- Smt. Kaushalya Devi Sai hosts gathering in chief minister’s absence
- The nation now understands sufferings of Maoist violence : Deputy Chief Minister Shri Sharma
In order to provide moral support and understand the plight of victims of Maoist violence, around 55 affected victims from Bastar were invited to the Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai’s residence on Thursday. The victims had recently visited to New Delhi to share their experiences and concerns.
As per information, these 55 victims visited New Delhi to highlight the sufferings of natives of Bastar and to demystify the ideology of Maoist rebels, hence, these 55 victims recently protested at Jantar Mantar and in JNU campus in Delhi. They also met with Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah and President Smt. Draupadi Murmu to discuss the challenges posed by Naxalite actions. Their primary objective was to counter the misinformation spread by Naxal-supporting groups and to ensure that the voices of those affected by violence were heard in the capital. MLA Shri Ishwar Sahu and members of the Bastar Peace Committee were also present at the event.
Hence, due to flight delay caused by bad weather, Chief Minister was unable to attend the meeting and in his absence his wife Smt. Kaushalya Devi Sai warmly welcomed the Bastar residents.
Conveying a message from the Chief Minister, Smt. Kaushalya Devi Sai commended the courage of the Bastar residents and said, “It is your bravery, hard work and determination that have brought peace back to Bastar. You have faced the terror of Maoism firsthand and endured this tragedy with remarkable resilience.” She said that while Chief Minister Shri Sai was on tour and could not be present, the residents were warmly welcomed and celebrated at his residence. She also presented each guest with a bag and tracksuit as gifts. During the gathering, she inquired about their experiences in Delhi, to which everyone unanimously responded that the trip was very positive. Many villagers also shared their excitement about flying for the first time.
Deputy Chief Minister Shri Vijay Sharma addressed the gathering and assured that development efforts in Bastar have gained momentum under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Sai.
“You went to Delhi and presented the plight of Bastar to the central government and the nation, which had never been done before. Now, the entire country is aware of the pain caused by Maoist violence,” said Shri Vijay Sharma.
He referenced Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah’s commitment to completely eradicate Naxalism from Bastar and said, “Development cannot occur through guns and violence. The time has come for Bastar to advance towards peace and development.”