Chhattisgarh Leaves LWE Era Behind, Enters New Phase of Growth: Vice-President
VP Radhakrishnan says Chhattisgarh has overcome LWE and is now on a path of development, citing infrastructure and healthcare growth.
Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan said on Wednesday that Chhattisgarh has successfully moved past the decades-long challenge of Left Wing Extremism (LWE), entering an era defined by development and opportunity. Speaking at the third convocation of AIIMS Raipur, he noted that areas once affected by conflict are now associated with new roads, schools, hospitals, and investment.
Reflecting on the past, he described how remote and tribal regions had long faced barriers to progress, where fear disrupted education and healthcare delivery. He credited the current transformation to the combined efforts of the central and state governments, including the Prime Minister, the Union Home Minister, and Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, stating that strong political will and a firm security policy have brought an end to the Naxal issue. The state government had officially declared Chhattisgarh free of armed Maoists earlier this year.
The Vice-President highlighted AIIMS Raipur as a key example of this change. Established in 2012, the institute has grown into a major healthcare hub for central India, serving rural and tribal populations. He praised its achievements, including the state's first swap kidney transplant and high success rates in kidney transplantation, as signs of advanced medical care becoming accessible in the region.
Addressing the graduates, Mr. Radhakrishnan spoke about the importance of balanced development for the vision of Viksit Bharat, emphasising that progress must reach every state and village. He pointed to the expansion of higher education since 2014, noting the establishment of new IITs, IIMs, and AIIMS across the country. He also highlighted the significant rise in women's enrolment in higher education, calling it a form of real empowerment.
He observed that at the AIIMS Raipur convocation, 376 women were receiving degrees compared to 313 men, reflecting a broader national trend. He urged the new graduates to uphold their responsibility to society, to say no to drugs, and to use their knowledge to serve the nation. The ceremony was attended by the Governor of Chhattisgarh, the Union Minister of State for Health, and other senior officials.