Union Home Minister Amit Shah attends Muria Darbar, interacts directly with Manjhi-Chalaki

Calls for cooperation in freeing Bastar from Naxalism

Raipur, Oct, 2025: Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah and Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai attended the Muria Darbar held at the Sirhasar Bhavan in Jagdalpur on the occasion of the Bastar Dussehra festival. After lighting a ceremonial lamp before the picture of Goddess Maa Danteshwari, the presiding deity of Bastar, Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah held a direct dialogue with the Manjhi-Chalaki (traditional village heads and representatives) and appealed for their cooperation in eradicating Maoism from Bastar.

He urged them to counsel the youth who have joined Maoist groups and taken up arms, encouraging them to return to the mainstream of society and take advantage of government welfare schemes.

Union Home Minister Shri Shah said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is firmly determined to bring development to Bastar and to completely eliminate Naxalism from the region.

During his interaction with the Manjhi-Chalaki, Shri Shah stated that Bastar will be freed from Naxalism by March 2026. “We want the youth of Bastar to become doctors, engineers, deputy collectors, and collectors, and to serve the entire state of Chhattisgarh,” he said. “It is our collective responsibility to ensure that the youth do not join the Naxal movement, and that those who have already joined should surrender and return to the mainstream.”

He added that wherever Naxalism has been eradicated, the Chhattisgarh government has been carrying out rapid development works, ensuring that people benefit from government schemes.

Chief Minister Shri 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 and vibrant. The financial grant given for Bastar Dussehra is being increased from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 50 lakh. Along with this, the development and construction of traditional Bastar Dussehra sites such as Jiya Dera and Madiya Sarai are also being ensured.

On this occasion, Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah, Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai, and other guests were warmly welcomed by traditional members of the Bastar Dussehra Committee — Manjhi-Chalaki, Member-Memberin, and Naik-Paik — with traditional turbans and garlands.

The Muria Darbar was also addressed by Deputy Chief Minister Shri Vijay Sharma and Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Bastar Dussehra Committee Shri Mahesh Kashyap.

Present on the occasion were Forest Minister Shri Kedar Kashyap, Minister of Tribal Welfare Shri Ramvichar Netam, Tourism Minister Shri Rajesh Agrawal, Minister for Women and Child Development Smt. Laxmi Rajwade, Member of Parliament from Kanker Shri Bhojraj Nag, MLA from Jagdalpur Shri Kiran Deo, MLA from Kondagaon Ms. Lata Usendi, MLA from Chitrakot Shri Vinayak Goel, MLA from Dantewada Shri Chaitram Atami, MLA from Keshkal Shri Neelkanth Tekam, MLA from Kanker Shri Asharam Netam, member of the Bastar royal family Shri Kamalchandra Bhanjdev, Vice President of the Bastar Dussehra Committee Shri Balram Manjhi, along with traditional members of the Bastar Dussehra Committee — Manjhi-Chalaki, Member-Memberin, and Naik-Paik.