Raipur: In a historic moment, the national flag was unfurled in as many as 26 remote villages of Bijapur, Sukma, Kanker and Narayanpur districts, marking first such occurrence since independence on Sunday, January 26. All of the said villages were previously considered a hotbed of Maoist-insurgency.
At one of the villages Tumalpaad, located in interiors of Sukma district, the Republic Day celebrations were led by the commandant of the 74th battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The village was a hotbed of Maoist-insurgency before the forces setup a camp there leading to restoration of normalcy.
Similar scenes were also witnessed in Gomguda of Sukma, Phundari of Godam in Dantewada and Kondapalli village of Bijapur, a stronghold of Maoists where Republic Day celebrations were organised for the first time ever. Significantly, villagers along with children in large number were witnessed participating in the celebrations, marking a significant occasion.
Decrees announcing boycott of national festivals such as the Independence Day and Republic Day were previously issued by the outlawed outfit in the said localities, preventing the residents to celebrate.
Hailing the change, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Sunday, expressed his joy over the hoisting of the Tricolour in the villages previously marred by Maoist led violence. Taking to the X, the CM said “This is the new Bastar of the developing Chhattisgarh, the Changing Bastar.”
“It’s a matter of great joy and spiritual satisfaction that today on the auspicious occasion of Republic Day, the Tricolour was hoisted in 26 Maoist-affected villages of Bijapur, Narayanpur, Sukma and Kanker for the first time after independence. The Republic Day was celebrated with pride,” tweeted CM Sai.
ये संवरते छत्तीसगढ़ का नया बस्तर है, बदलता बस्तर है
यह बहुत ही खुशी और आत्मिक संतोष की अनुभूति कराने वाला विषय है कि आज गणतंत्र दिवस के शुभ अवसर पर बीजापुर, सुकमा, नारायणपुर एवं कांकेर जिले के अंतर्गत नक्सल प्रभावित 26 गांवों में ग्रामीणों द्वारा आजादी के बाद पहली बार तिरंगा… pic.twitter.com/lczddVOxDs
— Vishnu Deo Sai (@vishnudsai) January 26, 2025
“All this has been made possible due to security camps being setup by our government in the said villages. Our double-engine government is putting the final nails in the coffin of Maoism which is a cancer for the people of Bastar. They (Maoist) will be eliminated by March 2026 as per the resolution of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah,” he added.
Meanwhile Union Home Minister Amit Shah too expresses his delight over the development. “It’s a matter of pride that the tricolour was hoisted on the occasion of Republic Day in Kodampalli of Chhattisgarh, once a stronghold of Naxalities(Maoists). Due to the Modi government’s ‘zero tolereance’ policy against Naxalism, Naxal affected areas are now participating enthusiastically in the democratic system of the country, said the Union Minister while congratulating the forces and the residents of the affected areas.
कभी नक्सलियों का गढ़ रहे कोंडापल्ली (छत्तीसगढ़) में गणतंत्र दिवस के उपलक्ष्य में तिरंगा फहराया जाना गौरव का विषय है। मोदी सरकार की नक्सलवाद के खिलाफ ‘जीरो टॉलरेंस’ नीति के कारण नक्सल प्रभावित क्षेत्र अब देश की गणतांत्रिक व्यवस्था में बढ़-चढ़कर हिस्सा ले रहे हैं। मैं इसके लिए देश… pic.twitter.com/RNfRMHYujU
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) January 26, 2025
Notably, more than 250 Maoists were eliminated in separate counter-insurgency operations carried out by the security forces in the hinterlands of Bastar in last one year alone. In addition to this more than 1000 members of the banned CPI Maoist were arrested while 870 of its former cadres surrendered before the authorities in the contemporary period, marking a significant success for the security forces.
