New Delhi, November 8, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday criticised previous governments for their handling of Maoist violence and Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), alleging that they treated Naxalism as an “incurable disease” and left it unaddressed.
Addressing security personnel at a Diwali event in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar, Modi recalled that nearly 230 districts across around 20 states were once affected by Naxalism. He said the situation in several areas had become so severe that people were unable to step out of their homes after sunset and were deprived of their voting rights.
“The battle against Maoist terror and Naxalism was not an easy one. There was a time when nearly 230 districts across around 20 states were affected by Naxalism. Life would come to a standstill after sunset, and stepping out of homes became nearly impossible,” the Prime Minister said.
He also referred to the scale of violence, stating that the country witnessed as many as 2,000 Maoist attacks in a single year. Recalling the 2010 Dantewada attacks, he said 76 CRPF personnel were martyred in an encounter with Naxalites, while 44 civilians were killed in another attack in the district that year.
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“This land was soaked in the blood of our bravehearts. However, not a single tear fell from the eyes of any of the high-born residents of the palaces,” Modi said, criticising the then leadership’s response.
The Prime Minister said more than 1,000 security personnel were martyred in Chhattisgarh alone during the period. Referring to figures from 2004 to 2013, he claimed that the annual number of security personnel killed was higher than the number of Naxalites killed.
“Unfortunately, the governments of that time treated Naxalism as an incurable disease and left it unaddressed. My tribal families were left to their fate, and it was accepted that this state of affairs would simply continue — bullets will be fired, soldiers will die, and civilians will be beaten,” he said.
Modi said a change in the country’s approach began after 2014, emphasising the need for political determination and a planned strategy to tackle threats to national security.
“The political will that was lacking in our nation to do this was strengthened in 2014,” he said, adding that people had given him an opportunity to serve the country.
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