Peace endures when it is rooted in everyday life

Chhattisgarh has witnessed the fall of the last of the Maoist strongholds, but Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai says the surrender of the rebels is not the end-point, but a transition.

- BY NAMRATA BIJI AHUJA

As regions become free of insurgent activity, he says, the focus must shift to integrating villagers in a dignified, practical and sustainable way. Excerpts:

Maoist violence has lasted decades. What does its end signify for the liberated zones?

For Bastar, this is not simply a security milestone—it marks a fundamental shift in a landscape once shaped by fear and isolation. For decades, vast stretches remained beyond effective governance. What has changed is the restoration of the state in its fullest sense—visible, accessible and trusted.

Over the past two years, sustained efforts have led to a decisive weakening of Maoist networks. Hundreds have been neutralised, thousands have surrendered and many more apprehended, resulting in a structural collapse of their operational capacity. The more meaningful transformation is social. Villages once defined by fear are now witnessing functioning schools, expanding roads and welfare services.

What convinces you this transition is real and irreversible?