The first Prime Minister to visit Chhattisgarh Maoists’ breeding ground, Dantewada, in three decades, Narendra Modi on Saturday strongly advised the Naxals to embrace humanity as violence has no future.
“Only plough on the shoulders and not guns can bring development. And this will bring everyone to the mainstream of the country. There is no future for violence. The future is only of peaceful means,” Modi remarked in a direct reference to insurgents.
“Those who feel that whether or not this macabre drama of death will end, I can tell you with full commitment and make you believe that there is no need to get disheartened, this (death) too will stop,” he added at a jam-packed rally at a high school ground.
“Naxalbari where the leftist violence first erupted has returned to mainstream of development and I am sure Bastar too would return to this development path,” Modi said.
Over 10,000 police and paramilitary troopers were deployed in Bastar who carried out extensive search and combing operations for days to ensure a trouble-free visit for Modi where he dedicated three major projects worth Rs 24,000-crore investment in restive Bastar, including setting up a ultra mega steel plant.
Modi said a lot of people have been killed by “madmen on the path of violence” and after meeting the families of victims he could say that they are fraught with many challenges and problems in their lives.
“Perhaps it is for the first time that in a programme like this, MoUs worth Rs 24,000 crore have been signed. This rail link will connect you to the mainland and mainstream of India...Send iron out and get steel from outside. This would go on but now this has to stop. We will make steel from the iron ore,” Modi said.
Without referring to the Congress, Modi observed, “Some people were happy keeping people poor for 60 years. Now when development is taking place they can’t digest it. There were reports in media almost daily about corruption and misdeeds of previous Government but it has been one year since my Government came to power, has there been any media report about corruptionIJ”
Referring to his interaction with students at Dantewada’s Education City where the orphaned, who have been victims of Maoists attack, are enrolled at a massive educational complex developed by the Chhattisgarh Government. “What is the crime of these innocent children, they (Naxals) should shun the guns and spend some time with the kids to understand their suffering and agony, I am sure they will realise the sin and offence they have committed.”
The Prime Minister said that Chhattisgarh can become a No. 1 ranked State in the country if it gets over insurgency menace. He heaped praise on Chief Minister Raman Singh for offering a pen at the Education City to those people (Maoist violence-hit children) whom the Naxals wanted to arm with weapons.
“And in the context of Chhattisgarh, if it gets free from this (Naxalism) problem, it will be No. 1 in economic development in the country. Chhattisgarh has that power which can change the country’s future. Development can only bring solution to problems,” the Prime Minister said.
Responding to a set of queries put by students to the Prime Minister at Education City, he said, “I don’t think life should be judged through the prism of success or failure. When we do that, disappointment sets in.”
When a girl wanted to know how many hours he works daily, the PM added, “I never calculate how many hours I work because the moment one does that it is not so enjoyable.”
“If God asks me what I want, I would ask him to make me a child once again,” Modi said, adding that being a child is the biggest joy of life and it is only when one grows up that one realises the significance of childhood.