Suryaa National Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Bastar region in Chhattisgarh to celebrate Diwali with security forces at the CoBRA operations base in Karanpur. The Prime Minister described the ongoing efforts against Left-wing extremism as a historic milestone in India's internal security history and stated that every district in the country is now Naxal-free.
Addressing personnel from the CRPF, CoBRA, BSF, ITBP, SSB, and state police forces, the Prime Minister acknowledged the sacrifices and dedication of the soldiers. He stated that he traveled to Bastar to convey the gratitude of 140 crore Indians, noting that those protecting the country both at the borders and internally are like his family.
The Prime Minister highlighted that for the first time in 47 years, no CRPF personnel lost their lives on duty in the past year. He attributed this to government security policies, political will, and the courage of the soldiers. He recalled that Naxal violence previously affected over 230 districts across nearly 20 states, with over a thousand security personnel losing their lives in Chhattisgarh alone.
Prime Minister Modi stated that providing operational independence to security forces helped suppress the roots of extremism. Beyond defeating armed militancy, he noted that development has been accelerated in remote areas through the construction of roads, mobile towers, schools, and skill development centers. He pointed to the Olympics being held in the Bastar region as evidence of positive change, noting that children are now holding sports equipment instead of weapons.
