Naxalism will be rooted out by March 31, 2026: Amit Shah tells LWE victims

The Narendra Modi government has managed to weed out Left Wing Extremism (LWE) from all over India and Naxalism will be rooted out from the country by March 31, 2026, Union home minister Amit Shah said.
He was speaking to LWE victims from Chhattisgarh who had come to meet him at his residence in Delhi on Thursday under the aegis of the Bastar Peace Committee.
“There was a time Naxals were spread everywhere and believed they would have a red corridor from Tirupati to Pashupatinath. Today, their influence is just limited to four districts of Chhattisgarh today. The Narendra Modi government has managed to weed out Naxalism from all over the country. I have been to your state and told the people that by March 31, 2026, Naxalism will be rooted out. It has been decided that March 31 will be the day Naxals will be given their aakhri Salam (last salute). I promise you that Naxal menace will end before that,” Shah said.
Shah said that while his residence had seen many guests over the years, the visit by victims of Naxal menace was the most significant. “You have lost your family. You have been injured. I cannot undo that, but I will ensure innocent lives will not be lost or affected anymore. Your lives should not be affected by such tragedies…. Circumstances have brought difficulties in your life. There are enormous difficulties. But, despite everything, here you stand strong with your resilience and resoluteness. The whole country and the Home Ministry salute your resilience and determination,” he said.
Shah criticised those who support Naxal ideology but remain mute on the plight of citizens suffering because of LWE violence. He said, “You have travelled all the way to come here. You have suffered in the hands of those who have hurt you and killed your relatives in the name of ideology. I am sure that your voices in Delhi will be heard by those who have continued to be deaf and blind to your woes despite having ears and eyes. Those people can see and talk about the rights of the gun-wielding people but what about those who have suffered at the hands of the Naxals. Children lost their legs, some lost their mothers, fathers, and some were handicapped. Why can’t such people see the rights of people affected by Naxalism?”
Shah also urged Naxals to surrender and join mainstream because the government has started the work to root out LWE extremism. As a final offer for the Naxals to surrender, the state government is also coming up with a new surrender policy. The details of the new policy are yet to be announced. He said, “I appeal Naxals to surrender. People in Northeast and Kashmir have surrendered and come to the mainstream. If you do not, we are surely at work and will achieve success.”
Over the last one year, the Centre has launched a crackdown on Naxals by taking over areas that were controlled by Naxals for decades in the Bastar Region. The crackdown has also led to a record number of Naxals laying down their arms before the security forces. Earlier this year, the security forces also took back control of the Puvarti village, which was a stronghold of Naxal commander Madhvi Hidma, a wanted man who carries a reward of over ₹1 crore from different state police forces.
Since December 2023, there has been a clear uptick in aggression from security personnel, who have created 17 new forward camps in what were thus far thought to be core Maoist-controlled areas. At least 155 Maoists have been killed in 92 separate gunfights with security personnel in Chhattisgarh this year. During the same period, 669 Maoists have been arrested and 656 have surrendered. The Maoists have killed 15 personnel and 34 civilians in the same period.
Shah said the Centre had conducted a review of different initiatives in Chhattisgarh and would soon announce a good initiative for the people. “In the next three months, we will come up with a wonderful developmental initiative for the people of Chhattisgarh. When you return, be reassured and confident that Bastar will again be peaceful, beautiful and a development place.”