RAIPUR, Feb 8: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday asserted that India must eliminate the “destructive” communist ideology and urged Naxalites to lay down their arms, assuring them a red-carpet welcome.
Speaking at a conclave organized by Organiser Weekly in Nava Raipur on the book Chhattisgarh@25 Shifting The Lens, Shah said Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) is fundamentally ideology-driven and cannot be explained solely by underdevelopment or law-and-order challenges.
He highlighted that areas like Tripura and Bengal, once under long-term communist rule, failed to achieve development, while Kerala’s current CPM-led government is witnessing signs of political change.
Shah stressed that Naxalism is rooted in the belief that solutions emerge through violence, which contradicts the democratic principles of the Indian Constitution, where issues are resolved through debate and dialogue.
Citing the 1980s emergence of Maoism in Bastar, Telangana, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha, he noted that more than 100 districts were more underdeveloped than Bastar at the time, yet Naxalism did not spread there, underscoring that development alone does not cause extremism.
He criticized Maoists for arming tribal youth and spreading the Red Corridor ideology, emphasizing that the movement has caused destruction for decades.
Shah said failing to correctly assess the ideological roots of LWE would be a disservice to future generations.
The Home Minister urged Maoists to surrender, emphasizing that the government aims to resolve the issue without firing a single bullet, combining robust security measures with opportunities for peaceful reintegration, ensuring that India overcomes Left-Wing Extremism while upholding democracy and development. (PTI)
