Amit Shah appeals to Naxals to lay down arms, warns of action if they don't

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided that Naxal violence and ideology will be wiped out from the country. "I appeal to Naxals to give up violence, lay down arms and surrender as the militants in the northeast have done. If you do not listen, then an all-out operation will be carried out soon to end the menace," Shah said.

The Union home minister said security forces have achieved significant success in their operations against Maoists as the problem is now confined to just four districts of Chhattisgarh. He said that Maoists once had planned to establish a corridor from Pashupatinath (Nepal) to Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh) but that was destroyed by the Modi government.

The Ministry of Home Affairs will soon chalk out a welfare scheme for Naxal violence-affected people of Chhattisgarh, in close coordination with the state government. "We will help you in whatever way we can through our welfare measures in jobs, healthcare and other areas," he said.