RAIPUR: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will arrive in Chhattisgarh on Saturday evening on a three-day visit, signaling a decisive phase in the Centre’s campaign to eliminate Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) from the county with the firm deadline of March 31, 2026.
Shah's visit is being viewed as the final strategic assessment in the context of "Maoist-free India".
After his arrival at Raipur today evening, Shah will hold an immediate briefing with senior administrative and police officials on various issues including internal security. On February 8, the Home Minister is scheduled to chair a high-level security review meeting at Naya Raipur. This session will involve the top brass of the CRPF, BSF, ITBP, and the state police, alongside chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai and deputy CM Vijay Sharma. The meeting is expected to finalise the roadmap for the ‘clear, hold, and develop’ model of areas affected by Maoists, with enhanced focus on the difficult terrain.
The final leg of the tour will take Shah to Jagdalpur, the heart of the Bastar division, on February 9, to attend the closing ceremony of the Bastar Pandum Mahotsav, a grand cultural tribal festival that has seen record participation from adivasi communities. The state government and security agencies have cited the festival as a sign of returning normalcy and a celebration of tribal heritage in a region once defined by conflict.
However, the visit has triggered a political backlash too. Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee President Deepak Baij has accused the Centre of using security operations as a pretext to grant industrial access to the region’s natural resources. “LWE must be eradicated, but is the government truly focused on security, or is this also about Bastar's water, forest, and land?" Baij questioned.