'Naxal-free' Madhya Pradesh biggest achievement of my 2-year tenure: CM Yadav

Bhopal, Dec 12 (PTI) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Friday termed the "elimination" of Naxalism from the state as the biggest achievement of his two-year tenure and said his government will now take all necessary steps to ensure this 'snake' does not raise its hood again.

Yadav, who took oath as CM on December 13, 2023, claimed Madhya Pradesh has become Naxal-free ahead of schedule (March 31, 2026, is Centre's deadline to end Left-wing extremism).

"The elimination of Naxalism 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," the BJP Chief Minister said at a press conference here.

Yadav said by resolving to eliminate the decades-old challenge of Maoism by March 31, 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi set the goal of building a Naxal-free India, while Union Home Minister Amit Shah worked with determination to achieve this target.

Yadav said he was in disbelieve when Shah declared that Naxalism will be eradicated from the country by March 31, 2026.

"After this, when I spoke to the Home Minister, he told me - 'do not worry at all, this goal would be achieved within the deadline'. It was very heartening to hear that," the CM stated.

"I am proud to say that Madhya Pradesh has become Naxal-free ahead of schedule," he stated.

The Chief Minister noted that when work is done in an integrated manner, it yields positive results, and the elimination of Naxalism from Madhya Pradesh was an example of this approach.

He asserted, "This was a huge challenge for the police and administration. Whatever the reasons for the spread of Naxalism in Balaghat, Mandla, and Dindori districts, we will strengthen our internal system so that this snake does not spread its tentacles again." Yadav saluted security personnel and civilians who sacrificed their lives in making Madhya Pradesh Naxal-free and said the government had given Maoists only two options -- either surrender or face relentless police action.

The impact of this strategy was clearly visible in the final stages of the battle against Left-wing extremism when there was a competition among Naxalites to surrender, he opined.

On Thursday, two notorious Naxalites, 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 join the national mainstream.

A reward of Rs 29 lakh was announced for Deepak and Rs 14 lakh for Rohit by the state government.

Shortly after their surrender, Chief Minister Yadav officially declared Madhya Pradesh as a Naxalism-free state.

At the press conference held on Friday to mark the completion of two years in office, the CM criticized previous Congress governments for failing to formulate a concrete strategy against Naxalism, which he said first surfaced in Madhya Pradesh in 1990.

He recalled that several policemen were killed in Naxalite attacks, and in one particular incident, a state minister was dragged out of his home by rebels and bludgeoned to death.

"In those days, Congress governments were in office in both Madhya Pradesh and at the Centre. Even after major violent incidents, neither a concrete plan nor a concrete strategy was devised to eradicate Naxalism. The result was that Naxalite incidents continued to occur daily, and our people continued to be killed," the CM maintained. PTI MAS RSY