Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday declared that Naxalism would be eliminated from India by March 31, 2026, asserting that security forces had “broken the back” of Maoist insurgency and restored peace in long-troubled regions.
Addressing the 87th Raising Day parade of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at Sarusajai Stadium in Guwahati, the first time the ceremony has been held in the Northeast, Shah expressed confidence in the force’s ability to meet the government’s deadline.
“I can rely on the CRPF and say with confidence that we will eliminate the Naxal problem from the country by March 31, 2026,” he said.
Shah credited the CRPF with playing a decisive role not only in anti-Naxal operations but also in restoring normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir and tackling ethnic unrest in Manipur. He said incidents of stone-pelting in Jammu and Kashmir had dropped to zero and claimed that after the abrogation of Article 370, “not a single bullet” was required to be fired to maintain order.
Highlighting Operation Black Forest, a 21-day offensive in the Karreguta Hills along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border in April-May 2025, Shah said 31 Naxals were killed and a key stronghold dismantled. CRPF personnel operated in temperatures touching 46°C, losing up to 15 litres of water daily through sweat while navigating scorching terrain.
Also read: Shah reviews anti-Naxal ops, reiterates March 31 target
A decade ago, Shah said, the country grappled with three major security challenges, terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, Naxalism, and insurgency in the Northeastm, describing them as “festering wounds”. “These three areas, once known for scenes of bombings, bullets, blockades and destruction, are part of the country's development today,” he said, calling them new engines of growth.
He paid tribute to the 2,270 CRPF personnel who have died in the line of duty over 86 years, including 780 in Naxal-affected areas, 700 in the Northeast, and 540 in Jammu and Kashmir. In Assam alone, 79 jawans laid down their lives, he noted.
CRPF Director General G P Singh reiterated that Operation Black Forest had “broke the back” of Naxalism and echoed the March 31 deadline.
Eight contingents drawn from across the country marched in ceremonial precision, led by Commandant Deepak Dhoundiyal of the 225th Battalion. The parade featured women personnel, Rapid Action Force units and CoBRA commandos, culminating in rifle drills, a simulated hostage rescue and a jungle warfare demonstration.
Raised in 1939 as the Crown Representative’s Police, the CRPF was rechristened in 1949 by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, evolving into a 3.25 lakh-strong force and a key pillar of India’s internal security apparatus.
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