“Make India free of Left Wing Extremism (Naxalism) by 31 March 2026”
Armed Maoists were still active after the deadline: 42 surrendered in Telangana in April 2026 and eight were arrested in Gadchiroli in May (Deccan Herald).
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What the record shows
In Raipur on 24 August 2024, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the country would be free of Left Wing Extremism by 31 March 2026. On 30 March 2026 he told the Lok Sabha India could be called Naxal-free, saying 20 of 21 top CPI (Maoist) leaders had surrendered, been arrested or killed (Deccan Herald). Armed cadres were still active after the deadline: 42 Maoists surrendered in Telangana in April and eight were arrested in Gadchiroli in May. Shah said in May that Naxalism had been eradicated before the deadline; former police chief Prakash Singh wrote in ThePrint that the insurgency was crushed but its ideology may survive.
What was promisedweb.archive.org
“The country will be free from Left Wing Extremism (LWE) by March 2026”
Evidence9 reports
- 25 Aug 2024 ·ThePrintVerified sourceAmit Shah wants India to be Naxal-free by 2026. Inside Chhattisgarh meeting where a plan was laid out ↗
- 30 Mar 2026 ·Deccan HeraldVerified sourceIndia now free of Naxalism but Rahul has become one due to proximity to Maoists: Amit Shah in Lok Sabha ↗
- 31 Mar 2026 ·ThePrint (PTI)Verified source35 Naxalites surrender in Chhattisgarh hours before Centre-set deadline for LWE eradication ends ↗
- 31 Mar 2026 ·ThePrint (PTI)Verified sourceRise, reign, and fall of Naxalism: Chhattisgarh's 'red' corridor hits dead end ↗
- 1 Apr 2026 ·ThePrint (opinion, Prakash Singh)Verified sourceMaoist insurgency has been defeated. Naxal ideology likely to survive ↗
- 10 Apr 2026 ·Deccan HeraldVerified source'Telangana completely free of Naxals', says DGP Shivadhar Reddy as 42 Maoists surrender ↗
- 17 May 2026 ·Deccan HeraldVerified sourceMaharashtra's Gadchiroli declared Naxal-free after five Naxals surrender, eight Maoists arrested ↗
- 19 May 2026 ·Deccan HeraldVerified sourceNaxalism eradicated from country before March 31 deadline due to valour of forces: Amit Shah ↗
- News ArticleCoverage108 Maoists surrender in Chhattisgarh - The Hindu ↗
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