‘Red Terror’ Ends: 41 Bastar villages to hoist tricolour on Republic day for first time

For the first time, the national flag will be hoisted on Republic Day in 41 villages of Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region that were earlier under strong Maoist influence, marking a significant victory in the fight against “Red Terror” and the return of peace, governance, and development.

Of these villages, 13 are in Bijapur , 18 in Narayanpur , and 10 in Sukma , Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P said.Including 13 villages that celebrated Independence Day last year for the first time , a total of 54 villages are now participating in national celebrations.

“The 76th Republic Day will be celebrated with enthusiasm and patriotic fervour in villages that had been disconnected from such national events for decades,” Sundarraj said. He credited the establishment of security camps over the past few months for restoring confidence among local communities and enabling administrative outreach.

The IG highlighted that the neutralisation of senior Maoist cadres , including Basavaraju, K Ramachandra Reddy, Sudhakar, and Katta Satyanarayana Reddy, particularly in areas such as Abhujmad and the National Park region, had weakened extremist influence . This has allowed governance, welfare schemes, and development initiatives to steadily replace fear and coercion in these interior areas.

“The celebration of Republic Day in these villages symbolizes the triumph of the Constitution, democracy, and the rule of law ,” Sundarraj added. Security camps are now helping implement government schemes, mainly for tribal populations, under the Niyad Nellanar (Your Good Village) initiative , which aims to provide basic amenities and carry out development works in remote villages.

Meanwhile, a government official said preparations for Republic Day celebrations across Chhattisgarh were complete. Governor Ramen Deka will unfurl the national flag at the Police Parade Ground in Raipur on Monday, while Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai will hoist it in Bilaspur district. Deputy Chief Ministers Arun Sao and Vijay Sharma will participate in celebrations in Bastar and Surguja districts, respectively.

The first-time celebrations in these villages not only highlight the return of peace and normalcy but also underscore the growing reach of democracy and governance into areas that were long affected by extremism.