Ready to convene special session to discuss SIR Shah 'Rahul backed 'Janatana Sarkar' of Maoists'

Raipur, Nov 3 (PTI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said the government is willing to convene a special session of Parliament to hold discussions on Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, and dared the Opposition to join the debate.

Accusing the Congress of supporting Naxalism, he alleged that party leader Rahul Gandhi had backed the Maoists' unconstitutional 'Janatana Sarkar' and also recently "mocked Parliament by staging a fake Parliament".

Addressing the concluding ceremony of the three-day Chhattisgarh Rajyotsav celebrations here, Shah said the Narendra Modi government has a clear policy that those who abide by the law would be treated as citizens, while security forces would deal firmly with those who violate it, be it in Bastar, the Northeast or Kashmir.

"Let Parliament function. We are ready to convene a special session to hold discussions on SIR. If you have the courage, come and engage in a discussion before the people of this country. Simply carrying a copy of the Constitution around does not equate to supporting it. One's conduct must be Constitutional," he said.

Accusing the Congress of consistently supporting Naxalism, he referred to a statement purportedly made by the then Union home minister P Chidambaram in 2010, claiming that Maoists were not required to surrender their weapons but should stop violence.

Targeting Rahul Gandhi, Shah alleged that Congress leaders had supported the Maoists' parallel 'Janatana Sarkar', which had its own home minister, chief minister and finance minister, despite having no constitutional authority.

"Rahul Gandhi supported a fake 'Janatana Sarkar', unconstitutional governments and has now made a mockery of Parliament by staging a 'fake' Parliament.

"By conducting a 'mock' parliament, he staged a charade of a discussion. I want to tell Rahulji that the Narendra Modi government is prepared to discuss every single issue," he added.

He said development work was undertaken in Chhattisgarh during the 15-year BJP rule under former chief minister Raman Singh, but the Congress government at the Centre at that time lacked the political will to eliminate Naxalism, leaving the vision of development in tribal areas unfulfilled.

After the BJP returned to power in Chhattisgarh (in 2023), the state government within two months took a resolve to eliminate Naxalism, he said.

Shah said he had made it clear that those willing to surrender must lay down their arms and join the mainstream, while those refusing to do so would face action by security forces.

He claimed that 90 per cent of Maoists had surrendered and 10 per cent had been killed, resulting in the country becoming free from Naxalism.

Recalling the situation in Maoist-affected areas, Shah said regions that should have been known for their cultural heritage, forests, mahua, tendu leaves and folk songs had instead become the Red Corridor, with explosives planted in forests and schools destroyed.

Children who should have been holding pens were abducted from schools and handed guns, while people involved in road construction were killed, he said.

Questioning those who support Naxalism in the name of human rights, Shah asked whether human rights were meant only for armed Maoists obstructing development and not for poor tribals.

He said the government has provided artificial limbs to people who had lost them in violence over the past 30 years to help them lead a better life.

"Those who used to write lengthy articles and offered advice on the situation in Bastar but lacked the courage to spend even a day in the region to visit the area, I invite them now. Do not be afraid, nobody will harm you now. Come and witness the wave of development that has reached here," he said.

"If you have any concern for the people, write a couple of articles here highlighting their pain and suffering," he said.

Shah congratulated the people of Chhattisgarh, particularly the tribal community, on the state becoming free from Naxalism and moving forward on the path of development and thanked the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and Chhattisgarh Police for their role in the achievement.

Shah said Chhattisgarh would emerge as one of the leading states in tourism in the coming years.

"Earlier, it was said that the land is rich (referring to mineral rich Chhattisgarh) but its people are poor. I assure you that within 10 years, both the land and its people will be prosperous. This is Narendra Modi's guarantee," he said.

He said the BJP's three previous terms and its fourth term in the state would take Chhattisgarh from fear to trust and from resources to prosperity, while converting its potential into achievements.

He said earlier in the day he inaugurated the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Park, 'Peepal Van', in Nava Raipur, where 2,500 peepal trees have been planted at one location.

He had given a special responsibility to the state's Finance Minister to ensure that 5 lakh peepal trees are planted in Nava Raipur alone. Once it becomes a Peepal City, Nava Raipur will emerge as the world's largest environmentally friendly city, Shah said.

Spread over around 16 acres, the park has more than 2,500 peepal trees and over 500 plants of indigenous species, the statement said.

On the occasion, Shah released the 33rd instalment of the Mahtari Vandan Yojana, transferring over Rs 632 crore into the bank accounts of eligible women beneficiaries.

Earlier in the day, Shah inaugurated the Artemis Shanti Hospital in Raipur, an official statement said.

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