Left-wing extremism is an ideological problem, not a development deficit’, says Amit Shah in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR: Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday mounted a sharp ideological critique of Maoism, asserting that Left-wing extremism (LWE) is neither a consequence of underdevelopment nor merely a law-and-order issue, but a product of an ideology that rejects constitutional methods and legitimises violence as a political tool. Speaking at the national conclave ‘Chhattisgarh @ 25: Shifting the Lens’ in Raipur, Shah said the belief that Maoist violence stems primarily from lack of development is “misleading and dangerous”, and ignores both historical data and ground realities. “If ideology was not the problem, why is this movement called Maoism?” he asked, arguing, "the insurgency derives its logic from a belief system that seeks solutions through the gun rather than through democratic debate and the Constitution."Shah stepped up attack on the Bhupesh Baghel-led government saying that the Congress administration “gave shelter” to Maoists, a charge he said he makes “without hesitation”. On intensified security operations in Chhattisgarh and other parts of the country, Shah said the govt does not seek bloodshed and prefers surrender over confrontation. “We do not want to fire bullets,” he said, appealing to armed Maoists to lay down weapons. “If all armed Maoists surrender, we will welcome them on a red carpet.” Making a specific appeal to women cadres, he added: “I request women Maoists to come forward — a great life is waiting for you.”At the same time, Shah said the state has a constitutional obligation to act when armed groups take law and order into their own hands. “If weapons are raised against the state and the people, it is the govt's duty to provide security,” he said, asserting that nearly “90% of the Maoist problem has already been resolved before the March 31 deadline set by the Centre to rootout LWE.Union home minister said that when LWE began spreading in the 1980s, Bastar was not India’s most underdeveloped region. “At that time, more than 100 districts in the country were more backward than Bastar, yet Maoism did not take root there,” he said, contending that the insurgency expanded selectively because of ideological mobilisation. Rejecting attempts to frame "Maoism" as a spontaneous tribal uprising, Shah accused Maoist groups of systematically destroying institutions meant to empower local communities. “They burnt primary schools, shut down PHCs and CHCs, and ensured that two generations of tribal children remained illiterate in Bastar,” he said, adding that welfare delivery — ration cards, bank accounts, housing, healthcare — was blocked for years because Maoists prevented the state from entering large swathes of Bastar.The home minister said the ideology promoted armed struggle as the only path, directly contradicting constitutional values. “Every problem in India has a solution through the Constitution and debate,” Shah said. “But they handed guns to poor tribal children, youth and spread the slogan of a ‘red corridor’ from Tirupati to Pashupati, sitting like a cobra with its hood spread for 40 years.”Shah pointed out that India has, over the last 75 years, seen long periods of governance shaped by three ideological streams — Congress, BJP, and communists — and claimed comparative performance data would show the BJP has performed the best. He said regions governed by communist ideology failed to deliver development, even when they spoke in the name of welfare. He stated, "The ideological legacy of Maoism and communism has brought only darkness wherever it went. And the shrinking footprint of communist politics in India reflected public rejection of that worldview."He reiterated the Centre’s commitment to eliminate the remaining Maoist presence by March 31, 2026, but stressed that dismantling the insurgency’s ideological appeal is as important as neutralising armed cadres.