Chhattisgarh in final stage of integrating Naxal-hit people: Prez Murmu

Addressing the Chhattisgarh legislative assembly as a part of its silver jubilee year celebration, President Murmu said the House has set the highest standards of democratic traditions

President Droupadi Murmu on Monday said the work to link people affected by Left Wing Extremism to the society's mainstream has reached the final stage in Chhattisgarh and expressed confidence that the state will soon get rid of the Naxal menace.

Addressing the Chhattisgarh legislative assembly as a part of its silver jubilee year celebration, Murmu said the House has set the highest standards of democratic traditions and presented a unique example of best parliamentary conduct.

She also appreciated that the 90-member state assembly has 19 women legislators and the number of female voters in the 2023 state elections was more than men.

All the MLAs should make efforts that the number of women members increases in the next assembly, Murmu said.

"The task of integrating people affected by Left Wing Extremism into the mainstream of the society has reached its final and decisive stage. I have been told that people of the Naxal-affected areas of Chhattisgarh want to move ahead on the path of development," she said.

"I am confident that you (the state) all will soon succeed in your efforts to completely free Chhattisgarh from extremism and add a golden chapter to the history of the state," she added.

There are 19 women MLAs in this House. In the 2023 assembly elections, the number of women voters was more than that of men. Thus, this House has received special support from the mothers, sisters and daughters of Chhattisgarh, Murmu said.

"I request the women MLAs to always be ready to promote all the sisters working in every field of life. When all women promote other women working in various fields of the state, then men will also pay attention and the path will be paved for the development of women, whether she is a teacher, officer, social worker or entrepreneur, scientist or artist, labourer or farmer," she said.

"Our sisters make their place in the outside world by struggling hard while fulfilling their day-to-day domestic responsibilities. When all the sisters empower each other, our society will become even stronger and sensitive. In this House, all the MLAs, especially the women members, should try to increase the number of women members in the next assembly," she added.

Murmu also expressed happiness that in the 25 years of the Chhattisgarh assembly (since the formation of the state in 2000), marshals have never been used in the House.

Governor Ramen Deka and assembly speaker Raman Singh also addressed the MLAs.

Earlier, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Leader of Opposition Charan Das Mahant welcomed President Murmu to the House and expressed gratitude to her.