Change cannot be achieved with weapons or violence. Only peace and development are the only ways to change things. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said this after the killing of 16 Maoists by security forces in Chhattisgarh.
Shah lauded the success of security forces in the killing of 16 Maoists in an operation in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Saturday morning. A large number of automatic weapons were also recovered." This is yet another final blow to Maoism. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has promised to eradicate Maoism from the country by March 31, 2026. Shah reiterated his promise. Reacting to the crackdown, Shah wrote on social media, "Another blow to Naxalism! Our security agencies killed 16 Naxals in an operation in Sukma and recovered a huge cache of automatic weapons. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we will eliminate Naxalism from the country before March 31, 2026.’’
Union HM also sent a message to those involved in the armed movement. "I have only one appeal to those who still have weapons. Weapons and violence can never bring about change; Only peace and development can happen. Acting on a tip-off, a joint team of CRPF, District Reserve Guard (DRG) and police launched a search operation in the forest in Upampalli Keralapal area on the border of Sukma-Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh on Friday night. The entire area was cordoned off and a search operation began. Sensing the presence of forces, the Maoists started firing at them from inside the forest. The army retaliated. A total of 16 Maoists were killed in the overnight gunfight. Details about the slain Maoists are yet to be ascertained.
