What is there to talk, asks Amit Shah; advises Naxals to accept 'lucrative' surrender-rehabilitation policy

Jagdalpur: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday ruled out talks with Naxals and said they will have to lay down weapons after accepting the government's "lucrative surrender and rehabilitation policy".

Addressing the 'Bastar Dussehra Lokotsav' and 'Swadeshi Mela' in Jagdalpur, the headquarter of Chhattisgarh's Bastar district, he asserted that March 31, 2026 has been set as the deadline to bid farewell to the menace of Naxalism.

"Some people have called for talks (with Naxals). Let me make it clear again that both the Chhattisgarh and Central governments are committed to development across Bastar and all Naxal-affected areas. What is there to talk about? A lucrative surrender-and-rehabilitation policy has been put in place. Come forward and lay down your weapons," Shah said.

He said he visited the renowned Maa Danteshwari Temple here and had prayed that security forces get strength to free the entire Bastar region from "red terror" by March 31 next year.

Security forces will give a befitting reply to those disrupting Bastar's peace with weapons, he warned Naxals.

"Some people in Delhi used to spread misinformation for years that the birth of Naxalism was for the fight for development. But I have come to tell my tribal brothers that entire Bastar has been deprived of development. The root cause of this is Naxalism," he said.

Today, electricity, drinking water, roads, toilets in every house, health insurance of up to Rs 5 lakh, 5 kg free rice etc has reached every village in India but Bastar has been deprived of such development, Shah said.

"Narendra Modi govt has given more than Rs 4 lakh crore to Chhattisgarh for development works in 10 years. On behalf of the PM, I want to assure you that after March 31, 2026, Naxalites will not be able to stop your development. They will not be able to stop your rights," he said.

Convince those misled by Naxalism to shun violence and join the mainstream, the Union minister told the gathering.

The BJP government has launched various schemes in honour of tribals in the state, he pointed out.

Shah described the 75-day-long Dussehra festival as one of the world's longest and culturally significant festivals, honouring the region's tribal heritage.