Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, 15 November 2026, declared that the elimination of Naxalism stands as one of independent India's greatest achievements, saying that mothers and sisters from tribal communities are now blessing the government for this transformation. He made the remarks while virtually addressing the Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas programme organised in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra.

Two Landmark Achievements

Modi underscored that the occasion coincided with two historic milestones for the country. 'The first is that nearly 50 crore people in the country have overcome extreme poverty and come out of poverty. The second is the end of Naxalism and freedom from Maoist terrorism,' he said. He emphasised that both achievements are 'deeply connected to the lives of our tribal brothers and sisters.'

Citing a recent World Bank report, the Prime Minister noted that nearly 50 crore Indians had escaped extreme poverty over the past 12-13 years, describing it as 'one of the country's greatest achievements since Independence.'

The Scale of Maoist Violence Before 2014

Modi painted a stark picture of conditions prior to his government's tenure. He stated that around 125 districts across the country were affected by Maoism as recently as 2014, with hundreds of violent incidents occurring every year. 'Thousands of innocent people, a large number of them were tribals, lost their lives,' he said, adding that those affected were 'abandoned by the then governments' whose rights were 'snatched away.'

He further alleged that tribal community members were denied even the right to vote while previous administrations remained, in his words, 'mute spectators.' 'Children were taken away from their mothers by these Naxals; our daughters were taken away, and no one was able to do anything,' he said, contrasting that period with the present.

Tribal Empowerment and Aspirational Districts

The Prime Minister highlighted several government initiatives aimed at tribal welfare. He pointed to the PM-JANMAN scheme as a vehicle for transforming tribal lives and noted that a focused development campaign had been launched across more than 100 Aspirational Districts and over 500 Aspirational Blocks, many of which have sizeable tribal populations.

Modi also expressed pride in President Droupadi Murmu, calling her a 'daughter of the tribal community' who is now leading the nation — a symbol, he suggested, of how far tribal representation has come.

Birsa Munda's Legacy and the Viksit Bharat Vision

Invoking the legacy of freedom fighter and tribal icon Bhagwan Birsa Munda — whose birth anniversary is observed as Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas — Modi urged citizens to draw inspiration from his resolve. 'This is the time to dedicate all our energy to realising the dream of a Viksit Bharat,' he said, paying his respects to Munda and extending greetings to tribal communities across the country.

As the Centre deepens its anti-Naxal operations and welfare outreach in Left Wing Extremism-affected belts, the government's framing of these twin achievements — poverty reduction and Maoist elimination — as a tribal-centric success story is set to shape political messaging in the months ahead.