Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday appealed to Naxals to give up arms and join the mainstream, or else they will have to face the strong action of security forces.
He said the rehabilitation of the surrendered Naxals is the responsibility of the government.
Addressing a sporting event - 'Bastar Olympics' - in Chhattisgarh's Jagdalpur, Shah also said the country would be free of Maoists by March 2026.
"I appeal to Naxals, please come forward. Give up arms, surrender and join the mainstream. Your rehabilitation is our responsibility," he said.
He said if the Maoists do not listen to the appeal of surrender, they will be crushed by the security forces.
"Chhattisgarh Police is committed to fulfilling Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resolve to make India Naxal-free by March 31, 2026," he said.
The Union home minister said the Chhattisgarh government's rehabilitation policy is the best in the country.
"If you surrender and join the mainstream, you will contribute for the development of Chhattisgarh and India," he said.
Shah said when the Congress was in power in Chhattisgarh before the BJP assumed charge a year ago, the action against the Maoists became slow.
"But after our government came to power in Chhattisgarh, action against the extremists speeded up resulting in killings of 287 Naxals in last one year, arrest of 992 Naxals and surrender of 836 others," he said.
Shah said since the Modi government assumed charge, there has been a 73 per cent reduction in the casualties in security forces and 70 per cent decline in civilians' deaths.
"If Naxalism ends in Bastar (Chhattisgarh), it will attract more tourists than Kashmir due to its natural beauty," he said.
He further said those who know the process of change taking place within the society also know that it is not limited to only 1.5 lakh people participating in the Bastar Olympics.
"Everyone is saying that Bastar is changing. I assure you that when I will come to the 2026 Bastar Olympics, I will say that Bastar has changed," he said, adding that this change has been initiated by the Bastar Olympics.
The Union home minister said this event will write a new saga of development of Bastar in the coming days and will become a strong basis for the complete eradication of Naxalism.
He also said many development works are being done, through which Naxalism is being defeated.
