Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Monday, 30 March, that Naxalism did not spread in the country due to demand for development and poverty, but because of an ideology that, he said, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi “embraced” in 1970. Amit Shah also said that Indira Gandhi accepted this ideology to “win the presidential election”.
Responding to a debate in the Lok Sabha on efforts to free the country from Left-wing extremism, Amit Shah said that Naxalism has almost been eradicated from Bastar district in Chhattisgarh.
Rejecting poverty as a reason behind the surge in Naxalism, the home minister said there was poverty in the affected areas because of Left-wing extremism. He also said that people in Bastar did not see any development in the region as “the shadow of Red Terror loomed”.
“The root cause of Naxalism is not the demand for development. It is an ideology – an ideology that Indira Ji embraced back in 1970 in order to win the presidential election. Naxalism has spread precisely because of this Leftist ideology,” he said.
Speaking of how Naxalism affected the country, Amit Shah said, “Twelve states- Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Bengal, Kerala, parts of Karnataka, and three districts of Uttar Pradesh were affected. A complete ‘Red Corridor’ was formed, and the rule of law ended there.”
Amit Shah also targeted the Congress and asked why people remained “deprived of development” during its rule.
“Twelve crore people lived in poverty for years, and no one showed any concern. Thousands of young lives were lost. Many were left permanently disabled or crippled for the rest of their lives. Who is responsible for this?” he asked.
“Out of the 75 years since independence, power remained in your (Congress) hands for 60 years. Why, then, have the tribal communities remained deprived of development to this day? …For sixty years, you failed to provide them with homes or access to clean water; you built no schools for them; you prevented mobile towers and banking facilities from reaching their areas, and yet, now you are the ones demanding accountability?” he added.
The home minister also reiterated the government condition that it would engage in a dialogue with only those Naxals who lay down their arms.
He said, “To those advocating for dialogue, I want to reiterate what I have expressed many times from public platforms in Bastar: Lay down your arms, and the government will ensure your rehabilitation. However, they refuse to disarm. Our government’s policy is clear–we are open to dialogue with those who surrender their weapons. Those who chose violence will be met with a firm response.”
‘Naxalism eradicated in Bastar’: Amit Shah
Addressing the Lok Sabha, Amit Shah listed initiatives the government has taken to develop Bastar. He said a campaign was launched to establish a school in every village of the district; PHCs and CHCs are being opened; and ration shops are being established in every village.
He said, “Today, Naxalism has been almost eradicated from Bastar. A campaign was launched to establish a school in every single village across Bastar. A drive was undertaken to open a ration shop in every village within the region. Primary Health Centers (PHCs) and Community Health Centers (CHCs) have been established in every Tehsil and Panchayat. Aadhaar cards and ration cards have been issued to the people, and they are now receiving five kilograms of food. grains.”
