Union Home Minister Amit Shah dropped a bombshell at the Bastar Pandum 2026 finale: Naxalism will be completely wiped out across India by March 31, 2026. The announcement came during his speech at the three-day divisional event’s closing in Jagdalpur, where he celebrated Bastar’s role as a vibrant custodian of India’s tribal splendor.
The platform buzzed with pride as Shah revealed that winners from the cultural extravaganza—featuring 53,000-plus artists from Bastar’s hinterlands—will receive presidential honors in New Delhi. This initiative underscores the Chhattisgarh government’s commitment to amplifying local folk arts in 12 categories.
Drawing parallels to ancient epics, Shah lauded Bastar’s timeless culture, untouched by modernity’s haste. He spotlighted PM Modi’s visionary programs like Dharti Aaba and PM Janman, breathing new life into tribal customs spanning hundreds of communities.
Development has transformed terror zones into thriving hamlets. The state-led ‘Niyad Nella Nar’ roadmap has delivered infrastructure—roads, bridges, telecom, essentials, and health cards—to Maoist strongholds. Remarkably, 40 villages now echo with school bells instead of bullets, marking a historic shift.
Future plans include a massive industrial park spanning 118 acres in Bastar, alongside boosted tourism. Power projects promising 220 MW for irrigation in Dantewada, Sukma, and Bijapur are set to launch soon, complemented by expanded rail and river connectivity.
Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai called Bastar Pandum the ‘festival of identity,’ inseparable from Goddess Danteshwari’s legacy. Expressing gratitude to Shah, he highlighted the event’s growth: from 47,000 participants last year to over 54,000 this time, flaunting dances, crafts, cuisine, and indigenous knowledge on a global stage.
As colors of Bastar’s 12 art forms dazzled audiences, the event solidified its place as a beacon of cultural revival and anti-Naxal triumph.