03 January,2025 12:26 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut. File Pic
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said they praised Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the Saamana editorial as the state government had done a "commendable job" by getting the Naxalites operating in Gadchiroli district to surrender, reported news agency ANI.
Criticising the previous guardian minister of Gadchiroli, Raut alleged that the minister had appointed his agents and collected money that increased Naxalism. Raut further said that his party appreciates that the CM has taken charge of Gadchiroli as the guardian minister.
"We have praised Devendra Fadnavis because the government has done a good job. Maharashtra is our state and a place like Gadchiroli which is affected by Naxalism - if the Naxalites surrendered and opted for the constitutional path - we welcome that. The earlier 'guardian minister' could have done that - but instead, he appointed his agents and collected money that increased Naxalism... We have worked with Devendra Fadnavis - that relation goes on, but we are in the opposition and we will continue to raise the issues as well," Raut told reporters in a press conference, stated ANI.
The Sena (UBT) MP also said that Gadchiroli's development is in favour of the entire Maharashtra. Raut said that they have appreciated PM Narendra Modi as well when he has done good work.
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"I have seen the visuals of Naxalites, surrendering their arms and accepting the Indian constitution, so if someone does that it must be appreciated. If a district like Gadchiroli is developed it's good for the whole state and if it becomes the steel city of Maharashtra, nothing is better than that. If Devendra Fadnavis is taking such initiatives, it needs to be appreciated. We have criticised PM Modi also, but when he does something good, we do appreciate him," Raut said.
Raut said that the situation in Gadchiroli seems to be changing and it should be appreciated, previously people only thought about extorting money from the industrialists who aspired to start work in the Naxal-affected district.
"To date, it was a pattern that whichever industry comes to Gadchiroli, people think only about extortion from the industrialist who was aspiring to start something in Gadchiroli, but now it seems the things are changing and that must be appreciated," the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP said.
As many as 11 Naxalites, including eight women and three men, surrendered at Gadchiroli Police Headquarters in Maharashtra on Wednesday.
The naxalites had bounties totalling more than Rs 1 crore on their heads. The Chhattisgarh government had also announced a bounty on them.
Among those who surrendered were Vimla Chandra Sidam alias Tarakka, who carried a bounty of Rs 1 crore, the head of the Dandakaranya Zonal Committee and wife of Bhupati, who had been involved in Naxalism for 34 years, stated ANI.
The surrendered Naxalites included three division committee members, one deputy commander, and two area committee members. Each of them was provided with a financial aid package worth Rs 86 lakh to support their new lives.
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, who was present during the surrender, expressed confidence that Naxalism would soon be eradicated from the state.
(With inputs from ANI)
