Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday firmly rejected the ceasefire proposal issued by Maoist insurgents, stressing that the only acceptable path for them is to lay down arms and surrender to the state.

He made it clear that no separate truce agreement will be entertained, indicating that the government will continue intensified security operations unless the extremists decide to give up violence.

While addressing the valedictory session of the seminar ‘Naxal Mukt Bharat’, Shah said that security forces have clear directions not to harm anyone who chooses to surrender. According to him, such individuals would be extended a “red carpet welcome” and offered a comprehensive rehabilitation policy designed to integrate them back into mainstream society.

He underlined that the recent ceasefire letter issued by CPI (Maoists) was merely a tactic to create confusion among the public and mislead the government. The letter sought to portray past actions as mistakes while pushing for a suspension of hostilities.

Shah dismissed this as an insincere ploy, stressing that the insurgents could not negotiate their way to legitimacy while still holding weapons.

Highlighting ongoing security operations, Shah referred to Operation Black Forest, a coordinated campaign along the Chhattisgarh–Telangana border, where several top-ranking Maoist commanders were neutralised. This offensive, among others, has placed sustained pressure on the leadership of the insurgency and demonstrated the government’s determination to end their violent activities.

The Home Minister also criticised Left-leaning political parties and intellectuals who, in his words, gave ideological, social, and sometimes legal cover to Maoist groups. He argued that the violent movement grew not simply due to underdevelopment, as often claimed, but because individuals and groups actively nurtured the ideology of Left Wing Extremism and shielded its cadres.

Shah emphasised that the red terror unleashed by Maoists had itself blocked development in several interior parts of India for decades. He noted that the lack of governance and infrastructure in affected states was not the primary cause but rather the consequence of Maoist-imposed violence and fear, which restricted the state’s development outreach to troubled districts.

In his address, Shah warned against the view that merely reducing violent incidents could solve the Naxal problem. He pointed out that unless Indian society addresses the ideological ecosystem and networks of support that sustain the Maoists—whether financial, logistic, or legal—the movement cannot be fully eradicated.

Reiterating the government’s stand, the Home Minister called for complete surrender from Maoist fighters and warned that half-measures like ceasefire proposals will not be entertained. He assured that those who laid down arms would not face bullets but an opportunity for dignity and rehabilitation, signalling a dual approach of pressure and reconciliation to achieve a Naxal-free Bharat.

Based On PTI Report