Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday asserted that India is on the verge of eliminating Maoists and said the country could be free of the insurgency by March 31, crediting security forces for steadily weakening the movement across its traditional strongholds.
Addressing the 57th Raising Day celebrations of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at Mundali in Odisha’s Cuttack district, Shah said security forces would defeat those who dream of building a “red corridor” stretching from Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh to Pashupati in Nepal.
“Today, I want to assure the nation that the country will be Maoist-free by March 31. Our forces will defeat those who dream of building a red corridor from Tirupati to Pashupati,” Shah said.
He described the near-elimination of Maoist insurgency as a significant achievement for the country’s security forces under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, adding that the forces have lived up to national expectations in tackling the decades-old challenge.
“Our security forces have reached the expectations, and the country is now on the verge of eliminating the red rebels,” he said.
Shah also emphasised that maintaining internal security was essential for achieving the government’s vision of “Viksit Bharat” by 2047, noting that peace and stability form the foundation of economic growth.
Speaking about the role of the CISF, the Home Minister said the force had emerged as a key pillar of industrial security in India and played a crucial role in safeguarding critical infrastructure.
He noted that the CISF currently provides protection to major installations across the country, including reservoirs, industrial units and the Parliament complex, and acts as a catalyst for economic development by ensuring a secure environment for industry.
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“Higher economic growth is achieved when peace exists. Our security personnel have effectively implemented their resolutions to maintain industrial peace,” Shah said.
Highlighting the force’s journey over the decades, Shah said the CISF had risen “from zero to the pinnacle in the field of industrial security” after completing 56 years of service.
He credited the force’s progress to its combination of courage, sacrifice and dedication, along with the adoption of modern equipment and training.
Shah also said the Union Home Ministry had recently decided to entrust the security of all ports in the country to the CISF. In addition, the force would soon begin providing security to private industrial groups under a hybrid model, he added.
The Home Minister said India’s ambition to become a major global economic power depended on industrial development, and such growth required a dedicated national-level industrial security force.
“The vision of building a strong national economy and making India the world’s largest economy cannot be realised without industrial development,” he said.
He added that the CISF would continue to play a crucial role in achieving the government’s broader economic and development goals, including making India the third-largest economy by 2027.
During the event, Shah virtually inaugurated two residential projects and laid the foundation stones for three reserve battalions at a total cost of ₹890 crore.
The programme was attended by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and other senior leaders and officials.
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