New Delhi, 15 October (H.S.): Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday that, even after the elimination of Naxalism, it was essential to address the suffering caused by five decades of violence by rehabilitating affected people and ensuring that they could lead dignified lives. Amit Shah said the government’s objective was not merely to end Naxalism but also to eradicate its remaining legacy and transform Bastar into a peaceful, thriving region once again.

Amit Shah was addressing the second phase of a disability assistance camp organised under the ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’ in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh, through video conferencing. He said service initiatives were being organised across the country to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s completion of 25 years in public office as head of a government. As part of this campaign, tribal men and women who had been left with disabilities as a result of Naxalite violence were being provided with artificial limbs and other assistive devices to help them regain independence and lead fulfilling lives.

Amit Shah said that more than 3,600 persons with disabilities had benefited from a camp held in Jagdalpur between October 5 and 7. Of these, more than 1,570 beneficiaries were from the Bastar region. These figures, he said, reflected the extent to which five decades of Naxalism had affected poor tribal communities. Deliberately crippling innocent civilians through landmines and explosives for political objectives, he added, constituted a grave violation of human rights.

Amit Shah said the camps were providing essential assistive equipment, including artificial arms and legs, wheelchairs, tricycles, hearing aids, smart walking sticks and calipers. Recalling the experience of one beneficiary, he said it was difficult to put into words the person’s happiness at being able to lift a glass and drink water independently after three years.

He praised the contributions of the Chhattisgarh government, the district administration, the Department of Social Welfare, the Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti, the Bharatiya Jain Sanghatana and other organisations involved in the initiative.

Amit Shah urged Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma to ensure that the campaign continued. He assured them that the Union government would provide full assistance wherever the state government faced a shortage of resources. He said it was the government’s responsibility to rehabilitate every person with a disability and everyone affected by Naxalite violence, ensuring that they had the opportunity to live with dignity in society.

Amit Shah said several measures had been undertaken to help Bastar move beyond the impact of Naxalism, promote development and restore normal life. He claimed that 8,526 Naxalites had surrendered. Of these, bank accounts had been opened for 7,500 people who previously did not have them. In addition, 1,625 individuals had received reward money, 7,882 had been provided with incentive payments, and 455 had secured employment, he said.

He further stated that land had been allotted to 129 people, while 404 individuals had received houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. More than 2,000 tribal people had undergone skill development training. In addition, 6,700 new ration cards had been issued, and 2,800 families had been provided with free electricity.

To improve road connectivity in the region, 372 new projects had been initiated, while 670 culverts were under construction, Amit Shah said. He also reported that 48,526 people had been provided with Aadhaar cards.

Amit Shah said efforts were underway to expand the role of security camps in Bastar by linking them more closely with development and public service delivery. He announced plans to convert more than 200 security camps into Shaheed Bhima Mandavi Seva Kendras. Through these centres, government officials would help local residents access healthcare, education, employment, ration supplies and other essential services.

He said locations that had previously housed security personnel would increasingly become centres for advancing development projects and addressing the concerns of tribal families.

Amit Shah added that efforts were being made to free Bastar from fear and violence while revitalising its cultural identity and community life. Referring to initiatives such as the Bastar Olympics, Bastar Pandum and Niyad Nellanar, he said these programmes were encouraging young people to participate in sports, preserving tribal art and culture, and extending basic amenities to remote villages.

He observed that areas once associated with the sounds of gunfire and explosions were now witnessing large numbers of young people taking part in sporting events and carrying forward their cultural traditions.

Amit Shah said the Union and state governments were working together to ensure dignified lives for those affected by Naxalism and accelerate development across Bastar. He expressed confidence that rehabilitation, education, healthcare, employment, infrastructure development and the preservation of tribal culture would pave the way for lasting peace and prosperity in the region.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar