Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday called upon the Maoists to give up violence and join the democratic process by fighting polls to serve the people.
“If you have faith in your ideals, come and contest polls. Give up violence”, the Vice President exhorted Maoists in his address while inaugurating a five-day glittering ‘Rajyotsava 2017’ function here at smart city Naya Raipur. Chhattisgarh was carved out from Madhya Pradesh on November 1, 2000.
“Give up your illusion. Believe in democracy’, he told Maoists who have significant presence in State’s forested patches in Bastar.
Naidu said that Maoists will not gain anything by disrupting developmental processes and by demolishing hospitals and schools. “They need to shun violence and join the mainstream of development.”
He said that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has made his valuable contribution in formation of Chhattisgarh.
The Vice President said that Chhattisgarh was the first State in the country to offer food security to its citizens.
“Chhattisgarh’s PDS system is being followed by every State in the country. The Supreme Court too heaped praise on the State’s PDS system,” Naidu said. Both Centre and the State had been working together to ensure development of Bastar region, the Vice-President stated.
“Chhattisgarh is endowed with precious minerals and is a ‘zero power cut’ State. The State had been providing free education to girls till graduation level .The State now also has institutions such as AIIMS, IIM, IIT and IIIT,’’ he told people who turned out in thousands to witness the inaugural function of ‘Rajyotsava 2017’.
Chhattisgarh is one of the fastest growing States in the country. The number of educational institutions in the State have grown three times since its formation, Naidu claimed. He further said that the number of industrial units have gone up phenomenally in the State since its formation.
Naidu summed up his speech by saying “when a girl attains 18 years of age, the parents start thinking what’s next for her. The same is with Chhattisgarh — It has reached 17 years of age and the Chief Minister should start thinking what’s next road to development.”