Communist Party of India (CPI) General Secretary D Raja has questioned the government’s “Naxal Mukt Bharat” initiative, urging the government to accept a proposal made by Naxal groups for talks.
Raja’s comments have drawn sharp criticism from the BJP, which has accused the CPI and Congress of supporting Maoist violence.
“I demand that the government accept the proposal made by the Naxals,” Raja said during a press conference. “What is this Naxal Mukt Bharat? Already, they spoke about the Congress Mukt Bharat. What happened to Congress Mukt Bharat? Tomorrow they will say Communist Mukt Bharat… If the BJP and RSS, combined, continue to be in power, the future of India will be imperial. If we want to save India, save the Constitution, we should remove the BJP RSS from power.”
Raja’s remarks come in the backdrop of the ongoing anti-Naxal operation, dubbed “Operation Black Forest”, under which the number of most-affected Naxal districts has reportedly come down to six. The government’s drive aims to make India Naxal-free by March 31, 2026, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphasizing the need to tackle the ideology behind the movement.
The government has been firm in its approach to handling Naxalism, with Shah stating that the battle against Naxalism cannot be won through armed operations alone. “We can make Naxalites surrender or our security forces can neutralize them, but on the ideological front, we have to make a lot of efforts,” Shah said.
Shah had on Sunday also said India’s battle against Naxalism cannot be won through armed operations alone, stressing the need to tackle the ideology behind the movement.
Shah, who was speaking at the valedictory session of Bharat Manthan 2025 titled ‘NAXAL MUKT BHARAT: Ending Red Terror Under Modi’s Leadership’ in New Delhi, reiterated the government’s goal of making India free of Naxalism by March 31, 2026.
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari has also accused the Congress and CPI of “supporting violent Naxals and Maoists” and “opposing India’s fight against Red Terror”. “What is this Naxal Mukt Bharat’ says CPI General Secretary D Raja! Rahul Gandhi’s alliance partner CPI gives support to violent Naxals and Maoists! Congress CPI opposes India’s fight against Red Terror,” Bhandari said in a post on X.
The controversy highlights the ongoing debate on how to address Naxalism in India, with the government’s approach being criticized by some as overly militaristic. As the situation unfolds, one thing is clear: finding a solution to the Naxalite problem will require a nuanced and multi-faceted approach.