Maoist leader Basavarju's killing a big achievement last nail in coffin of Naxalism CM Sai

Raipur, May 22 (PTI) Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Thursday said with the killing of top Maoist leader Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavarju by security forces, the government has put the last nail in the coffin of Naxalism.
Basavaraju, the general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) and a Polit Bureau member of the outlawed organisation, was among 27 Naxalites gunned down by security forces in forests along the borders of Narayanpur and Bijapur districts on Wednesday.
"For the first time in three decades, a Maoist of the general secretary rank of the banned outfit has been neutralised. This is an extraordinary achievement and a clear indication that we have put the last nail in the coffin of Naxalism," Sai told reporters here.
The septuagenarian Maoist figure carried a collective reward of Rs 3 crore on his head which included Rs 1 crore bounty declared by the Chhattisgarh government, Rs 1 crore by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, Rs 50 lakh by the National Investigation Agency, Rs 25 lakh each by Andhra Pradesh and Odisha governments, he said.
Basvaraju alias Gaganna, who was considered as the backbone of the armed movement, was counted as Number 1 among the Maoists, he said.
"With his elimination, we have succeeded in breaking the backbone of Naxalism. The credit for the success goes to the valour and courage of our brave security forces," the BJP leader said.
The morale of security personnel is at its peak and the countdown of Naxalites has begun, he insisted.
"Guns and talks cannot go together. Naxalism has destroyed the lives of innocent tribals and today every one in the Bastar region wants development," the opined.
"Our government's policy has been to answer bullets with bullets and talks with talks," he emphasised.
The CM, who assumed office in December 2023 after the BJP returned to power in the state, said security forces have neutralized more than 400 Naxalites and arrested 1,422 cadres in the last one and a half years.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)