New Delhi [India], September 28 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the valedictory session of ‘Bharat Manthan-2025: Naxal Mukt Bharat – Ending Red Terror Under Modi’s Leadership’ in New Delhi on Sunday. Home Minister Shah stated that there was a time when the slogan of the Red Corridor, which stretched from Pashupatinath to Tirupati, caused concern, but today, people laugh when it is mentioned.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs’ official release, the Union Home Minister stated that a significant transformation has occurred during the 10-year tenure of the Modi government. He stated that Naxalism and armed rebellion began in the early 1970s.
In 1971, independent India witnessed a peak of 3,620 violent incidents. Subsequently, in the 1980s, the People’s War Group expanded its reach to Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, and Kerala.
He added that after the 1980s, Left-wing groups started merging with each other, and in 2004, the major CPI (Maoist) group was formed, leading to Naxal violence taking a very serious form. He said that the corridor from Pashupati to Tirupati was known as the Red Corridor.
Amit Shah said that 17 percent of the country’s territory was encompassed by the Red Corridor, affecting a population of 120 million. At that time, 10 percent of the population was living under the scourge of Naxalism. Shah said that in comparison, the other two hotspots – Kashmir, with 1 percent of the country’s territory affected by terrorism, and the Northeast, with 3.3 percent of the territory grappling with unrest – were less extensive.
He emphasized that internal security and the protection of the nation’s borders have always been a core part of our ideology. He further said that three key objectives have been central to our party’s mission: internal and external security of the country, cultural nationalism, and the revival of all aspects of Indian culture.
Union Home Minister paid his respects to all those who sacrificed their lives, lost their loved ones, and endured physical and mental hardships due to Left-wing violence since the 1960s. He said that Naxalism thrived in West Bengal until the Left parties came to power, and as soon as they did, Naxalism disappeared from there.
He said that for nearly four to five decades, thousands of people had lost their lives due to the unrest that emerged and spread in these three regions, there was significant property damage, a large portion of the country’s budget was diverted from the development of the poor to managing these hotspots, and security forces also suffered immense loss of life. He stated that upon becoming Prime Minister, Narendra Modi focused on these three hotspots and worked based on a clear, long-term strategy.
Amit Shah said that 17 percent of the country’s territory was encompassed by the Red Corridor, affecting a population of 120 million. At that time, 10 percent of the population was living under the scourge of Naxalism.Shah said that in comparison, the other two hotspots–Kashmir, with 1 percent of the country’s territory affected by terrorism, and the Northeast, with 3.3 percent of the territory grappling with unrest–were less extensive. He said that when Narendra Modi became Prime Minister in 2014, the Modi government began working on the three aspects of dialogue, security, and coordination. As a result, by March 31, 2026, armed Naxalism will be eradicated from the country.
HM said that whereas earlier work was done with a scattered approach, responses were incident-based and there was no permanent policy. In a way, one could say the steering of the government’s response was in the hands of the Naxalites.
Shah said that after 2014 the steering of the government’s campaigns and programmes rests with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India and this is a very significant policy change.
Amit Shah said that instead of a scattered approach, the Modi government has adopted a unified and ruthless approach. He added that the policy of our government is to roll out the red carpet and welcome those who wish to surrender by laying down their arms, but if anyone takes up arms to kill innocent tribals, the government’s duty is to protect the innocent tribals and to confront the armed Naxalites.
Amit Shah said that for the first time, the Government of India adopted a clear policy without any confusion. He said that the state police and central security forces were given freedom, and a practical bridge was built between the Government of India and the state governments for coordination in intelligence, information sharing, and operations. He added that strict control was imposed on the supply of arms and ammunition of Naxalites.
After 2019, we have succeeded in blocking more than 90 per cent of their supply. He said that the NIA and the ED have tightened the noose around those who finance the Naxalites, and that we have also fought against urban Naxal support, their legal aid networks, and the crafting of media narratives. He said we took targeted action against members of the central committee, and more than 18 central committee members have been neutralized from August 19 to this date.
The Home Minister said the security vacuum has also been filled, and targeted operations such as Operation Octopus and Operation Double Bull were carried out. He added that joint training of the DRG, STF, CRPF and COBRA units has also been initiated. The four now carry out operations together and their chain of command is now clear.
He said integrated training has made a big difference to our success. Alongside this, forensic investigations were started, a location-tracking system was made available, mobile-phone activity was shared with state police, scientific call-log analysis software was developed, and social-media analysis was used to uncover their hidden supporters. This not only sped up the anti-Naxal campaign but also made it more successful and result-oriented.
Union Home Minister said that after 2019, emphasis was also placed on capacity building of states. Under the SRE and SIS schemes, approximately ₹3,331 crore was released, reflecting a 55 percent increase. Through this, fortified police stations were expanded, with around ₹1,741 crore spent on them. He stated that over the last six years, the Modi government established 336 new CAPF camps to address the security vacuum.
As a result, compared to the period of 2004-14, the period of 2014-24 saw a 73 percent reduction in security personnel deaths and a 74 percent reduction in civilian deaths. Shah said that earlier, success was elusive in Chhattisgarh due to the opposition government there. However, in 2024, after our government came to power, the highest number of Naxalites, 290, were neutralized in a single year.
The Home Minister said that we do not want to kill anyone. Compared to the 290 Naxalites neutralized, 1,090 were arrested, and 881 surrendered. He stated that this reflects the government’s approach. Every effort is made to give Naxalites the opportunity to surrender or be arrested.
However, when Naxalites take up arms and set out to kill innocent Indian citizens, security forces have no choice but to respond with force. Shah said that in 2025, so far, 270 Naxalites have been neutralized, 680 have been arrested, and 1,225 have surrendered. In both years, the number of surrenders and arrests exceeds the number of those neutralized. The high number of surrenders indicates that the time left for Naxalites is now very limited.
Amit Shah said that Naxalites had established a large camp at Karregutaa Hills on the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border, which housed a significant stockpile of weapons, two years’ worth of rations, and factories for manufacturing weapons and IEDs, and was extremely difficult to access. He stated that on May 23, 2025, this camp was destroyed in Operation Black Forest, and 27 hardcore Naxalites were killed.
Furthermore, 24 hardcore Naxalites were killed in Bijapur. The Home Minister said that through this operation, the backbone of the remaining Naxalites in Chhattisgarh was broken. Shah noted that among the Naxalites neutralized in 2024, 1 was Zonal Committee member, 5 Sub-Zonal Committee members, 2 State Committee members, 31 Divisional Committee members, and 59 Area Committee members.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that from 1960 to 2014, there were a total of 66 fortified police stations, and in the 10 years of the Modi government, 576 new fortified police stations were established. In 2014, there were 126 Naxalite-affected districts, which have now reduced to 18. The number of most-affected districts has decreased from 36 to 6.
The number of police stations has gone down from approximately 330 to 151, of which 41 are newly established. In the last six years, 336 security camps have been set up, and 68 helipads for night landings have been constructed. Moreover, 76 night-landing helipads have been built for CRPF personnel.
He stated that to curb the financial resources of Naxalites, the NIA, ED, and state governments have seized properties worth crores of rupees. The Home Minister said that for coordination with state governments, 12 meetings with Chief Ministers have been held at his level, with 8 meetings specifically in Chhattisgarh.
The Chhattisgarh government has introduced an attractive package for Naxalite surrenders. He added that several development initiatives have been undertaken in Left-Wing Extremist areas. The Home Minister remarked that wherever Leftist ideology has taken root globally, it has had an inseparable link with violence, and this is the root of Naxalism.
Amit Shah said that those who propagate the idea that the root cause of Left-Wing Extremism is lack of development are misleading the nation. He said that Prime Minister Modi has launched numerous schemes for 60 crore poor people, but in Naxal-affected areas, who prevents these schemes from reaching the people? He asked, if schools have not reached Sukma or Bijapur, who is responsible? Why have roads not been built in Left-Wing dominated areas? Because the Naxalites killed the contractors.
Shah asked why don’t intellectuals who write lengthy articles advising the government write about the victimized tribals? Why is their empathy selective? He said that neither the supporters of the Naxalites want the development of the tribals, nor do they genuinely care for them. Instead, they are only concerned with keeping alive their ideology, which has been rejected across the world. Shah stated that the sole reason development has not reached these areas is the Leftist ideology.
Union Home Minister said that the Naxalites first targeted the Constitution and then the judicial system. They created a constitutional vacuum, then attacked the very idea of the State, and created a vacuum of the State itself. He said that anyone who did not join them was branded as an informer of the State and sentenced to death in their so-called people’s courts.
They even established a parallel government. Shah said that for the welfare of the nation, it is necessary to rise above one’s ideology. He added that it was precisely due to this governance vacuum that development, literacy, and healthcare facilities could not reach those areas.
Union Home Minister said that during Operation Black Forest, Leftist political parties wrote letters pleading to stop the campaign, exposing their true face. He said that there will be no ceasefire with the Naxalites. If they want to surrender, there is no need for a ceasefire — they should simply lay down their arms. The police will not fire a single shot and will reintegrate them. He said that as soon as Operation Black Forest began, all the covert sympathies of the Naxalites’ supporters were exposed.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that between 2014 and 2024, 12,000 kilometers of roads have been constructed in Left-Wing Extremism-affected states, budgets have been approved for 17,500 roads, and 5,000 mobile towers have been installed at a cost of ₹6,300 crore.
He said that 1,060 bank branches have been opened, 937 ATMs installed, 37,850 banking correspondents appointed, 5,899 post offices opened, 850 schools established, and 186 well-equipped health centers set up. He further said that under the NiyadNellanar scheme, the Chhattisgarh government is working on approving Ayushman Bharat cards, Aadhaar cards, voter cards, the construction of schools, ration shops, and Anganwadi centers.
Referring to insurgency in the Northeast, the Home Minister said that compared to 2004-2014, the period 2014-2024 has seen a 70 per cent reduction in the deaths of security personnel. Similarly, civilian deaths have dropped by 85 per cent in 2014-2024 compared to 2004-2014. The Modi government facilitated 12 important peace agreements and brought 10,500 armed youths into the mainstream by securing their surrender.
He said that there was a time when the entire Northeast felt cut off from the rest of the country, but today it is connected through trains, railways, and air travel. Shah said that the Modi government has reduced not only the physical distance but also the emotional distance between Delhi and the Northeast. He added that today the Northeast is moving forward on the path of peace and development.
Union Home Minister said that in Jammu & Kashmir, Article 370 was abrogated in 2019 under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. After that, the government systematically earned the trust of the people through development, education, health, and poverty alleviation initiatives.
He said that in the face of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in Kashmir, the Modi government acted under a well-planned policy. Shah stated that compared to 7,300 violent incidents during 2004-2014, there were 1,800 violent incidents in 2014-2024. Deaths of security personnel decreased by 65 per cent and civilian deaths by 77 per cent.
He added that every law of the country is now being implemented there. For the first time since independence, Panchayat elections were held in Jammu & Kashmir, with a voter turnout of 99.8 per cent. Shah said that we are gradually moving forward on the path to resolving the problem of terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir. (ANI)
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