Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a gathering during Aadi Thiruvathirai festival, in Tamil Nadu.
Credit: PMO via PTI Photo
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised the remarkable transformation of former Naxalites in Jharkhand's Gumla district who have traded violence for fish farming, calling it proof that "the lamp of development can be lit even in the most difficult circumstances".
The prime minister referenced the PTI story "From guns to gills: How fish farming is transforming former Naxalites in Jharkhand" published on June 27, 2025.
In his 124th edition of monthly Mann Ki Baat radio programme, Modi narrated the inspiring story of Om Prakash Sahu, a former Naxalite who abandoned the path of violence to become a successful fish farmer and catalyst for change in the once-terror-struck Basia block.
"Sometimes the most radiant light emerges from where darkness dwells the most," Modi said during the 124th edition of his radio address.
The Prime Minister noted that the Basia block in Gumla was once known for Maoist violence, with villages getting deserted and people living in fear. Youth were migrating due to lack of employment opportunities and vacant lands.
Modi said the change began when Sahu decided to abandon violence and start fish farming. "Those who were earlier holding guns, have now taken up fishing nets," he observed.
Despite facing initial protests and threats, Sahu's determination remained firm. The launch of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) provided him with new strength, government training and assistance in pond construction, Modi said.
The initiative has led to a fisheries revolution in Gumla, with more than 150 families of Basia block now engaged in fish farming. Many former Naxalite organisation members are living respectfully in villages and providing employment to others, the PM noted.
"This journey of Gumla teaches us -- if the path is right and there is trust in the mind, the lamp of development can be lit even in the most difficult circumstances," Modi added.
The prime minister referenced the PTI story that explored how aquaculture initiatives are creating new pathways for rehabilitation and economic empowerment in Jharkhand.
Apart from Sahu, the PTI story highlighted transformative stories of former Naxalites Jyothi Lakra and Ishwar Gop.
Jyothi Lakra, 41, abandoned Left-wing insurgency in 2002 and runs a fish feed mill that earned Rs 8,00,000 net profit last year under the PMMSY scheme. "Villagers had to travel 150 km to buy fish feed," said Lakra, who received Rs 18 lakh to set up his mill in Basia block.
"So I decided to establish one locally." His mill now serves the entire community.
Ishwar Gop, 42, a former Naxalite who later joined the anti-Maoist Shanti Sena group, harvests eight quintals of fish annually worth Rs 2,50,000 from a government pond leased for Rs 1,100 per three years.
"I make a profit of Rs 1,20,000 after expenses," said Gop, who found fish farming more profitable than farming his 25 acres. His transformation represents the complete ideological shift from insurgency to counter-insurgency to peaceful livelihood.
Gumla district was removed from the Union Home Ministry's list of Naxalite-affected areas in May 2025, alongside Ranchi district, marking a significant decline in Left-wing extremism in the region.