Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Chhattisgarh on a three-day tour starting Friday. He is expected to arrive in Raipur around 10:00 PM via an aircraft from the BSF or the Air Force. Shah's visit is considered crucial for addressing the issue of Maoist insurgency.
During his stay in Raipur, Amit Shah will chair an inter-state coordination meeting with high-level security officials from Maoist-affected states, including Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. The meeting will also involve top security officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The key focus of this high-profile meeting will be to review strategies for combating Maoism and to discuss effective measures to eradicate the insurgency within a specified timeframe. Reports suggest that simultaneous operations across all affected states could be considered, and discussions will also address border-related issues between states. Additionally, the meeting will emphasize the surrender policy for Maoists.
During the election period, senior BJP leaders had promised that Maoism would be eradicated within three years.
Apart from the security meetings, Amit Shah will also inaugurate the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) office in Raipur. He is expected to return to Delhi on the afternoon of August 25. In light of his visit, local authorities have heightened security measures, deploying mine-protected vehicles (MPVs), drones, and snipers at his residence.
Home Ministry officials will accompany Shah during his visit. He will spend three days in Raipur, where he will receive updates and reports on Maoist activities from surrounding states. The Director General of Police (DGP) of Chhattisgarh has prepared a report for presentation at the meeting.
Chhattisgarh's Home Minister Vijay Sharma stated that Shah's visit will involve a review of actions taken against Maoism and efforts to create a conducive environment for Maoists' surrender. Sharma noted that the state has made significant progress in the past six months, with around 150 Maoists killed in various encounters and numerous surrenders and arrests made.
