Bastar on the Path of Development: PM Modi to Celebrate Diwali with Security Personnel

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has departed to celebrate the festival of Diwali with security force personnel in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. The primary objective of this visit is to salute the sacrifice, selfless service, and unwavering devotion to the nation of the brave security personnel who are ever-ready to protect the country. During this visit, PM Modi spoke significantly about the changing face of Bastar.

PM Modi shared this information through a post on the social media platform 'X'. He stated that he is going to Bastar to celebrate Diwali with our brave security forces. Highlighting the situation in the region, he said that this is an area where Naxalism once held dominance, but now development is blooming there. He further added that he is going to bow to the sacrifice, renunciation, and penance of the brave soldiers.

On this occasion, PM Modi also extended heartfelt Diwali greetings to the countrymen. While sending immense wishes for Diwali to all citizens of the country, he wrote that this festival of lights is a symbol of our resolve against darkness. He also conveyed this message through a video, stating that the entire country is glowing with light and expressed his wish that this festival brings happiness, peace, and prosperity to everyone's life. He also mentioned that he, like others, celebrates Diwali with great enthusiasm and, as in every year, is continuing his tradition of celebrating the festival among the soldiers this year as well.

Security forces are continuously operating against Naxal groups in the Bastar region. This area has long been one of the main centres of left-wing extremist activities in the country. However, according to PM Modi, where there was the terror of Naxalism until yesterday, a wave of development is being seen today. Due to the improvement in the security situation, development initiatives in sectors such as education, healthcare, road connectivity, electricity, communication, tourism, and employment are expected to gain momentum.

Prior to this visit, the Prime Minister also praised a major achievement of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The CRPF has achieved a significant milestone of 12 consecutive months without any operational deaths. The last operational death of this force was recorded on 30 October, 2025. Reacting to this achievement, PM Modi wrote a short but impactful message on 'X' saying, "A zero that says so much."

CRPF Director General GP Singh attributed this achievement to improvements in modern equipment, training, operational planning, and medical response systems. He stated that this achievement was attained through the availability of state-of-the-art hardware, better training, and strategic planning, along with a focus on post-incident response. This also includes the process of quickly transporting injured personnel to secondary and tertiary medical facilities. GP Singh further added that this achievement is particularly significant as the force remains actively engaged in major operational theatres, achieving important successes. He also reiterated the force's commitment to maintaining peace and security for all citizens of the country.

The government's efforts have focused on linking security operations with development-oriented initiatives and rehabilitation measures to bring affected communities into the mainstream. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has repeatedly reiterated the government's resolve to eradicate Naxalism. The government's public policy is to encourage those who abandon violence and surrender to join the mainstream, while strict action is taken against those who continue armed activities and pose a risk to citizens.

In the context of Bastar's transformation, the CRPF has long been at the forefront of operations against Naxalism, where left-wing extremist activities had hindered security and development. Now, with the improvement in the security environment, new horizons of development are opening in this region.

Narendra Modi is the current Prime Minister of India. He has taken many important decisions for the development and security of the country and is leading the nation in various sectors.