Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in Bastar that there will be no negotiations with Naxals unless they give up their weapons. He told them plainly: if you want talks, first lay down your arms.
Shah said both the central and the Chhattisgarh governments are working to develop Bastar and other areas affected by Naxal violence. He added that the government has an attractive surrender policy for those who stop fighting.
He warned that if anyone uses weapons to disturb peace in Bastar, security forces — the CRPF and Chhattisgarh police — will respond together. He also said the government has set a target of March 2026 to finish Naxalism in the country.
The statement comes after a split inside the Maoist group. On September 12, a top Maoist leader, Mallojula Venugopal Rao, wrote that it was time to stop armed struggle. Other Maoist leaders angrily rejected his view and said they will keep fighting.
Shah was in Bastar for the 75-day Dussehra festival. He also visited the Danteshwari temple, prayed, and asked for strength for the security forces to free Bastar from Naxal violence.
