Raigarh, Nov 15 : BJP president Nitin Nabin on Sunday congratulated the Vishnu Deo Sai government for freeing Chhattisgarh from Naxalism, but cautioned citizens to stay vigilant against “dimagi Naxals” allegedly holding leadership positions in various organisations.
Virtually addressing a Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas event in Dharamjaigarh, Nabin asserted that the BJP government would “teach a lesson” to such elements through its development work and welfare schemes.
Nabin was scheduled to attend the event marking the birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda in Dharamjaigarh, but his aircraft could not land due to adverse weather conditions, following which his visit was cancelled.
He noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had resolved to eliminate Naxalism from the country, and both the Centre and the state government worked in tandem to fulfil that pledge.
Congratulating Chief Minister Sai and his team for making Chhattisgarh free from Naxalism, the BJP chief paid tribute to security personnel who laid down their lives in the fight against Maoists.
“The parts of Bastar, where people were earlier trained to use guns, have now been transformed into playgrounds. Children there are being encouraged to pursue sports and education,” he said.
While armed Naxalites had been wiped out from the forests, some “dimagi Naxals” were still active in leadership roles across organisations, Nabin alleged.
He cautioned citizens against three categories of people — those who sit in air-conditioned rooms in cities and formulate policies while encouraging children to talk about revolution, those who invoke the Constitution but instigate people against democracy, and those who promote such “dimagi Naxals” through organisations.
“There is a need to remain alert against all three. The government will teach such people a lesson through its work and welfare schemes in the coming days,” the BJP leader stated.
Targeting the Opposition Congress, Nabin alleged that it had kept the tribal community marginalised and exploited its votes for political gains for decades, whereas the Ministry of Tribal Affairs was established during the tenure of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
“The BJP works for the tribal community and also entrusts it with leadership responsibilities,” he asserted.
Criticising the previous Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government in Chhattisgarh, Nabin recalled that during his visit to the state as BJP co-in-charge for the region in 2021, he found that the poor were being deprived of benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) and corruption was rampant.
“Today, Chhattisgarh has made significant progress. The state has taken forward the initiative to provide 18 lakh houses to beneficiaries under PMAY and has secured the top position in the country in its implementation,” he said, congratulating Sai and his team.
While several leaders merely spoke about Chhattisgarh Mahatari (the mother figure representing the state), it was CM Sai who had actually worked towards honouring her, Nabin said, also praising the state’s efforts towards women’s empowerment.
Recalling the BJP’s return to power in Chhattisgarh in 2023, Nabin noted that PM Modi gave tribal leader Sai the opportunity to lead the state, just as Mohan Charan Majhi was chosen to head the government in Odisha.
“The BJP not only works for the tribal community but also entrusts it with leadership responsibilities, unlike the Congress, which used tribal votes for political purposes for years,” he said.
Referring to PM Modi’s Diwali celebrations with security personnel in Bastar this year, Nabin said the festival’s light would reach every household in the region, ushering in development and prosperity.
Outlining three resolves for the future, Nabin said the first was ensuring that government benefits — including rations, housing, Ayushman cards and forest rights titles — reach every eligible family, with party workers delivering them door to door.
The second resolve was to ensure every child attends school, every youngster has access to a sports ground, and every youth acquires skills to become self-reliant, he said.
“Replacing guns with dialogue and fear with trust, while ensuring that development goes hand in hand with the preservation of cultural heritage, should be our third resolve,” he added.
He said that both the Centre and the state government are committed to pursuing development while preserving the country’s heritage and traditions.
“If India has to realise the dream of becoming a developed nation by 2047, it can happen only when we move forward with development while preserving our heritage,” he said.
Chief Minister Sai also addressed the event in Dharamjaigarh.
