Bhupathi's surrender beginning of Naxal movement's end in Maharashtra: Devendra Fadnavis

The surrender of senior Naxalite Bhupathi and 60 other cadres is the beginning of the end of the Naxal movement in Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Wednesday reported news agency PTIIn the coming days the entire red corridor in Chhattisgarh Telangana will be free of Naxalism Fadnavis said adding he was proud that Gadchiroli in Maharashtra was leading the fight against the outlawed CPI MaoistThe CM was addressing a gathering after senior Naxalite Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Bhupathi surrendered before him along with 60 other cadres in Gadchiroli districtBhupathi carried a bounty of Rs 6 crore an official said reported PTIThe Naxalites surrendered along with their 54 weapons which include seven AK47s and nine INSAS rifles the official saidBhupathi alias Sonu was considered one of the most influential strategists in the Maoist organisation and had long supervised platoon operations along the MaharashtraChhattisgarh border reported PTIFadnavis said there are a handful of Naxalites remaining and they too should surrender or face police actionHe expressed satisfaction that Gadchiroli was leading the fight against Naxalism in the countryThe surrender of Bhupathi who was carrying a bounty of Rs 6 crore and raised the Naxal movement at Aheri and Sironcha in Gadchiroli and 60 other cadres is a big development Fadnavis saidIt is a big thing in the history of the country Bhupathis surrender is the beginning of the end of the Naxal movement in Maharashtra he said reported PTINaxalites should know that they have lost the ideological war and equality and justice can be achieved only by joining the mainstream and adhering to the Indian Constitution he said reported PTIThe surrender of Bhupathi and 60 other cadres will pave the way for the end of the socalled red corridor of Maoists and it is a moment of pride as it has started from Maharashtra the CM saidThe remaining cadres who are in Chhattisgarh have also understood that they have lost the ideological war and the dreams they were chasing were wrong They have understood that only the Indian Constitution can ensure them justice he saidFadnavis said he believes that in the coming days more than 100 cadres will surrender in Chhattisgarh and Telangana also and Naxalism in the socalled red corridor will come to an end reported PTIIt is a moment of pride for me that it has started from Gadchiroli and Maharashtra the chief minister said reported PTIThe CM assured that those who have surrendered will be rehabilitated with dignityIn the next 5 to 7 years one lakh sons of the soil in Gadchiroli will be employed in the district itself which is becoming a steel hub he saidIn the last 10 years the Narendra Modi government at the Centre ensured that the administration and development reach the last person in the society and gave only two options to Naxalites to either surrender and join the mainstream or face the consequences he said reported PTIFadnavis lauded the bravery of the Gadchiroli police in the fight against NaxalismHe said Naxalism was near its end in the district but it does not mean that the police department becomes complacent and relaxedWe need to be very alert for the next two years because when such a movement is nearing its end then the remaining few try to attack one last time Fadnavis said reported PTIFor more than 40 years Gadchiroli district witnessed Maoist violence and was far from development he notedThe youth of Gadchiroli were misled by the Maoist ideology and did not know that equality can be achieved only through the Constitution he saidHe also assured the best and proper rehabilitation of the surrendered NaxalitesToday Gadchiroli is becoming the steel magnate of the country with around Rs 3 lakh crore of investments creating huge employment opportunities he pointed out reported PTIFadnavis said he has asked investors to come to Gadchiroli and consider locals for 95 per cent of the jobsThe government has resolved to create more than one lakh good employment opportunities for locals in Gadchiroli and adjoining Chandrapur in the next 5 to 6 years he saidFadnavis also assured the overall and sustainable development of GadchiroliHe said that Gadchiroli which was known as the last district of Maharashtra is moving towards becoming the first district of the stateWith inputs from PTI