Jagdalpur, November 8, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said India had eliminated armed Naxalism but cautioned that what he described as the threat of “dimagi Naxals” (ideological Naxals) remained. He called for identifying and defeating this threat to protect the country.
Addressing security personnel in Bastar, Modi said India had made significant progress against Naxalism, separatism and poverty over the past 12 years. Referring to a recent World Bank report, he said 50 crore people had come out of extreme poverty during this period, something he said decades of slogans such as “Garibi Hatao” had failed to achieve.
Comparing welfare initiatives to a rangoli, the Prime Minister said individual schemes had combined to improve people’s lives. He cited Jan Dhan Yojana, PM Awas Yojana, Mudra loans, PM SVANidhi, Ayushman Bharat, free monthly ration and access to education, medicines and kitchen support. He also mentioned the Swachh Bharat Mission and Har Ghar Jal initiative.
Modi said Naxal-affected areas had suffered because extremists obstructed development, including schools, hospitals, vaccination drives, mobile towers, railway tracks and industries. He said the government had undertaken development work alongside security operations in Left-Wing Extremism-affected regions.
According to the Prime Minister, more than 15,000 km of roads had been built under security cover, over 9,000 mobile towers installed, and nearly 200 Eklavya schools opened for tribal children. Around 50 ITIs and skill development centres had also been established, along with thousands of post offices, bank branches and ATMs.
He further cited the PM-JANMAN scheme’s provision of basic facilities in remote tribal villages and rehabilitation opportunities for surrendered Naxals. In Bastar, he said, children were now participating in sports and the Olympics instead of carrying guns.
However, Modi cautioned that the ideological challenge remained. “The armed Naxalites have been wiped out from the forests, but the mental Naxalites have taken over many organisations. Even today they are inciting people against the country’s Constitution and democracy. These dimagi Naxals have infiltrated many political parties and different organisations. We have to recognise them, defeat them and secure the country,” he said.
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