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Bihar, Jharkhand Naxal-free; Maoist menace in Chhattisgarh to end soon: Shah
Amit Shah was addressing the 61st Raising Day of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) at the Frontier headquarters in Ranidanga, Siliguri, West Bengal
Siliguri: Union home minister Amit Shah said on Friday that while Bihar and Jharkhand have become Naxal-free, the Maoist menace in Chhattisgarh and the Northeast will soon be eliminated. He was addressing the 61st Raising Day of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) at the Frontier headquarters in Ranidanga, Siliguri, West Bengal.
“The SSB played an important role in assisting the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and local police in the anti-Naxalite campaign. After four decades, Bihar and Jharkhand are now Naxal-free. The SSB has bravely taken up guard in Chhattisgarh, and the Naxalite movement is now on the verge of being eradicated,” Shah said.
He mentioned that in the past seven years, over 600 Maoists have been arrested in the region, over 15 killed, and many others have surrendered.
Referring to the Siliguri corridor, often called the “chicken-neck” area, Shah said, “The Siliguri corridor is very important in eastern India. The corridor between the Mahananda and Teesta rivers is a crucial route that connects the Northeast with the rest of India. The SSB’s presence in such a region has provided the entire country with assurance and security.”
Shah praised the role of the SSB in securing the 2,450 km long Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan borders. “The country’s home minister is not at all worried about security along the borders with Nepal and Bhutan, because my SSB jawans are standing guard there,” Shah said.
The SSB has successfully removed over 1,100 cases of encroachment on no-man’s land along the Nepal border, he added.
Speaking about how the border guarding agency have controlled the smuggling of drugs, weapons, forest produce, wildlife, and fake currency with great efficiency, Shah said, “Over 4,000 smugglers were arrested in the past year, and 16,000 kg of drugs, 208 weapons, and large caches of ammunition were seized,” Shah said.
He also added that the SSB had apprehended 183 human traffickers and rescued 301 victims, including 231 girls.
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“This is a time to once again vow to bring all anti-national elements to justice and end all anti-national activities along the borders of our friendly nations (Nepal and Bhutan),” the minister said.
In the past 61 years, the SSB has been awarded four Padma Shris, one Kirti Chakra, six Shaurya Chakras, two Rashtrapati Veerta Padaks, 25 Police Veerta Padaks, and 35 Veerta Padaks, Shah said during the program.
Shah also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for eight SSB projects worth around ₹200 crore.
