NEW DELHI, Nov 8: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said armed Maoists had been eliminated from forests, but the Maoist threat had not ended completely.
Celebrating Diwali with Central Reserve Police Force personnel in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, Modi warned against what he described as ‘urban Naxals’.
He claimed that while the influence of armed Maoists in forests had declined, their ideology continued to influence several institutions. He alleged that ‘urban Naxals’ were present in several political parties and organisations.
Modi said that although armed Maoists had been driven out of forests, ‘urban Naxals’ were still inciting people against the Constitution and democracy. Identifying and defeating them was necessary to ensure national security, he said.
The Centre had declared an end to the Maoist problem in the country on March 31, 2026, after several top Maoist leaders and cadres were killed and hundreds surrendered.
Modi described the government's action against Maoism as a success of policy and political will. He claimed that the government had hit the financial networks of Maoist and separatist organisations and given security forces greater freedom to conduct operations.
Criticising previous governments, Modi said security forces had been restrained in their fight against Maoists. He said the present government had given them the freedom to take necessary decisions.
Security operations, along with development initiatives, had helped win the confidence of people in Maoist-affected areas, he said.
