NEW DELHI: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Wednesday, to discuss the progress in combating naxalism (Maoism) in the state and expressed confidence in making the state ‘naxal-free’ by March 2026.
The CM said that the state government and the security forces have been working relentlessly in the direction of uprooting the Maoists from Chhattisgarh and fulfilling the Union Home Minister’s commitment to eradicating the red terror by 2026.
“I met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and apprised him of the Maoist activities in Chhattisgarh… In the last 11 months, nearly 200 Maoists have been eliminated, and nearly 600-700 have surrendered. We are fast moving towards the Prime Minister’s and Home Minister’s aim of making India a Naxal-free country by March 2026,” CM Sai told reporters after the meeting today.
During the meeting held in North Block, strategies for development, security and other major issues of the state were also discussed.
The Chief Minister said that under the guidance of HM Amit Shah, the state government has achieved great success in anti-Naxal operations. In the last 11 months, about 200 Maoists have been killed, while 742 Naxalites have surrendered.
आज नई दिल्ली में माननीय केंद्रीय गृह मंत्री श्री अमित शाह जी से सौजन्य भेंट हुई। इस दौरान उन्हें प्रदेश में नक्सल उन्मूलन अभियान की प्रगति और आगामी योजनाओं की विस्तृत जानकारी साझा की।
केंद्र और राज्य सरकार का समन्वय न केवल हमारी रणनीति को सशक्त बना रहा है, बल्कि प्रदेश को… pic.twitter.com/7FUKtTK89p
— Vishnu Deo Sai (@vishnudsai) November 20, 2024
He said that the state government has taken many important steps in the field of road construction, education, health and employment, which is bringing positive change in these areas. The home minister appreciated these efforts and assured all possible cooperation from the Centre.
He further criticised the previous congress government for having unabated corruption in the state, highlighting investigation agencies investigating the PSC scam and arresting a few people for being committed to a corruption-free state.
“There was a lot of corruption in Chhattisgarh under the Congress rule… We have zero tolerance towards corruption and our agencies are doing their job. CBI is investigating the PSC scam and a few arrests have been made,” he added.
The Chhattisgarh government had recommended a CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) probe into alleged irregularities of the Public Service Commission (PSC) examination of 2021. Investigating the scam was a promise made by the CM in November during the assembly elections.
“Many complaints of irregularities were received in the Public Service Commission examination of 2021, and as per our promise made ahead of the elections, the cabinet has decided to hand over the case to the CBI for a thorough investigation,” Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao said in an address to the media.
Earlier in the day CM Sai also met with Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu at Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan in New Delhi on Wednesday.
During the meeting, both leaders discussed strengthening the air connectivity of the state of Chhattisgarh and also the development of other regional airports.
The Secretary to the Chief Minister, Rahul Bhagat, and the Investment Commissioner of Chhattisgarh, posted in New Delhi, Ritu Sen, were also present during the meeting (ANI).
