New Delhi [India], March 31 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday lauded Home Minister Amit Shah's reply in Lok Sabha to the debate on efforts to free the country from Left Wing Extremism and said his government has worked towards uprooting this menace and ensuring the fruits of development reach areas affected by Naxalism.
He termed Amit Shah's speech as "outstanding". "This is an outstanding speech by the Home Minister Amit Shahji, filled with important facts, historical context and the efforts of our Government in the last decade. For decades, the retrograde Maoist ideology had an adverse impact on the development of several regions. Left Wing Extremism has ruined the future of countless youngsters," PM Modi said in a post on X.
"In the last decade, our Government has worked towards uprooting this menace and at the same time ensuring the fruits of development reach areas affected by Naxalism. We will keep focusing on furthering good governance and ensuring peace and prosperity for all," he added.
In his remarks, Amit Shah said the country has become Naxal-free.
He slammed Rahul Gandhi, who is the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, and alleged that the Congress leader has been seen on numerous occasions with Naxals and their sympathisers. He gave details of action taken by security forces in tackling Naxalism and said 4,839 (Naxalites) have surrendered, 2,218 have been sent to jail, and 706 who refused to surrender and remained in hiding were gunned down by the police in encounters.
"We had set a target to make the region Naxal-free by March 31st. After the entire process, I'll inform the nation. However, I can state with absolute confidence that we've indeed become Naxal-free," he said. "Bihar had become Naxal-free prior to 2024. Maharashtra, barring a single tehsil, had become Naxal-free before 2024. Odisha had become Naxal-free prior to 2024. Jharkhand, except for one district, had become Naxal-free before 2024," he added.
Amit Shah alleged that the Congress government, which was in power in Chhattisgarh, had "shielded Naxalites".
"The Congress government in Chhattisgarh shielded the Naxalites...Now, I would like to speak about their leader Rahul Gandhi. Throughout his long political career, Rahul Gandhi was seen on numerous occasions with Naxals and their sympathisers. There is a record showing that several Naxal frontal organisations participated in the Bharat Jodo Yatra. In 2010, in Odisha, he shared a stage with Lado Sikoka. From that very platform, Sikoka delivered an inflammatory speech and even garlanded Rahul Gandhi... From the 1970s right up until March 2026, they have consistently supported Naxalism," he alleged.
He attacked the opposition parties for having made former Supreme Court judge B Sudarshan Reddy their candidate in the Vice Presidential election and condemned his "Salwa Judum" case judgement which was delivered in 2011.
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