New Delhi, March 31 (NationPress) On Tuesday, leaders from the Congress party strongly refuted the allegations made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who accused them of fostering Naxalism within India. They underscored the sacrifices made by their members in Chhattisgarh, who lost their lives at the hands of Naxals.

These remarks followed Shah's assertion in the Lok Sabha, where he claimed that Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party consistently offer ideological backing and leniency towards Naxalites.

In an interview with IANS, Congress MP Imran Masood remarked, "Our leaders have laid down their lives due to Naxalism. The leadership of Congress in Chhattisgarh faced martyrdom because of Naxal violence, particularly during the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) rule in the state then."

He added, "The narrative of the Congress is one of sacrifice, whether during the struggle for India's independence, the fight against terrorism, or in confrontations with Naxals. Blaming a party with such a history of sacrifice will only invite a strong counter-narrative."

Reinforcing Masood's statement, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari mentioned Vidya Charan Shukla, a party leader who succumbed to injuries from a Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh back in 2013.

Tiwari expressed to IANS, "We (Congress) have devoted everything for the nation, and now we are being unjustly accused."

He pointed out that communalism is as detrimental to the nation as Naxalism, stating, "I want to inform HM Shah that communalism, spread by the BJP, is equally perilous for our country. Both will be eradicated according to the Constitution, and Congress will lead that charge."

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha characterized HM Shah's speech as a "distorted version of sociology and political economy, akin to a capsule WhatsApp briefing."

"The blame game is an integral part of his (HM Shah's) character," he told IANS.

RJD MP Abhay Kushwaha concurred with HM Amit Shah's statement that Naxalism has significantly decreased across the country, but emphasized that "citizens are now more aware."

He noted that Naxalism was largely subdued in Bihar even before 2014, claiming that some individuals exploited the Naxal narrative for financial gain.

Kushwaha urged the government to focus on development in regions liberated from Naxal influence.

Meanwhile, HM Shah proclaimed in the Lok Sabha that India is nearly free from Naxalism, with the leadership of Maoists at both central and state levels almost entirely dismantled, ahead of the government's self-imposed deadline of March 31, 2026.