3 min readUpdated: Mar 30, 2026 07:37 PM IST
Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday launched an attack on the Opposition in Lok Sabha for comparing freedom fighters Bhagat Singh and Birsa Munda with Naxals, who he said killed innocents. Naxalism did not spread due to poverty, Shah said, instead blaming “Left-wing idealogy”.
“Those writing articles are asking government to hold talks with Naxals but do not talk of victims of left-wing violence,” Shah said, underlining that Naxals ran parallel government, stopped developmental work and prevented people from voting.
Echoing the call of some from the Opposition benches, he said that “dialogue, not arms can resolve issues”, during a discussion in Lok Sabha on Naxalism. But Shah added a rider: “This is our government’s policy: talks will be held only with those who lay down their arms; those who use bullets will be answered with bullets”.
#WATCH | Delhi: Speaking in the Lok Sabha on the fight against Naxalism, Union Home Minister Amit Shah says, “…This is our government’s policy: talks will be held only with those who lay down their arms; those who use bullets will be answered with bullets.” pic.twitter.com/HYyyoBlJfu
— ANI (@ANI) March 30, 2026
Shah said Naxalism has “nearly ended” in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, adding that the area had long suffered in terms of development due to the shadow of “red terror”, speaking during Parliament’s budget session.
The statement came during a broader discussion on left-wing extremism, where the government highlighted its success in reducing Naxal activity across the country. BJP leaders credited recent policies and security measures for the decline.
However, speaking earlier in the day, opposition members raised concerns on the issue.
Samajwadi Party MP Dharmendra Yadav said the country cannot yet be considered fully free of naxalism, although he acknowledged that incidents have reduced significantly. He argued that dialogue, rather than force alone, should be used to resolve the issue and address root causes in affected regions.
The MP claimed that Naxalism was eliminated from the districts of Mirzapur, Sonbhadra, and Chandauli while Mulayam Singh Yadav was the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, an accomplishment made through discussion and dialogue.
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Congress MP Jyotsna Mahant highlighted the human cost of the conflict, noting that “2,700 security personnel” have lost their lives over the past two decades.
She raised concerns about the government’s approach, saying the issue should be treated as a national problem and handled with sensitivity towards tribal communities.
Responding to the criticism, BJP MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy said naxalism had expanded under previous governments due to inconsistent policies.
He also credited the “robust” policies under the leadership of PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for significantly reducing the issue.
