Bhopal, December 13: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Friday termed the elimination of Naxal from the state as the biggest achievement of his two-year tenure, asserting that his government will take all necessary steps to ensure that the menace does not resurface.
Yadav said Madhya Pradesh has become Naxal free well ahead of the Centre’s deadline of March 31, 2026, set for ending Left-wing extremism across the country. The Chief Minister who took oath on December 13, 2023, credited the achievement to coordinated efforts by the state police administration and central security forces.
“The elimination of Naxal from the state is the biggest achievement of my two-year tenure”. The government will now take all necessary steps to ensure this snake does not raise its hood again” Yadav said.
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had resolved to build a Naxal-free India by March 31, 2026 while Union Home Minister Amit Shah worked with determination to achieve this goal. Recalling his interaction with Shah Yadav said he was initially sceptical when the deadline was announced but was reassured by the Home Minister confidence. “I am proud to say that Madhya Pradesh has become Naxal free ahead of schedule” he added.
The Chief Minister said the success demonstrated how an integrated approach yields results. He acknowledged that eliminating Maoist activity in districts such as Balaghat, Mandla and Dindori was a major challenge for the police and administration, and stressed that systems would be further strengthened to prevent any revival.
Yadav paid tribute to security personnel and civilians who lost their lives in the fight against Naxal and said the government had given Maoists only two options surrender or face sustained police action. He said the effectiveness of this strategy was evident in the final phase of operations when several Naxalites opted to surrender.
On Thursday, two wanted Maoists, identified as Deepak and Rohit, surrendered at the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in Korka under the Birsa police station area of Balaghat district, expressing their desire to return to the mainstream. The state government had announced a reward of Rs 29 lakh on Deepak and Rs 14 lakh on Rohit.
Following their surrender, Yadav officially declared Madhya Pradesh a Naxal free state. Balaghat Superintendent of Police(SP) Aditya Mishra said there were no more hardcore Naxalites active in the district. Criticising previous Congress governments the Chief Minister alleged that no concrete strategy was formulated to deal with Naxal after it first surfaced in the state in 1990. He recalled incidents in which policemen were killed and a state minister was dragged from his home and murdered by rebels.
Despite repeated violent incidents, there was neither a concrete plan nor a clear strategy to eradicate Naxal. As a result, people continued to lose their lives Yadav said. Earlier addressing a programme organised under the Rehabilitation to Rejuvenation campaign via video conference from Bhopal, the Chief Minister said the “Lal Salaam” from Balaghat had received its final salute due to the courage and sacrifice of police personnel, reiterating the government commitment to ensuring lasting peace in the region.
