Left-wing extremists and their ideology are against India’s development, Amit Shah tells tribal youth of Chhattisgarh, M.P.

The Home Minister tells youth that left-wing extremists were creating hurdles for them by opposing mobile towers, roads and other facilities in tribal areas

Left-wing extremists and their ideology are “against the country’s development and bright future”, Home Minister Amit Shah told a group of tribal youth from the poll-bound States of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday. “Those who do not want mobile towers, roads and other essential facilities in left-wing extremism-affected areas are creating hurdles in the way of a bright future for the youth,” he added.

Mr. Shah was speaking to 200 tribal youth from left-wing extremism-affected districts, who were among the first batch participating in this year’s Tribal Youth Exchange Programme. 

Pointing out that a tribal woman was now the President of India, Mr. Shah told the youth that there are a lot of opportunities available for people from tribal communities in today’s India. He added that the government had already announced the building of 10 tribal museums to highlight the stories of tribal freedom fighters. 

“Tell everyone back home that today, the country is progressing in every field and there are ample opportunities for the tribals in every field. Birthplace is not important, but the work a person has done in life is important. Wealth, knowledge, and respect can only be achieved through hard work,” the Home Minister said. 

The youth should play a crucial role in “eradicating the idea of left-wing extremism (LWE) from the country”, Mr. Shah said, adding that it was their responsibility to neither tread the wrong path themselves nor allow others to do so. “Violence cannot provide jobs and it is necessary to join the mainstream of society for development and creation of basic infrastructure,” he added.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has been running the exchange programme for the last 15 years through the Nehru Yuva Kendras of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, especially targetting tribal youth from LWE-affected areas of the country. More than 25,000 youth have participated in the programme since its inception, with over 20,000 of them participating in the last nine years. This year, 5,000 youth are participating.

Under the programme, participants travel to major cities and metros across the country to meet and interact with government officials, constitutional authorities, outstanding achievers in different fields, and their urban peers. They are also taken on tours of camps of security forces, educated on government policies, and exposed to cultural and sporting events. Once they return home, they share these experiences with other youth in their respective areas.