Raipur, March 31 Former Chhattisgarh chief minister and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday of making false claims regarding the actions taken against Naxals during the previous Congress government in the state.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, however, accused Baghel of lying and said he was trying to cover up his government's failures.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha on Monday, Shah declared that the country has been freed from Naxals with the apex body of the Maoists and the central structure almost completely dismantled, and accused the Congress of doing "nothing" to end the long period of violence perpetrated by the insurgents. He alleged that, according to experts, the "Red Corridor" could not have been created without the support of those in power.
Last year, Shah had announced that Left Wing Extremism (LWE) would end in the country by March 31, 2026, and a major operation had been organized against the Naxals.
In a video statement, Baghel said, "In his statement yesterday (on Monday) in the Lok Sabha, Amit Shah claimed that our government did not support efforts against Naxalism. This is completely untrue. I challenge him to debate this at a time and place of his choice. The people of the state and the country should not be misled."
Baghel highlighted the previous Congress government's initiatives in Bastar, including implementing the Forest Rights Act, opening schools, establishing health facilities, and distributing ration cards.
"While the BJP government denied these benefits, we worked to build trust with local communities. As Naxal influence receded, development initiatives expanded, 600 villages were cleared of the menace, and people returned to the mainstream," he added.
"I want to ask Amit Shah as he had announced that once a village is declared Naxal-free, Rs 1 crore would be provided to that village. Now that Naxalism has ended, when will Rs 1 crore be given to every village in Bastar?" Baghel sought to know.
"He has been continuously spreading falsehoods. It is an insult to our DRG personnel who sacrificed their lives in the fight against Naxalism. All the development work we carried out is duly recorded. Shah should feel ashamed, stop spreading lies, and apologise to the people of Chhattisgarh," he added.
The Baghel-led Congress government ruled Chhattisgarh from 2018 to 2023.
CM Sai said Baghel has been trying to cover up his government's failure by lying.
"What Bhupesh Baghel has said is completely untrue. He is trying to cover up his government's failure," Sai said.
Sai claimed that when the BJP came to power in Chhattisgarh in December 2023, a review by the Union home minister revealed that there was over 75 per cent of Naxal activity in the state.
"Had the previous government shown firmness and sincerity in fighting Maoism during its five-year tenure, the situation would have been different. The then state government did not cooperate with the Centre at all, and Baghel's statements are simply false," he added.