Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai attended a high-level meeting of chief ministers and home ministers from Naxal-affected states in New Delhi on Monday. The Naxal-affected states include Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Telangana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) review meeting. Sai represented the state in this crucial meeting and provided an update on the ongoing Naxal operations and presented details of developmental projects in Naxal-affected areas.
Amit Shah hails high voter turnout in Naxal-affected area
While addressing chief ministers and top officials of the Naxal-affected states at the meeting, Shah said security forces have been carrying out "offensive operations" instead of defensive against Naxals and have achieved big successes in recent times. The home minister said due to the improved security situation, high voter turnout -- up to 70 per cent -- was witnessed in the Maoist-hit region in the last Lok Sabha polls. There was zero polling in the region earlier, he said.
The crucial meeting, which discussed anti-Naxal operations and development initiatives carried out in the affected areas, came days after the security forces killed 31 ultras in the forests of Chhattisgarh in one of the most successful operations against them in recent times.
"Security forces are now carrying out offensive operations instead of defensive operations earlier," Shah said.
Describing Naxals as the biggest hurdle to development, he said they are the biggest human rights violators who have been depriving over eight crore people of development and basic welfare opportunities.
Due to the strategy of the Modi government, the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) violence has come down by 72 per cent while there was an 86 per cent decline in deaths in 2023 as compared to 2010.
Naxals are fighting their last battle now, officials said.
Sai likely to meet PM Modi
According to sources, the chief minister will also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence at 6 pm later in the day. The prime minister has specially invited Sai to congratulate him for the successful Naxal operation in Chhattisgarh, they said.
During the meeting, the chief minister is likely to give detailed information to PM Modi about the development work and welfare schemes going on in the state, as well as brief him about the upcoming schemes of his government.
31 Naxalites killed in Chhattisgarh’s most successful counter-insurgency operation
Recently, Chhattisgarh drew appreciation after it conducted the state's most successful counter-insurgency operation that eliminated 31 Naxalites. It was one of the toughest anti-Naxal operations which took place in a 10-km motorcycle ride away through fields and dirt track followed by a 12-km climb of a hilly terrain in the Abujhmarh area.
This was the highest number of fatalities suffered by Maoists in a single operation since the state's creation 24 years ago and the offensive comes more than five months after 29 Naxalites, including higher-ranking cadres, were neutralised in an encounter with security personnel in Kanker district.
Nearly 1,500 jawans of District Reserve Guard (DRG) from Dantewada and Narayanpur and Special Task Force were involved in the offensive, Dantewada Additional Superintendent of Police RK Barman said.
