Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday announced a comprehensive strategy to eradicate left-wing extremism from Chhattisgarh by March 2026. Speaking during the Bastar Pandum tribal festival on Chaitra Navratri Ashtami, Shah unveiled a community-based incentive programme, deeper cultural integration, and a decisive call to Maoists to surrender and return to the mainstream.
Addressing thousands at the event in Dantewada, Shah declared that any village ensuring the surrender of all Maoist cadres would receive a ₹1 crore development grant, a move aimed at strengthening grassroots efforts in anti-Naxal operations. “This is not just about eliminating extremism—it’s about empowering tribal communities to take charge of their future,” Shah said.
Paying tribute to Maharaja Praveer Chandra Bhanj Deo, the Home Minister hailed him as a symbol of tribal pride and resistance. “He fought for Bastar’s jal, jungle, and zameen. Today, as we defeat the ideology of violence, the spirit of Praveer Chandra blesses this transformation,” Shah said.
Shah announced that from 2026, Bastar Pandum will be elevated to an international tribal festival, with cultural delegations from across India and abroad. The event will showcase Bastar’s diverse traditions—ranging from its indigenous languages and attire to its music, cuisine, and dance forms such as the Gedi.
Highlighting the government’s progress, Shah shared that 881 Maoists surrendered in 2024, and 521 have surrendered in just the first three months of 2025. “Where once the sounds of gunfire dominated, we now hear school bells. Where roads were a dream, highways are becoming reality,” he said.
This year, over 47,000 artists have performed across 188 gram panchayats and 52 urban local bodies as part of Bastar Pandum. Shah also announced that ₹5 crore has been sanctioned for the preservation of tribal art, attire, folklore, and language. The festival will expand next year from seven to twelve cultural categories.
Shah appealed to the youth to aim globally while staying rooted in their culture. “We want Bastar’s children to become engineers, doctors, and IAS officers—but never forget their heritage. Bastar Pandum is a reaffirmation of that identity,” he said.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing schools, dispensaries, hospitals, and nutrition for every tribal village, and urged communities to hold gram sabhas to facilitate the surrender and rehabilitation of local Maoists. “Those who lay down arms will be welcomed with dignity. Those who don’t will be dealt with firmly,” he warned.
“The path to progress lies in computers, not guns; in pens, not IEDs,” Shah said, underscoring the Centre’s belief in development-led counterinsurgency. He pointed to landmark achievements under the Modi government—4 crore homes built, 11 crore gas connections distributed, 15 crore households given tap water, and 70 crore people covered under Ayushman Bharat.
He also credited the government for restoring the legacy of tribal icons like Veer Gundadhur and Birsa Munda. “Earlier regimes ignored them. Today, Birsa Munda’s birth anniversary is celebrated nationally as Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas,” Shah noted.
Asserting that Bastar now represents resilience and renewal, Shah said, “This land no longer fears festivals like Ram Navami or Ashtami. It celebrates them with pride.” He envisioned a future where “a child from Sukma becomes a Sub-Inspector, from Bastar a barrister, from Dantewada a doctor, and from Kanker a collector.”
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, and senior officials joined Shah on stage, signalling strong state-Centre coordination in the final push against Maoist insurgency.