Jagdalpur: The second day of the Bastar Tiranga Yatra turned into an emotionally charged journey of remembrance, resilience and national pride as Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma visited sites associated with Naxal violence, paid homage to security personnel and tribal victims, and met families who continue to live with the pain of losing their loved ones.
Sharma visited memorial sites and places where security personnel and civilians were killed during the years of Naxal violence. He also met families affected by the conflict, listened to their experiences and reiterated the government’s commitment to preserving the memory of those who sacrificed their lives and ensuring that Bastar moves firmly towards peace, security and development.
A Mother’s Unending Grief, A Son’s Unforgettable Sacrifice
One of the most emotional moments of the journey came when Sharma met the mother of late sarpanch Laxman Markam. Markam was killed by Red Terrorists in front of his mother. Meeting the bereaved mother, Sharma expressed his condolences and paid tribute to the young sarpanch, remembering his courage and sacrifice.
माँ की आँखों में बेटे की याद, दिल में अपार पीड़ा…
आज बस्तर तिरंगा यात्रा के दौरान सरपंच स्व. लक्ष्मण मरकाम की माताजी से मिलना बेहद भावुक पल रहा। नक्सलियों ने उनकी माँ के सामने ही उनके बेटे की बर्बरता से हत्या कर दी थी।
आज उन्हें श्रद्धांजलि अर्पित कर वीर लक्ष्मण मरकाम के… pic.twitter.com/iLzWgXnk6R
— Vijay sharma (@vijaysharmacg) August 13, 2026
The meeting reflected the enduring pain carried by families who lost their sons, husbands, fathers and other relatives during the prolonged period of violence in Bastar. Sharma said the memories of such sacrifices should never be allowed to fade.
Tribute to 33 Victims in Errabor
In Sukma district’s Errabor village, Sharma paid tribute to 33 innocent tribal people who lost their lives in Naxal violence. Among those remembered was a one-year-old child, whose death has remained one of the painful memories associated with the violence in the region.
A tree plantation programme was organised in memory of the victims. Women who have undergone rehabilitation also participated in the programme and tied Rakhis, conveying a message of peace, reconciliation and hope for a new Bastar.
Speaking about his visit to Errabor, Sharma said he had been visiting Bastar for nearly two-and-a-half years but had reached Errabor for the first time. He recalled how the village has often appeared in accounts and images documenting the violence of the Naxal era.
Remembering One-Year-Old Katkam Jyoti: A Symbol of Bastar’s Pain and Resilience
Sharma said that whenever information about Errabor’s history of Naxal violence is searched online, disturbing images of the region’s painful past come to the fore. He specifically recalled the case of Kumari Katkam Jyoti, whom he described as barely one year old at the time. According to her family, the Naxals snatched her from her mother’s arms and threw her into a fire. An image of the child from that tragic incident is still available online.
He also noted that images of women visiting the memorials at Errabor and tying Rakhis on the statues of fallen security personnel are now seen across the country. He said Bastar has become safer after the sacrifices of thousands of people. However, he added that while the names of many martyrs are inscribed on memorials today, there may be countless others whose identities and sacrifices could never be formally recorded. He also pointed to the images of women who now visit the memorials. He said that after the sacrifices of thousands of people, Bastar has entered a new phase in which its people can live with greater security and confidence. He also noted that many victims of the conflict may never have had their names formally recorded, making the preservation of their memories particularly important.
Tribute to 16 Tribal Victims at Manikota
As part of the Bastar Tiranga Yatra, Sharma also visited the memorial site at Manikota in Sukma district, where he paid tribute to 16 innocent tribal men and women who were killed in Naxal violence.
#Bastartirangayatra के दौरान जिला सुकमा के ग्राम मनीकोटा स्थित स्मृति स्थल पहुंचकर नक्सली हिंसा में शहीद हुए 16 निर्दोष आदिवासी भाई-बहनों को भावभीनी श्रद्धांजलि अर्पित की।
इस अवसर पर उस पावन स्थल की माटी को शहीद स्मारक में उपयोग हेतु संग्रहित कर उनकी स्मृति को सहेजा गया तथा… pic.twitter.com/SlYKNNZzXM
— Vijay sharma (@vijaysharmacg) August 13, 2026
He offered floral tributes and collected soil from the site to be preserved for use in a future martyr memorial. A tree plantation drive was also undertaken at the site.
The trees, according to the message conveyed during the programme, will stand as living symbols of the victims’ memory and the collective resolve to build a peaceful, secure and prosperous Bastar.
मणिकोंटा में नक्सलियो ने ग्रामीणों को मारा फिर उनके पार्थिव शरीर तक में बम लगा दिए थे…#Bastartirangayatra pic.twitter.com/sxFZLXWRXo
— Vijay sharma (@vijaysharmacg) August 13, 2026
Emotional Tribute at Shyamgiri
The yatra also reached Shyamgiri in Dantewada, where Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma and Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap visited the site associated with the 2019 Naxal attack in which former Dantewada MLA Bheema Mandavi and others were killed.
Local residents, eyewitnesses and associates of the late MLA recalled the circumstances surrounding the incident. Sharma and Kashyap paid tribute to the 13 martyrs associated with the Aranpur and Shyamgiri incidents and participated in a plantation programme organised in their memory.
The ministers also met members of the families of the deceased and discussed the assistance and facilities being provided to them. The atmosphere became particularly emotional when they met Ojhasvi Mandavi, wife of the former Dantewada MLA.
Those present observed silence in memory of the martyrs and remembered their contribution and sacrifice.
Sharma said that the impact of Naxal violence had touched almost every section of society in Bastar. Some people had lost friends, others brothers, fathers, relatives or other loved ones.
Recalling an interaction with Naxal-violence victims who had visited the Rashtrapati Bhavan under the Manwa Maatta initiative, Sharma said a young girl had narrated how she had lost both her eyes because of violence. He said such experiences demonstrated the enormous human cost of the conflict.
“The Tricolour Can Now Fly Without Fear”
Speaking about the significance of the Tiranga Yatra, Sharma said the right to hoist the national flag in Bastar had been secured after years of struggle and sacrifice. He recalled that there was a time when people were intimidated from displaying the Tricolour in areas affected by Naxal influence. Today, he said, people can proudly hoist the national flag without fear.
Sharma linked the change with the wider restoration of constitutional governance and public confidence in areas that were once severely affected by Naxal violence.
दोरनापाल से पोलमपल्ली जाती बस्तर तिरंगा यात्रा 🇮🇳#Bastartirangayatra pic.twitter.com/J8KIrbjvPd
— Vijay sharma (@vijaysharmacg) August 13, 2026
He appealed to people to hoist the Tricolour at their homes and encourage their neighbours to do the same. Those unable to participate physically in the Tiranga Yatra, he said, could express their solidarity by displaying the national flag on social media.
“The people of Bastar have won and Naxalism has lost,” Sharma said, attributing the transformation to the determination and resolve of the people of the region.
Focus on Livelihoods and Rehabilitation
During the visit to Shyamgiri, Sharma also interacted with women associated with Bihan self-help groups. He encouraged them to undertake training in the processing of minor forest produce and explore livelihood opportunities. He said products made by Bihan groups are being supported under the government’s ChhattisKala brand and urged the women to take advantage of the available assistance.
The ministers also met members of the Mandari group from Aranpur, winners of Bastar Pandum, who had earlier visited the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The interaction reflected the changing social and cultural landscape of Bastar, where tribal traditions, women’s empowerment and local livelihoods are increasingly being highlighted alongside security and development.
Road to Be Named After Bheema Mandavi
Responding to a demand from local residents, Sharma said a proposal would be recommended to name the Nakulkanar-Bacheli road after martyr Bheema Mandavi. He directed the district administration to complete the necessary procedures for the proposal.
Sharma, Kashyap and other dignitaries also participated in the “Ek Ped Shaheedon Ke Naam” initiative by planting trees in memory of the martyrs. Soil from the site was collected and preserved as part of the broader effort to document and honour places associated with the sacrifices of security personnel and civilians.
Bastar MP Mahesh Kashyap, District Panchayat President Nandlal Mudami, Bastar IG Badri Narayan Meena, the Collector, Superintendent of Police and a large number of local residents were present during the programme.
Digital Memorials to Preserve Stories of Martyrs
A major feature of the initiative is an effort to digitally preserve the stories of security personnel who lost their lives in the fight against Naxalism.
In Dantewada, Bijapur, Narayanpur and Sukma—districts that were once among the country’s most sensitive Naxal-affected areas—QR codes are being installed alongside photographs of fallen personnel.
Visitors to memorial sites will be able to scan the QR codes using their mobile phones and access information about the respective personnel, including their names, photographs, the circumstances of their sacrifice and their contribution to restoring peace in Bastar. The initiative is intended to ensure that the martyrs are remembered not merely as statistics but as individuals with families, lives and stories.
Sharma said that approximately 1,280 security personnel lost their lives in Bastar between 2000 and 2026. He stressed that the figure represented far more than a number—it represented around 1,280 families, each carrying its own story of loss.
According to him, some families lost sons, some husbands and others fathers. These personnel served in extremely challenging circumstances when large parts of Bastar were considered Naxal strongholds.
The digital memorial initiative seeks to bring their stories closer to the public, particularly younger generations who may visit a memorial but know little about the person whose name is displayed there.
Remembering Sacrifice, Celebrating a Changing Bastar
The Tiranga Yatra is also visiting locations such as Tadmetla, Rani Bodli, Mipna and Burkapal, which are associated with major attacks in which security personnel lost their lives.
The journey through these areas is intended not only to commemorate the fallen but also to highlight the transformation of places that were once regarded as difficult and highly sensitive due to Naxal influence.
Along the route, tributes are being offered at martyr sites, soil is being collected for preservation, and local communities are participating in programmes centred on remembrance, national pride and development.
For Sharma, the journey represents a bridge between Bastar’s painful past and its emerging future. The sacrifices of security personnel, tribal communities and other victims of violence remain central to the region’s story, but the message of the yatra is increasingly focused on peace, constitutional governance, development and confidence.
As the Tricolour travels through villages and former conflict zones, the Bastar Tiranga Yatra is seeking to turn places once associated with fear into symbols of courage and hope.
Sharma said Bastar is moving towards the end of Red Terrorism and entering a new era of peace, security and development. He emphasised that preserving the memories of those who sacrificed their lives would inspire future generations to protect peace and build a safer region. The Tricolour is flying high, and Bastar is smiling—an expression of a region determined to remember its past while moving confidently towards a peaceful future.
