Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], May 26 (ANI): Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth on Monday said that the Union Home Minister is determined to end Maoism and Naxalism in the country.

Speaking on the ongoing efforts, Seth said, 'A huge campaign is going on in the country. Rewarded Naxalites are being killed. The Home Minister has asked them to either come into the mainstream or the security forces will carry out operations.'

He further added, 'Continuous operations are underway in Jharkhand. Naxalism is breathing its last now... Terrorism and extremism, both will be uprooted.'

Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth's remarks on the ongoing campaign against Naxalism underline the government's firm resolve to eliminate extremism and strengthen internal security across affected regions.

This commitment was echoed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent highlighting of transformative progress in once-Maoist-dominated areas like Maharashtra's Katejhari village and Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district, where improved infrastructure and educational achievements showcase the government's relentless fight against Naxalism and its focus on development and resilience.

During episode 122 of his monthly radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat' on Sunday, PM Modi spoke of a poignant story of change about the Katejhari village in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, which was affected by Maoist violence.

He noted that the villagers had waited for years for a bus service, and when the first bus finally arrived, they celebrated its arrival with drumbeats.

PM Modi also mentioned that the positive changes in Katejhari were felt throughout the surrounding area, where the situation has quickly returned to normal.

'It is such a common thing to travel by bus. But I want to tell you about a village where a bus arrived for the first time. The people there were waiting for this day for years. And when the bus arrived in the village for the first time, people welcomed it by playing drums. There was a paved road in the village; people needed it, but a bus had never run here before. Why, because this village was affected by Maoist violence,' PM Modi said.

'This place is in the Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, and the name of this village is Katejhari. This change in Katejhari is being felt in the entire surrounding area. Now, the situation here is rapidly becoming normal. Due to the collective fight against Maoism, basic facilities have started reaching even such areas. The villagers say that with the arrival of the bus, their lives will become much easier,' he added.

PM Modi also highlighted educational progress in areas once affected by Naxalism, particularly in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district, where students have excelled despite the challenges. (ANI)