Left-Wing Extremism shrinks to 11 districts; Red Corridor nears end under Modi government

New Delhi [India], October 18 (ANI): India's decades-long battle against Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) has reached a decisive phase, with the number of affected districts dropping sharply from 182 in 2014 to just 11 in October 2025, according to data released by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
The MHA stated that by March 31, 2026, the infamous Red Corridor will be declared a thing of the past.
"By March 31, 2026, the infamous Red Corridor will be history. Under the Modi Government's watch, many villages, plagued with Naxalism for over five decades, are now witnessing unprecedented development and progress. Not violence, but development is now defining these districts," according to the MHA.
The MHA said that in the past 75 hours alone, 303 Naxal cadres have surrendered, marking one of the most significant waves of capitulation in recent years.
Earlier on Friday, noting that 303 Naxalites have surrendered in the last 75 hours, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the day is not far when the country will be completely free from Naxalism and that the festivities of Diwali are going to be something truly special in the areas liberated from Maoist terrorism.
Addressing the NDTV World Summit 2025 here, PM Modi said Naxalism has been loosely used by some people but "in reality, it is Maoist terrorism".
He said that Maoist terrorism is "a great injustice, a grave sin against the youth of our country" and he could not leave the young people of this nation in such a situation.
The Prime Minister said he used to feel deep restlessness within but remained silent for long. "Today, for the first time, I am sharing my pain with you," he said.
He hit out at the Congress, saying during its rule at the Centre, an entire ecosystem of urban Naxals had developed.
"These urban Naxals were and still are so dominant that they run a massive campaign of censorship to ensure that incidents of Maoist terrorism do not reach the people of the country. There used to be so much discussion in our country about terrorism, and debates were held on Article 370. But the urban Naxals who had flourished in our cities during the Congress regime, and those who had taken control of various institutions, worked to cover up Maoist terrorism. They kept the country in the dark," he said.
He said just a few days ago, many victims of Maoist terrorism came to Delhi, and it was a deeply painful sight.
"There were many of them. Some had lost a leg, some had lost an arm, some had lost an eye... parts of their bodies were gone. These were the victims of Maoist terrorism. They were poor villagers, Adivasi brothers and sisters, sons of farmers, mothers and women who had both their legs amputated. They stayed in Delhi for seven days. With folded hands, they pleaded, "Please take our stories before the people. They even held a press conference, but none of you would have seen or heard about it," he said.
"Those who act as contractors of Maoist terror didn't allow the story of their suffering to reach the people of Bharat. The Congress ecosystem made sure that this issue was never talked about," he added.
PM Modi noted that there was a time when almost every major state in the country was affected by Naxal violence and Maoist terrorism.
"The Constitution was in force in the rest of the country, but it was completely missing in the Red Corridor. And I say this with full responsibility that those who touch their head with Constitution book even today work day and night to protect these Maoist terrorists who do not believe in the Constitution at all," he said.
The Prime Minister said governments were elected, but they had no authority or recognition in the Red Corridor. "As evening fell, it became difficult for anyone to step outside their homes. Even those responsible for providing security to the public had to move around with security for themselves. Over the past 50-55 years, thousands of people have been killed because of this Maoist terrorism. Countless security personnel have fallen victim to it, and we have lost so many young lives," he said.
"These Naxals, these Maoist terrorists did not allow schools to be built, did not allow hospitals to be constructed. If a hospital existed, they would not let doctors enter; and those that were built were blown up with bombs. For decades, a vast part of the country and a large section of the population were deprived of the light of development. Our Adivasi brothers and sisters, Dalits, and poor communities had to bear the greatest suffering and loss because of it," he added. (ANI)