Raipur: Out of the 125 districts affected by Maoist violence across the country 11 years ago, only three Left Wing Extremism (LWE) districts now remain with some trace of terror. The day is not far when every corner of India will be completely free of Maoist extremism, PM Narendra Modi said here on Saturday.
"I am glad that today Chhattisgarh is freeing itself from Naxalism and Maoist terror," Modi said.
The PM was speaking on the 25th foundation day of Chhattisgarh on Saturday, where he also unveiled Rs 14,000 crore worth development projects, along with inaugurating the new Vidhan Sabha building.
Modi recalled the state's painful history of violence and noted its remarkable transformation over 25 years, "For over 55 years, this land suffered because of violence. I cannot leave my tribal brothers and sisters to be ruined in this game of violence. I cannot watch mothers crying for their sons. That is why, when you gave me an opportunity in 2014, I took a pledge to free Bharat from Maoist terror. Today, the nation is seeing the results," he said.
Citing recent mass surrenders, the PM said, "Just a few days ago, over 30 Maoists surrendered in Kanker, and earlier more than 200 in Bastar. Across the country, dozens of people who once had bounties worth lakhs and crores have now laid down arms and accepted the Constitution of India."
Addressing the gathering at the inaugural event of the state's Rajat Mahotsav (silver jubilee), Modi said, "Those who now pretend to uphold the Constitution and shed crocodile tears in the name of social justice are the ones who, for their own political gain, subjected you to injustice for decades. Because of Maoist terror, Chhattisgarh's tribal regions remained deprived of roads, children were denied education, and the sick had no access to hospitals. Anyone who tried to serve, whether a doctor or a teacher, was blown up by bombs. And those who governed the country for decades sat comfortably in their air-conditioned rooms, enjoying their lives while leaving you to your fate."
‘Where There Was Fear, There Is Now Celebration'
Modi said end of Maoist terror has made the "impossible possible."
"In Bastar, there is no fear but celebration now. Events like the Bastar Olympics are being organised there. Imagine — if Chhattisgarh could progress this far despite the challenge of Naxalism, how fast it will move once that challenge is gone," Modi said.
Modi said development has taken over fear of bombs and bullets. "Electricity reached Chikapalli village in Bijapur district for the first time in seven decades. In Abujhmarh, work has started on building the first school at Rekawaya. Villages once known as strongholds of terror are now unfurling the Tricolour with pride," the PM said.
TOI in its earlier reports was the first to highlight these stories from Bastar, which led to an escalation of development work.
₹14,000cr boost to Chhattisgarh
The PM asked the crowd to switch on the mobile flash lights and called it the "power of new dreams rising in people's hands", the "sunrise over the next 25-year era of Chhattisgarh."
Modi inaugurated and laid foundation stones for development projects worth ₹14,000 crore, including new roads, housing, healthcare, and connectivity projects. While he said that in last 12 years, over 4 crore families have been given pakka residences under PMAY, as many as 3.5 lakh more families entered their new homes on Saturday in Chhattisgarh.
‘Atalji gifted the state, Raman Singh deserves special credit'
Tracing Chhattisgarh's journey since its formation, Modi said: "Twenty-five years ago, when Atal Bihari Vajpayee gifted Chhattisgarh, he also took a pledge that the state would rise to great heights of development. Today, that seed has become a vast tree of progress."
He praised the contributions of past and present state leaders. "Former CM Raman Singh deserves special credit as he led Chhattisgarh when the state was facing its biggest challenges. I am glad that he is now guiding the Assembly as Speaker, while CM Vishnu Deo Sai is taking the state forward with speed."
Prime Minister highlighted the state's infrastructure leap — 40,000 km of road networks, 24 medical colleges (up from one in 2000), and AIIMS Raipur as the "symbol of new Chhattisgarh."
Modi reaches out to Teejan Bai, Vinod Shukla
Soon after Modi landed in Raipur, he began his official engagements by reaching out to two of the state's most revered cultural icons — Vinod Kumar Shukla, the literary visionary and Padma Vibhushan Teejan Bai, the celebrated folk artist known for her Pandvani rendition, to check on their health as both are facing age-related problems and are under treatment.
Modi then carried out a short road show from airport to Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Heart Care Hospital for Children at Naya Raipur and interacted with 2,500 children gathered from different parts of the country who have now been treated healed.
He later talked about how India has always been the first responder in any global crisis and with the philosophy of "One Earth, One Family, One Future," India has been working beyond geopolitical boundaries through initiatives like Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment). He was speaking after dedicating 'Shanti Shikhar' complex to spiritual institution Brahmakumaris.
He unveiled the statue of Vajpayee at the new Vidhan Sabha building saying, "Nagrik Devo Bhava' (citizen is god) is the mantra of our good governance."
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