PM Modi celebrates Diwali with security personnel in Bastar
The Prime Minister visited the CoBRA Operations Base to honour security forces for their role in ending Naxalism.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated Diwali with security personnel at the CoBRA Operations Base in Karanpur, Chhattisgarh's Bastar district, on Sunday, according to The Times of India and The Assam Tribune. The facility serves as a training centre and a launchpad for counter-Naxal operations in the Bastar region and Abujhmad.
Addressing the personnel, PM Modi stated that this is the first Diwali where the nation has won its decades-long war against Naxalism and Maoist terror. He said that every district in the country is now free from Naxalism and that crores of citizens have overcome the fear of the insurgency.
The Prime Minister credited the security forces for their sacrifices and commitment in eliminating the Naxal threat. He noted that the elimination of the threat has allowed a new era of development to begin in the region.
PM Modi also criticised previous Congress-led governments, alleging they treated Naxalism as an incurable problem. He claimed that between 2004 and 2013, the number of soldiers martyred was higher every year than the number of Naxalites killed.
Recalling past violence, the Prime Minister mentioned the 2010 Dantewada attacks where 76 CRPF personnel and 44 civilians were killed. He said he considers the security forces to be like family and has a tradition of celebrating the festival with them at various locations.
The government announced on March 31 that the country had been freed from Naxalism after several senior leaders and cadres were eliminated and hundreds of others surrendered.