Armed Naxals have been eliminated; however, “ideological Naxals” who have infiltrated various political parties and organizations are inciting people against democracy and the Constitution, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, criticizing them.
We will protect the country by identifying and defeating such forces, the Prime Minister firmly stated. His remarks came amid allegations by opposition leaders, including Lok Sabha Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi, that the ruling BJP had colluded with the Chief Election Commission and engaged in electoral malpractice.
Every year, Prime Minister Modi celebrates the Diwali festival with security personnel. Accordingly, he celebrated Diwali on Sunday with soldiers and women personnel at the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in Bastar, Chhattisgarh.
Threat from ideological Naxals: Wearing a military-style uniform and cap, he took part in the celebration and said while speaking among the soldiers and women personnel:
Armed Naxal terrorism has been eradicated in the country. Due to the central government's strong actions, the financial sources of the Naxals and separatists have suffered a severe blow. This is a victory for the government's sound policies and strong political commitment.
Amid these victories, we must remember one thing. The Naxal threat has not yet been completely eliminated. Armed Naxals have disappeared from the forest areas. But their supporters, the ideological Naxals, have infiltrated various political parties and organizations. They are inciting people against democracy and the Constitution. If the nation is to be protected, it is essential to identify and defeat such forces.
End of the enemies of the nation: Bringing an end to Naxal terrorism, which had spread across 230 districts in 20 states of the country, was no easy task. Millions of people in thousands of villages were affected. Every year, 2,000 Naxal attacks took place. This land was soaked with the blood shed by security forces. The cries of the people here did not reach the ears of the “influential people” living in palaces.
From 2004 to 2013, the number of security personnel killed was higher than that of the Naxals. Previous governments treated Naxal extremism as an incurable disease and left it unresolved. Any country that adopts such an approach toward its enemies will become paralyzed and unable to function.
If the nation is to move forward on the path of progress, unwavering determination to put an end to enemies and a well-planned strategy are essential. When the people gave me the opportunity to serve as Prime Minister in 2014, the atmosphere of indecision in the country was corrected. The situation and morale of the security forces also began to change.
Freedom for the security forces: For the first time in the past 47 years, not a single CRPF soldier was killed by Naxal terrorism last year. This is a major victory for the courage, bravery, and composure of the security forces.
With the aim of choking off the financial sources of the Naxals, counterfeit currency gangs have been eliminated. Through this, the procurement of weapons and terrorist recruitment have been prevented. Previous governments tied the hands of the security forces in field operations. They were not given the freedom to deliver a firm retaliatory response to Maoist attacks.
However, we gave the security forces the freedom to carry out such actions. In addition, the support that the Naxals had been receiving from the government and the system was also cut off. The government’s goal is that no child from any family should ever take up arms again; no young person’s future should be ruined.
Eradicating poverty: Over the past 12 years, the nation has achieved success not only in eliminating Naxal extremism but also in eradicating poverty. During this period, about 500 million people have been lifted out of extreme poverty. Likewise, we will achieve the goals of building a drug-free, self-reliant, and developed India, he said.
It is noteworthy that the Central Government announced on March 31 that the nation had been freed from Naxal terrorism.
‘The Prime Minister is in a state of confusion’ - Congress criticism
Responding to Prime Minister Modi’s criticism of “ideological Naxals,” Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said in an X post:
At a highly sacred event that was not political in nature, the Prime Minister, wearing the uniform of the security forces, unleashed a barrage of abuse on his political opponents, which is a blatant attack on institutional norms.
In 2024, Modi criticized those demanding a caste-based census as urban Naxals, but in 2025, he himself announced a caste-based census. In 2020, he called those who protested against the three farm laws Naxal supporters, and in 2021, he withdrew those laws.
Now, as the time to step down from power is rapidly approaching, it is clearly evident that he is in a state of anxiety, frustration, and mental distress. That is why it has been noted that even on Diwali day, he did not give up his slander.
Rahul’s challenge: In an X post, Rahul challenged, “The security forces will not believe the Prime Minister’s lies; is the Prime Minister ready to debate with me face to face about who is anti-national and who is being driven by foreign powers?”