New Delhi – Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday urged Maoists to abandon the path of violence, assuring that those who surrender will be welcomed with dignity and given full support for rehabilitation.
Speaking at the closing session of Bharat Manthan-2025: Naxal-Mukt Bharat at Vigyan Bhavan, Shah laid out the government’s comprehensive strategy against Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), combining security operations, development efforts, and political outreach.
He credited the Narendra Modi government for a sharp decline in extremist violence, citing a 70% reduction in security personnel deaths and an 85% fall in civilian fatalities between 2014–2024 compared to the previous decade. The target, he reaffirmed, is to free India from LWE by March 31, 2026.
According to Shah, more than 10,500 Maoists have already surrendered, while several others have been neutralised, arrested, or detained. “We do not wish to take lives. Our surrender policy is designed to be attractive, ensuring that those who come forward are rehabilitated with respect,” he said.
The Home Minister also noted a significant drop in the supply of arms to insurgents since 2019. He framed the challenge as not only a security issue but also an ideological battle, stressing the need to identify and expose those who have provided financial, legal, or social support to extremist groups.
“Society must reject extremist propaganda, while security forces deal firmly with violence,” Shah remarked.
Drawing parallels with improvements in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast, he said that better connectivity, good governance, and strong law enforcement had delivered peace and normalcy. He pointed to reduced violence, fewer casualties, and high voter turnout in Jammu and Kashmir following the revocation of Article 370 as clear indicators of progress.
With inputs from IANS