Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah addressed the Bastar Dussehra festival in Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh today
The 75-day Bastar Dussehra fair is the biggest cultural festival not only for the tribal community, Chhattisgarh or India but also for the whole world
Some people kept spreading the misconception for years that Naxalism is a fight for development, but the whole of Bastar remained deprived of development, the root cause of which is Naxalism
I want to assure from Modi ji that after March 31, 2026, Naxalites will not be able to stop the development of Bastar and the rights of the people here
The people of Bastar should explain to the children misguided by Naxalism to lay down their arms and join the mainstream and participate in the development of Bastar
The Central and Chhattisgarh governments are dedicated to the development of Bastar and all Naxal areas
If anyone tries to disrupt the peace of Bastar by taking up arms, our armed forces and police will jointly give a befitting reply
The Dussehra of Bastar, the Bastar Olympics, the food, costumes, art and musical instruments here have become the center of attraction not only in Bastar but all over the world
The active participation of Muriya Darbar since 1874, the judicial system, the thought of saving tribal culture and the historical tradition of public dialogue is a global heritage
Bastar Dussehra and Muriya Darbar work to connect the tribals and unite the entire Bastar
The Rath Yatra of Maa Danteshwari, which started from the 14th century, started the cultural awakening in the entire Bastar region
If 140 crore people adopt the resolution of Swadeshi, then no one can stop our India from becoming the world’s supreme economic system
Raipur, October 4, 2025/ Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah addressed the Bastar Dussehra festival held in Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh today. Earlier, Shri Amit Shah visited and worshiped at the famous Danteshwari temple. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Shri Vishnudev Sai and Deputy Chief Minister Dr. Vijay Sharma along with many dignitaries were present on the occasion of Bastar Dussehra festival.
In his address, Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah said that the world’s largest and unique Bastar Dussehra fair, which lasts for 75 days, is the biggest cultural festival not only for the tribal community, Bastar, Chhattisgarh or India but also for the whole world. Shri Shah said that during the darshan-worship of Maa Danteshwari today, he prayed that she should give strength to our security forces so that they can liberate the Bastar region from the Red terror by March 31, 2026. Shri Shah said that some people in Delhi kept spreading the misconception for years that Naxalism was born out of the fight for development, while the truth is that the main reason for remaining deprived of the development of Bastar is Naxalism itself. He said that today electricity, water, roads, toilets in every house, health insurance up to five lakh rupees and five kg of free food grains, along with the system of buying rice at the rate of Rs 3100 per quintal has reached every village in the country, but Bastar has lagged behind in this race of progress.
The Home Minister said that he wants to assure from Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji that after March 31, 2026, Naxalites will not be able to stop either the development of Bastar or the rights of the people of Bastar. Shri Shah said that the children of the Bastar region who have strayed and joined Naxalism are from the local villages. Shri Shah appealed to the people of Bastar to explain to these misguided children to lay down their arms and join the mainstream, so that they can participate in the development of Bastar.
The Union Home Minister said that the Chhattisgarh government has made the best surrender policy in the country. More than 500 people have surrendered in the last one month. He appealed to the Naxalites to surrender. Shri Shah said that in the village where Naxalism will be completely eliminated, the Chhattisgarh government will give Rs 1 crore for the development of the village. Shri Shah said that no one has benefited from Naxalism and this problem has now reduced to a great extent.
Shri Amit Shah said that the Central Government and the Chhattisgarh Government are fully dedicated to the development of all Naxal affected areas including Bastar and attractive policies have been made for this. Prime Minister Modi ji has provided a sum of approximately Rs 4 lakh 40 thousand crore in the last 10 years for the development of Chhattisgarh. The development of Chhattisgarh is progressing day by day, night by night. He said that industries are being established, educational institutions are being built, and health institutions are being developed. Along with this, our small industries are also being promoted.
The Union Home Minister said that we have made a very attractive surrender policy. He appealed to the Naxalites to lay down their arms. Shri Shah also warned that if any attempt was made to disrupt the peace of Bastar through arms, then our armed forces, CRPF and Chhattisgarh Police would jointly give a befitting reply. He said that the date of March 31, 2026 has been fixed, when Naxalism will be completely eradicated from this country.
Shri Amit Shah said that this time tribals from all over the country will participate in the Bastar Olympics. He said that the Pandum festival, food, costumes, art, and musical instruments of Bastar have become the center of attraction not only in Bastar, but all over the world. Prime Minister Modi ji’s resolve is that our culture, language, food, costumes and musical instruments should be preserved not only for India, but for the whole world for centuries. The Chhattisgarh government and the Government of India are committed to fulfilling this resolve.
The Union Home Minister said that the active participation, judicial system, the thought of preserving tribal culture and the historical tradition of public dialogue in the Muriya Darbar in Bastar since 1874 is no less than a global heritage. He said that the Muriya Darbar is a subject of inspiration and information for the entire country.
Shri Amit Shah, while mentioning the Swadeshi Mela organized by Swadeshi Jagran Manch, said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji has been emphasizing on Swadeshi for a long time. Swadeshi Jagran Manch has been running Swadeshi as a mass movement for many years. Now Modi ji has appealed to everyone that every house has to take a pledge that we will only use goods made in our country. He said that every businessman has to take a pledge that foreign goods will not be available in their shop or shopping mall. Shri Shah said that if the population of 140 crore adopts this resolution of Swadeshi, then no one can stop India from becoming the world’s supreme economic power.
The Union Home Minister said that Modi ji has recently given great relief to the mothers and sisters of the entire country including Chhattisgarh by giving a huge exemption in GST on 395 items. Almost all the food items have been made tax-free, and only five percent tax has been kept on everyday use items. He said that such a big tax cut has never happened in the country before, as much as Modi ji has done. Along with this, if we adopt the Swadeshi values, then the economy of our country will get unprecedented speed. Shri Shah said that more than 300 Swadeshi companies are participating in the Bastar Dussehra festival. He said that Swadeshi Walkathon has become an effective medium to give a new identity to the Swadeshi spirit. The Swadeshi campaign is gaining momentum through the Swadeshi fairs being organized across the country today.
Shri Amit Shah said that the 75-day Dussehra of Bastar, which runs from Shravan Amavasya to Ashwin Shukla Trayodashi, is a matter of pride, identity and pride for all of us. He said that the Rath Yatra, which started from the 14th century, started the cultural awakening in this entire region. Shri Shah said that 66 tribal and many non-tribal groups participate in the Rath Yatra of Maa Danteshwari. Shri Shah said that Bastar Dussehra and Muriya Darbar work to connect the tribals and unite the entire Bastar.
The Union Home Minister said that the Modi government has launched many schemes in honor of the tribals. Prime Minister Modi ji has done a commendable job by making a daughter of the tribal community, Smt. Draupadi Murmu, the President of the country for the first time. He said that when Her Excellency Draupadi Murmu ji meets the heads of state of the world, not only the tribal community, but all of us are filled with pride. It is a matter of pride for all of us that the daughter of a poor family from Odisha is seated as Her Excellency on the highest post of democracy. Shri Shah said that Modi ji decided to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda as the Tribal Pride Year. His birth anniversary was established as Tribal Pride Day. The work of approving more than 15,000 Prime Minister’s houses for the people who surrendered after leaving Naxalism and the families of the people killed in Naxal violence in all the seven districts of Bastar division has also been done by Prime Minister Modi ji.
Shri Amit Shah said that Pandi Ram Mandavi and Hemchand Manjhi of Narayanpur district, and Ajay Kumar Mandavi of Kanker have been awarded the Padma Awards. He said that on the occasion of Bastar Dussehra festival, 607 crore rupees were distributed to 70 lakh Chhattisgarhi mothers as the 20th installment of ‘Mahtari Vandan Yojana’ today. The Chief Minister Rural Bus Yojana was launched. This scheme has been implemented in Bastar and Sarguja divisions and 250 villages have been included under it.
