Narayanpur (Chhattisgarh) [India], February 26 (HBTV): Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai attended the wedding ceremony of four former Naxalite couples in Narayanpur district, organised as part of the state government’s Chief Minister’s Kanya Vivah Yojana following their surrender.
Speaking to reporters at the event, the Chief Minister said, ‘Today, an event was organised where four couples got married under the Chief Minister’s Kanyadaan Yojana. They were already acquainted with each other. After surrendering, they tied the knot today. I congratulate them heartily. There are other people who also want to get married, and they are also welcome. The government will arrange their marriages as well,’ underlining the government’s efforts to eradicate Naxalism through rehabilitation and social inclusion.
One of the newly married men, a former Naxalite, shared his experience, saying he had been associated with the Maoist organisation from 2006 to 2024 and surrendered in 2025. He said they were getting married under the Chief Minister’s Kanya Vivah Yojana and were benefitting from the government’s policies.
Later in the day, the Chief Minister interacted with personnel of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in Narayanpur. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have set a deadline of March 31, 2026, to eliminate Naxalism and reiterated that those who surrender would be rehabilitated by the government.
‘The Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister have announced a deadline of March 31, 2026, to completely eliminate Naxalism. From the very beginning, we have been appealing to them to abandon violence. No one has ever benefited from the language of bullets, nor will they. Join the mainstream of development. The government will treat you well and implement an effective rehabilitation policy,’ he said, adding that the policy has already shown strong results.
Citing examples of reintegration, Sai said surrendered Naxalites had participated in initiatives such as the Bastar Olympics 2025 and Bastar Pandum, indicating their return to mainstream society.
Earlier, on January 20, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had raised concerns over the growing influence of urban Naxalism, stating that it has increasingly taken on international dimensions and continues to work against India. Addressing workers at the BJP national headquarters in New Delhi, he said that urban Naxalism seeks to silence voices through intimidation and social isolation, and warned that such groups are actively working to harm the country.
(ANI)