Top News

Former women Naxals who once lived with weapons in the forests of Bastar made a striking appearance at a National Handloom Day event in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Dressed in traditional handloom sarees, the women walked the ramp with confidence as the audience applauded their transformation. Their appearance highlighted not only India’s handloom heritage but also their decision to leave the armed movement and rebuild their lives in the mainstream. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai attended the event. The women, who had once spent years in Bastar’s forests, took part in the programme with smiles and visible confidence.

Bastar’s Naxal-Free Transition

The event came against the backdrop of Bastar’s changing security landscape. The region, which remained a major centre of Maoist activity for decades, has witnessed sustained security operations and a growing number of surrenders.

Earlier this week, Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma met Union Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan in New Delhi. The state government sought special relaxations in central infrastructure schemes to accelerate development in Bastar.

#WATCH | Raipur, Chhattisgarh: Former women Naxals, who once carried weapons in the dense forests of Bastar, walked the ramp to huge applause at a National Handloom Day event in Raipur after joining the mainstream. (07.08) https://t.co/BtUfHIUsHs pic.twitter.com/ClHzGcRWp1

— ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2026

Speaking after the meeting, Sai said: “Today, accompanied by our state’s Deputy CM Vijay Sharma, we met with the Union Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture, Shivraj Singh Chouhan; officials were also present during the meeting. After 40-50 years, our Bastar region has finally become Naxal-free, and there is a great need for development there. Connectivity is crucial from a development perspective," according to ANI.

Women Choosing A New Path

The transition has also been visible through large-scale surrenders. In March, 108 Maoist cadres associated with the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee surrendered in Bastar under the state’s “Puna Margem – rehabilitation to rejuvenation" campaign. The group, carrying a combined reward of Rs 3.29 crore, included 44 women and members linked to different levels of the Maoist organisation.

In May, Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited Bastar and declared the region “Naxal-free". “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Bastar has become Naxal-free. Now, the journey from security to trust, trust to development, development to prosperity, and prosperity to fulfillment, must be completed within the next five years", Shah had said.

The former women Naxals walking the ramp offered a different picture of Bastar, one centred on rehabilitation, livelihoods and participation in public life. Their appearance at the Raipur event reflected the changing lives of women who have left the armed movement behind and are now finding new ways to participate in society.