Exhorting paramilitary forces to be ready to deal Naxalism the final blow, Amit Shah said on Friday left-wing extremism was now in its last stages. “The area of Maoists’ influence has shrunk. We are sure to win this battle. The day is not far when the country will be completely free of (Maoists),” he said. BSFCRPF and ITBP are the three central forces deployed in LWE-hit areas.
Shah asks paramilitary to be ready to deal Naxals final blow
Reiterating that left-wing extremism was now in its last stages with the counter-Naxal forces increasingly restricting the area of operation of Maoists, home minister Amit Shah on Friday exhorted BSF, CRPF and ITBP to be ready to deal it the final blow with renewed resolve and enthusiasm.
BSF, CRPF and ITBP are the three central para-military forces deployed in LWE-hit areas, spearheading the fight against Naxalites in close coordination with the police of the affected states. “This has brought significant successes in that the area of Maoists’ influence has shrunk to 176 police stations across 45 districts from 455 police stations across 96 districts 10 years ago. Incidents of Maoist violence have dipped by 52% and resulting deaths by 70% in the last decade,” Shah shared in his address at the BSF’s 59th Raising Day function here.
“The day is not far when the country will be completely free of left-wing extremism. 199 security camps have been set up in areas where Naxals were pushed back, to fill the security vacuum. The patrolling of these areas has choked the resources of left-wing extremists and helped us take control of what were once Maoist strongholds of Jharkhand such as Budha Pahad and Chakarbanda. The final battle against left wing extremism is still on in Kolhan division and some areas of Jharkhand and we are sure to win this battle,” assured the home minister.
Also commending the BSF for keeping the borders safe, Shah said fencing on its own cannot secure a country’s borders.
“It only helps the border guarding personnel to keep the frontiers safe,” he said and added that 560 km of fencing to plug the identified gaps along India’s western and eastern borders, which were facilitating infiltration and smuggling, has been completed in the past nine years. “The remaining 60 km fence will be done in the next two years, fully securing both Indo-Pakistan and Indo-Bangladesh borders,” announced Shah.
The home minister on Friday said the BJP governments under the leadership of both Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Narendra Modi have prioritised border security. While Vajpayee government approved integrated border management plan focused on ‘one-border-one-force’ principle, the Narendra Modi government has in the last 10 years worked relentlessly not only to enhance border security with but also improve infrastructure with funding running into thousands of crores. Also connectivity – be it via road, railways, waterways, telecommunication or people-to-people connect – and reach of the Centre’s welfare schemes has been strengthened in the border villages.
Shah particularly praised the BSF’s contribution in ensuring the implementation of people-inclusive border management policy of the Modi government. On its part, he said, Modi regime has over the last 10 years floodlit 1,100 km of border stretches, erected 542 border outposts, and set up 510 observation towers including the very first one in Harami Nala in Sir Creek area, besides providing power connectivity in 637 border outposts and water connections in 500 BOPs.
Shah asks paramilitary to be ready to deal Naxals final blow
Reiterating that left-wing extremism was now in its last stages with the counter-Naxal forces increasingly restricting the area of operation of Maoists, home minister Amit Shah on Friday exhorted BSF, CRPF and ITBP to be ready to deal it the final blow with renewed resolve and enthusiasm.
BSF, CRPF and ITBP are the three central para-military forces deployed in LWE-hit areas, spearheading the fight against Naxalites in close coordination with the police of the affected states. “This has brought significant successes in that the area of Maoists’ influence has shrunk to 176 police stations across 45 districts from 455 police stations across 96 districts 10 years ago. Incidents of Maoist violence have dipped by 52% and resulting deaths by 70% in the last decade,” Shah shared in his address at the BSF’s 59th Raising Day function here.
“The day is not far when the country will be completely free of left-wing extremism. 199 security camps have been set up in areas where Naxals were pushed back, to fill the security vacuum. The patrolling of these areas has choked the resources of left-wing extremists and helped us take control of what were once Maoist strongholds of Jharkhand such as Budha Pahad and Chakarbanda. The final battle against left wing extremism is still on in Kolhan division and some areas of Jharkhand and we are sure to win this battle,” assured the home minister.
Also commending the BSF for keeping the borders safe, Shah said fencing on its own cannot secure a country’s borders.
“It only helps the border guarding personnel to keep the frontiers safe,” he said and added that 560 km of fencing to plug the identified gaps along India’s western and eastern borders, which were facilitating infiltration and smuggling, has been completed in the past nine years. “The remaining 60 km fence will be done in the next two years, fully securing both Indo-Pakistan and Indo-Bangladesh borders,” announced Shah.
The home minister on Friday said the BJP governments under the leadership of both Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Narendra Modi have prioritised border security. While Vajpayee government approved integrated border management plan focused on ‘one-border-one-force’ principle, the Narendra Modi government has in the last 10 years worked relentlessly not only to enhance border security with but also improve infrastructure with funding running into thousands of crores. Also connectivity – be it via road, railways, waterways, telecommunication or people-to-people connect – and reach of the Centre’s welfare schemes has been strengthened in the border villages.
Shah particularly praised the BSF’s contribution in ensuring the implementation of people-inclusive border management policy of the Modi government. On its part, he said, Modi regime has over the last 10 years floodlit 1,100 km of border stretches, erected 542 border outposts, and set up 510 observation towers including the very first one in Harami Nala in Sir Creek area, besides providing power connectivity in 637 border outposts and water connections in 500 BOPs.