and 881 surrendered shows the government’s approach,” Mr. Shah said. He added that so far this year, 270 Maoists had been killed in encounters, 680 arrested, and 1,225 had surrendered in the State. Developmental projects, he said, had further reduced Maoist activities to 18 districts.
Mr. Shah said that when Mr. Modi assumed office in 2014, the country faced three “internal security hotspots” – Jammu and Kashmir, insurgency in the North-East, and Left-Wing Extremism. In J&K, he said, security forces fought Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, Article 370 was abrogated, people-centric schemes were implemented, and both security and civilian casualties had declined sharply. In the North-East, 12 peace accords were signed, placing the region on the path to peace and development, he said.
The Union Home Minister underlined that internal and external security, cultural nationalism, and the revival of Indian culture formed the core of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s ideology.
Published – September 28, 2025 10:11 pm IST
