New Delhi, Oct 7: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah chaired a review meeting on Left Wing Extremism (LWE) in New Delhi today. The Chief Ministers of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Telangana, the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, and the Home Minister of Andhra Pradesh participated in the meeting. Union Ministers from various ministries, who are cooperating with the states to accelerate developmental works in LWE-affected areas, were also present during the meeting. The Union Home Secretary, Director Intelligence Bureau, Deputy National Security Advisor, senior officers of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and the central government, Chief Secretaries, Director Generals of Police, and senior officials from LWE-affected states also participated in the meeting.
In his address, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, all LWE-affected states, working shoulder to shoulder, are committed to eliminating Naxalism by March 2026. He mentioned that Prime Minister Modi has set the goal of making India a developed nation by the year 2047, and our 8 crore tribal brothers and sisters have a very important role in it. Shah added that the true meaning of a developed India is that development reaches the 140 crore people of the country, including our 8 crore tribal brothers and sisters. He said that the biggest obstacle in bringing development to remote areas and tribal communities today is Naxalism. He said that Naxalism prevents education, healthcare, connectivity, banking, and postal services from reaching villages. Shah emphasized that to ensure that development reaches the last person in society, we must eliminate Naxalism.
Union Home Minister said major success has been achieved in the fight against Naxalism from 2019 to 2024. He stated that through the joint efforts of the central and state governments, we aim to replace the darkness created by left-wing extremism with constitutional rights and start a new era of development and trust instead of the violent ideology of left-wing. Shah emphasized that with a zero-tolerance approach towards left-wing extremism and 100% implementation of government schemes, we want to fully develop the LWE-affected areas.
Union Home Minister said that for the first time in 30 years, the number of casualties due to Left Wing Extremism (LWE) was below 100 in 2022, which is a significant achievement. He mentioned that from 2014 to 2024, there has been a substantial decline in Naxal-related incidents. He said that 14 top Naxal leaders had been neutralized, and the government welfare schemes had been better implemented to reach the last man in the queue. Shah said that the fight against LWE is in its final phase, and by March 2026, with everyone’s cooperation, the country will be completely free from this decades-old menace.
