India will be free of Maoist violence by March 31, reiterates HM Amit Shah

Shah said the Centre had taken a “pledge” to eliminate the menace and that the CISF had made significant contributions in that regard.

Published on: Mar 6, 2026, 14:31:23 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday set a firm deadline for ending Left-Wing Extremism in India, declaring that the country will be free of Maoist violence by March 31 and that security forces will ensure the defeat of any attempt to create a so-called ‘Red Corridor’ stretching from Tirupati to Pashupati.

Union home minister Amit Shah during a public address in eastern India earlier this week. (ANI)

Speaking at the 57th Raising Day ceremony of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on the banks of the Mahanadi in Odisha, Shah said the Narendra Modi government had taken a “pledge” to eliminate the menace and that the CISF had made significant contributions to the effort in states such as Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Telangana.

“The dream of those who imagined a Red Corridor from Tirupati to Pashupati will be completely defeated, and our security forces will establish full control,” Shah said while addressing thousands of CISF personnel and their families assembled at the parade ground in Mundali of Cuttack. “This will be a major achievement under the leadership of the Prime Minister.”

Shah said that over the years CISF personnel have collectively received 13,700 medals for bravery and distinguished service.

Highlighting the expanding mandate of the force, Shah announced several new responsibilities for the CISF. The Union home ministry has decided to entrust the security of all major ports in the country to the force, adding a significant maritime dimension to its existing role. In addition, the CISF has been designated as the nodal agency for drone security, with a new vertical to be created for this purpose.

Several new establishments have also been added to the CISF’s security portfolio over the past year. These include the Noida International Airport, Navi Mumbai Airport, Lengpui Airport, the Jawaharpur Thermal Power Project, the Bhakra Dam Project, NTPC installations, the Rajasthan Refinery Project and the Talipalli coal mining project.

During the event, Shah also inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for several projects worth ₹890 crore under five different schemes. Residential complexes for CISF personnel in Rajarhat and Mahipalpur have been completed, while foundation stones were laid for reserve battalion campuses in Kamrup, Nashik and Sehore.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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