Sukma, March 31 -- Anti-Naxal activist and social worker Farooq Ali hailed the "Naxal Mukt Bharat" initiative, calling the March 31, 2026, deadline set by Centre to end Naxalism in the country as "effective."

Speaking to ANI on Monday, Ali highlighted that Naxalism in Chhattisgarh's Bastar felt like a "parallel government" operating for the past 50 years, adding that there were "doubts" about whether such a goal could be achieved or not due to staunch opponents of Naxalism.

"Naxalism has held sway over Bastar for nearly fifty years. Given the sheer extent of its dominance--the way it had entrenched itself--it felt as though a 'parallel government' were operating within Bastar. Consequently, despite being staunch opponents of Naxalism, w...