Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Friday said that more than 2,000 Maoists have surrendered so far under the state’s rehabilitation policy, asserting that the government is committed to treating surrendered cadres fairly and supporting their reintegration into society.

Addressing the issue, the Chief Minister said the state government has repeatedly appealed to Maoists to abandon violence and gunfire and return to the mainstream of development. He said the impact of these efforts is now visible, with a large number of cadres laying down arms.

According to Vishnu Deo Sai, the rehabilitation framework focuses on long-term welfare. Surrendered Maoists are being provided skill training along with monthly financial assistance of Rs 10,000. He added that the new policy also includes provisions for allotment of land for farming and land to build houses in urban areas, aimed at securing their future and livelihood.

Fresh surrenders reported from Bijapur

Earlier, 34 Naxals surrendered in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district under the state government’s rehabilitation initiative titled Poona Margham: Punarvas Se Punarjeevan (Return to the Mainstream: Social Reintegration through Rehabilitation). Police officials said the surrendered cadres were carrying a cumulative reward of Rs 84 lakh.

Officials noted that the latest surrenders reflect the growing impact of sustained anti-Naxal measures combined with confidence-building initiatives focused on welfare and reintegration.

Centre’s target to eliminate Naxalism by March 2026

The Chief Minister’s remarks come amid the Central Government’s stated goal to eradicate Naxalism from the country by March 2026 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Authorities believe that rehabilitation-driven policies, along with security operations, are playing a key role in weakening the influence of Left-wing extremism in affected regions.

A concert by popular Bangladeshi singer James was cancelled in Faridpur, around 120 kilometres from Dhaka, after a mob allegedly threw bricks and stones at the venue, forcing local authorities to call off the event.

According to local reports, the concert was scheduled for 9 pm on Friday to mark the anniversary of a local school. A group of attackers attempted to forcibly enter the venue and began pelting stones, creating panic among the audience. Locals said students present at the site initially tried to resist the attackers, but the situation escalated, prompting authorities to cancel the programme.

Taslima Nasreen raises concern over attacks on culture

Author Taslima Nasreen highlighted the incident on social media, expressing concern over what she described as a growing pattern of attacks on artists and cultural spaces in Bangladesh. In her post, she referred to earlier incidents involving cultural institutions and said that the singer was not allowed to perform due to the actions of radical elements.

Nasreen also cited recent instances involving classical musicians. She mentioned that Siraj Ali Khan, grandson of renowned musician Ali Akbar Khan and a noted artist of the Maihar gharana, returned to India without performing in Dhaka, stating he would not return until artists and cultural institutions were safe. She further said that Arman Khan, son of Ustad Rashid Khan, had also declined an invitation to perform in Dhaka.

James’ popularity and wider concerns

James, a well-known Bangladeshi singer-songwriter, guitarist and composer, is the lead vocalist of the rock band Nagar Baul. He has also sung popular Hindi film songs such as Bheegi Bheegi from Gangster and Alvida from Life In A Metro, making him a familiar name across the region.

The cancellation of his concert has drawn attention to recent attacks on cultural organisations, artists and journalists in Bangladesh. Critics have alleged that the interim administration has failed to rein in violent mobs, amid claims that such incidents are contributing to a deteriorating law-and-order situation ahead of elections scheduled in February.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has approached the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Court’s decision to suspend the life sentence awarded to expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the 2017 Unnao rape case. The agency has filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) against the order that granted him bail while his appeal against conviction is pending.

According to officials, the decision to move the apex court was taken after a detailed examination of the order passed by a division bench of the Delhi High Court. The bench had suspended Sengar’s life imprisonment on the ground that he had already spent over seven years in jail.

Why the CBI has approached the apex court

In a statement, a CBI spokesperson said it was decided to challenge the high court’s order at the earliest. The agency maintained that it had strongly opposed the suspension of sentence during the hearing of Sengar’s appeal, along with the family of the survivor, who had raised concerns related to safety and threats.

The former legislator was convicted by a trial court in December 2019 for kidnapping and raping a minor girl in 2017. He later filed an appeal before the Delhi High Court seeking suspension of his sentence during the pendency of the case.

Sengar to remain in jail despite bail order

Despite the high court granting bail in the rape case, Sengar will continue to remain in prison as he is also serving a separate 10-year sentence in connection with the custodial death of the survivor’s father.

While granting bail, the high court imposed multiple conditions, including a personal bond of Rs 15 lakh with three sureties of the same amount. The court also directed Sengar not to enter within a five-kilometre radius of the survivor’s residence in Delhi and restrained him from issuing any threats to her or her mother.

The trial in the Unnao rape case, along with related matters, had earlier been shifted from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi on the directions of the Supreme Court in August 2019.