NEW DELHI: Home minister Amit Shah on Thursday called for eliminating every trace of Naxalism to restore vibrancy and growth after the near elimination of militancy in Bastar, Chhattisgarh.“Every trace of Naxalism must be eliminated, and Bastar must once again become a vibrant and thriving region,” said Shah, adding “significant work had already been undertaken in this direction as traditional tribal leadership in the Bastar region had made a major contribution.”Shah remarked as he virtually addressed an assistive devices distribution ceremony in Bastar for the differently -abled, including victims of Naxal violence.Shah emphasised that five decades of Naxalism had caused immense suffering to the poor tribal communities of Bastar. He called using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to maim innocent civilians in pursuit of political objectives the gravest violation of human rights.The home minister said assistive prosthetic devices were being provided in Chhattisgarh to ease the lives of tribal persons with disabilities who had suffered as a result of Naxal violence.The distribution programme, held in Jagdalpur from October 5 to 7, 2026, benefited more than 3,600 persons with disabilities. Of these, more than 1,570 beneficiaries were from Bastar alone.Shah said the government had been firmly committed to eliminating Naxalism from the entire country before March 31, 2026, and that this goal had now been achieved. However, the Minister emphasised that the end of Naxalism alone would not erase five decades of suffering.
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“We must heal the wounds inflicted by this suffering, help victims stand on their feet again, and ensure they can live with dignity and respect”, Shah said.The home minister added that the region where gunfire and bomb blasts once created an atmosphere of fear was now witnessing thousands of young people taking part in sports and keeping their traditions alive.“A region where the sounds of gunfire and bomb blasts once prevailed, and fear was widespread, thousands of young people are now participating in sports and keeping their traditions alive,” Shah stated as he mentioned several initiatives undertaken by the Chhattisgarh government, including the Bastar Olympics, Bastar Pandum, Niyad Nellanar and the chief minister’s Samuhik Bus Yojana.