Amit Shah Declares Naxalism Eliminated in Bastar Region

Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on October 15, 2026, that Naxalism has been eliminated from India, specifically in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. The announcement confirms the government met a goal set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to end the insurgency by March 31, 2026.

Speaking via video conference during a distribution ceremony for the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan program, Shah stated that the end of the militancy does not erase five decades of suffering inflicted on poor tribal communities. He described the use of improvised explosive devices to maim civilians as a severe violation of human rights. To address this legacy, the government provided artificial limbs and assistive devices to over 3,600 people in Jagdalpur, including 1,570 residents of Bastar.

Rehabilitation efforts include converting security camps into health and education service centers and implementing the Niyad Nellanar infrastructure scheme. The government has also launched the Bastar Olympics and Bastar Pandum to revive tribal sports and culture. Shah reported that 8,526 Maoists have surrendered, with the state providing houses to 4,014 beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and opening bank accounts for 7,328 former insurgents. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai praised the eradication of the insurgency, calling it a major obstacle to the state's development.