Kumar Bahukhandi
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Saturday October 4, 2025 attending the Muria Darbar organised at Sirhasar Bhavan in Jagdalpur as part of the Bastar Dussehra celebrations. After lighting a ceremonial lamp before the image of Maa Danteshwar-Photo Credit-CF/PR
Union Home Minister Shah Calls for collective support to free Bastar from Naxalism
Raipur: Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Saturday October 4, 2025 attended the Muria Darbar organised at Sirhasar Bhavan in Jagdalpur as part of the Bastar Dussehra celebrations. After lighting a ceremonial lamp before the image of Maa Danteshwari, the presiding deity of Bastar, Amit Shah engaged in direct dialogue with the traditional Manjhi-Chalaki representatives, urging them to support the effort to eradicate Maoism from the region. He appealed to them to persuade youth who have taken up arms under the influence of Maoism to return to the mainstream and benefit from government schemes.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is determined to ensure the development of Bastar and the elimination of Naxalism. Interacting with the Manjhi-Chalaki, Shah asserted that Bastar would be freed from Naxalism by March 2026. He said, “We want Bastar’s youth to become doctors, engineers, deputy collectors and collectors, serving all of Chhattisgarh. It is our collective responsibility to prevent youngsters from joining Naxalism, and those who have joined should surrender and return to the mainstream.” He added that wherever Naxalism has been eliminated, the Chhattisgarh government has swiftly initiated development works and ensured the delivery of welfare schemes to the people.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, addressing the Manjhi-Chalaki at the Muria Darbar, said that the government is committed to making the Bastar Dussehra festival even more grand. He announced that the financial assistance given for Bastar Dussehra would be doubled from ₹25 lakh to ₹50 lakh. He further assured that traditional festival sites such as Jia Dera and Madia Sarai would be developed and strengthened.
On this occasion, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and other dignitaries were accorded a warm welcome by the traditional members of the Bastar Dussehra Committee – the Manjhi-Chalaki, Member-Memberin, and Naik-Paik – with ceremonial turbans and garlands.
The Muria Darbar was also addressed by Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma and MP Mahesh Kashyap, who is also president of the Bastar Dussehra Committee. The event was attended by Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap, Tribal Welfare Minister Ramvichar Netam, Tourism Minister Rajesh Agrawal, Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Rajwade, Kanker MP Bhojraj Nag, Jagdalpur MLA Kiran Dev, Kondagaon MLA Lata Usendi, Chitrakot MLA Vinayak Goyal, Dantewada MLA Chaitram Atami, Keshkal MLA Neelkanth Tekam, Kanker MLA Asharam Netam, along with Bastar royal family member KamalChandra Bhanjdeo. Also present were Bastar Dussehra Committee vice president Balram Manjhi, and the traditional members of the committee including the Manjhi-Chalaki, Member-Memberin and Naik-Paik.
