New Delhi, March 31 (NationPress) On Tuesday, Congress officials refuted the claims made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the party's alleged support for Naxalism in India. They brought attention to the sacrifices made by their leaders in Chhattisgarh at the hands of Naxalites.

This response followed Shah's speech in the Lok Sabha, where he accused Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition, and the Congress party of consistently offering ideological backing to Naxalites.

Congress MP Imran Masood remarked, "Our leaders have laid down their lives due to Naxalism. The Congress leadership in Chhattisgarh was martyred because of Naxal activities during the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regime at that time."

He further stated, "The history of Congress is filled with sacrifices, whether from the struggle for India's independence, due to terrorism, or attacks from Naxals. Blaming those whose history is marked by such sacrifices will elicit a response from the people."

Echoing Masood's sentiments, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari highlighted the sacrifice of party leader Vidya Charan Shukla, who succumbed to injuries from a Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh in 2013.

Tiwari told IANS, "We (Congress) have devoted everything to our nation, and yet we are being falsely accused."

He stressed that communalism is equally detrimental to the country as Naxalism. "I want to convey to HM Shah that communalism, like Naxalism, poses a significant threat, and it is being propagated by the BJP. According to our Constitution, communalism will also be eradicated, and the Congress is committed to this cause."

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha criticized Shah's speech as a "capsule WhatsApp version of sociology and political economy."

"The blame game is intrinsic to his (HM Shah's) character," he remarked.

RJD MP Abhay Kushwaha agreed with Shah's assertion that Naxalism has significantly decreased in the country. He noted that "citizens are now more aware." He claimed that Naxalism was largely eradicated in Bihar even before 2014, adding, "In certain areas, individuals exploited the name of Naxalism for financial gain."

Kushwaha urged the government to prioritize development in regions that have been liberated from Naxal influence.

Meanwhile, HM Shah stated in the Lok Sabha that India is nearly Naxal-free, with the notorious Maoist command structure at both central and state levels almost entirely dismantled, just one day ahead of the government's self-imposed deadline of March 31, 2026.